MDA development by design or by policy

Abstract

Maritime Domain Awareness may require reach across Federal, State, local and private agency maritime security systems to create an accurate, timely, and reliable common operating view. The view will provide the user with an in-depth, multi layer linkage of situational awareness and threat assessment developed from many databases, to support different needs at different levels of the national maritime security system. Implementing new and emerging technologies into the U.S. Navy system may enhance the Maritime Commander's ability to achieve situational awareness in a more timely, efficient, and accurate manner than what occurs now. Recognizing the advantage of new and emerging technologies, the SECNAV and CNO have tasked PEO C4I to develop a system, which will aid the U.S. Navy in meeting the MDA mission; this system is known as MDA Spiral-1. This thesis examines the effects of placing new and emerging technologies developed in Spiral-1 onto legacy systems and how the U.S. Navy as an organization will either absorb these technologies or make multi-dimensional changes to enhance the process of achieving MDA.