STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Miss. (Jan. 20, 2022) -- Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Mike Gilday and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Warfare and Director of Naval Intelligence Vice Adm. Jeffrey Trussler visited various Naval Oceanography commands at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, January 20.

Gilday and Trussler met with Sailors and Civilians, toured Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC) facilities and received updates on unmanned capabilities, electromagnetic maneuver warfare and undersea warfare. 
 
“As we find ourselves in the breach of strategic competition, the Navy’s role in this competition remains clear,” said Gilday.  “We need to control the seas and project power across all domains, and to support that we will leverage innovation, technology and our people to maintain our competitive advantage.”
 
During the visit to the Glider Operations Center, Gilday and Trussler watched pilots demonstrate command and control of unmanned littoral battlespace gliders worldwide using satellite communications. The Naval Oceanographic Office, a subordinate command of CNMOC that maximizes sea power by applying relevant oceanographic knowledge in support of U.S. National Security, has the largest fleet of gliders in the world.
 
Naval Oceanography consists of a ready Force of well-qualified, well-educated and deliberately trained Sailors, civilians and contractors serving in a wide-range of operational, technical, scientific and service support billets around the globe.
 
Throughout the visit, Gilday and Trussler received updates on unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned sensor operations and various ocean projects.
 
“Unmanned systems have and will continue to play a key part in future operations on, above and under the sea,” Gilday added.  “I’m thankful for the work and dedication of Naval Oceanography who continues to help ensure the Navy can meet the demands and challenges of today and tomorrow.” 
 
Naval Oceanography provides the fleet with a dynamic, four-dimensional physical battlespace operating picture, incorporating a vast collection of environmental data into physics-based, numerical weather and ocean prediction systems, development and dissemination of precise time star catalog and Earth orientation information.
 
This visit marked CNO’s first trip to CNMOC, the Department of Defense’s authoritative source for environmental characterization and transforming knowledge of physical battlespace into winning decisions.
 
Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command directs and oversees more than 2,500 globally-distributed military and civilian personnel who collect, process and exploit environmental information to assist Fleet and Joint Commanders in all warfare areas to make better decisions faster than the adversary.