NMOC-Aussie partnership

STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. - Rear Adm. John Okon, commander of the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (NMOC), traveled to Australia in March for an engagement and familiarization visit with the Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation (AGO) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) meteorology-oceanography activities. It was the first visit by the head of the U.S. Navy’s operational meteorology and oceanography command in more than 20 years. “Our partnership is critical because we cannot, and should not, go it alone sensing, collecting data and predicting the physical battlespace,” Okon said. “We must leverage each other’s capabilities to build a stronger partnership and maximize our combined resources,” Okon said. Commodore Fiona Freeman, hydrographer of Australia, offered the invitation after RAN and AGO visits to U.S. Naval Oceanography commands that highlighted opportunities for further collaboration. Discussions focused on environmental data collection of the ocean bottom and within the water column that directly support submarine operations. (Source: NMOC 034/01/20) NMOC serves as the operational arm of the Naval Oceanography Program. Its HQ is at Stennis Space Center. NMOC is a third echelon command reporting to United States Fleet Forces Command. https://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=112510