Maritime Domain Awareness: Process Reengineering

Abstract

Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) is viewed as predominately a security issue, however the economic ramifications of an attack against a high-value target such as a container vessel, cruise ship, or petro-chemical facility elevate the problem from a national level to cause for global concern (Allen, 2008). A significant attack could cause the port to shut down and spread anxiety throughout the global marketplace. To mitigate the danger posed by maritime vessels, the United States (US) Navy, Coast Guard, and law enforcement agencies need greater maritime domain awareness, appropriate legal agreements, and partnerships. A large effort is underway to develop technologies to help maintain MDA, legal arrangements for sharing information, and guidance for military and law enforcement personnel on procedures to deal with this multi-faceted problem. In this paper, we report on the progress made in 2008 to improve the effectiveness of systems provided to the warfighter in MDA missions (including Coast Guard, law enforcement, and other agencies). In line with the theme for this year’s symposium – command and control (C2) and agility – the maritime threat environment is a complex problem with multiple variables and requires a number of agile solutions.