STENNIS SPACE CENTER, Mississippi – Rear Adm. Ronald Piret, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command (CNMOC), and his staff hosted a visit by Rear Adm. Rhett Hatcher, Director of Data Acquisition and National Hydrographer for United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), to CNMOC Headquarters at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi Nov. 28.

The purpose of the visit was to provide Hatcher an overview of Naval Oceanography capabilities and mission, with a focus on joint oceanographic sensing, bathymetric coproduction, and unmanned systems, all of which are areas where Naval Oceanography and UKHO routinely collaborate to accomplish shared objectives.

“Naval Oceanography operates simultaneously at the strategic, operational and tactical levels of warfare in every theater around the globe,” said Piret. “We pride ourselves in our ability to characterize the battle space and then predict changes in the environment over time. Every ship that sails, every aircraft that takes flight, every submarine that dives beneath the surface of the ocean has to go to sea with the information that Naval Oceanography provides.”

Through our enduring partnership with the UKHO and Royal Navy, Naval Oceanography is able to expand the environmental advantage available to both USN forces and our RN allies.

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) is a world-leading center for hydrography, specializing in marine geospatial data to support safe, secure and thriving oceans. UKHO is an executive agency, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence.

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.