The Directorate of Oceanography and Meteorology (DOM) is a component of the Royal Australian Navy’s Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Force Element Group. The Directorate consists of four elements: Operational METOC Centre, Australian and Defence Oceanographic Data Centre, Fleet Weather and Oceanography Centre and NAS Weather and Oceanography Centre.

DOM’s vision is a statement describing the desired future state of the Directorate. The vision is intentionally challenging and will require considerable individual and corporate effort to attain. It is:

To be Navy’s Group renowned for excellence in provision of world-class meteorological and oceanographic information, intelligence and services to meet Defence and national requirements; underpinned by professional people, advanced technology and best business practice.

DOM’s Mission provides a sense of purpose by describing core-business activities required of the Directorate in order to strive towards the vision. It is:

As an organisation with a clear vision for its future, and as an integral component of Navy’s Hydrographic, Meteorological and Oceanographic Force Element Group, we will

· Enable the Defence Organisation to understand and utilise the above and below water physical operating environments for strategic and operational advantage;
· Enable optimum force utilization based on existing and forecast physical operating environment – force multiplier;
· Enable the safe employment of Defence assets based on a clear understanding of the physical operating environment; and,
· Satisfy national and international obligations as the Australian Oceanographic Data Centre;

through

· Acquisition, management, production and provision of meteorological and oceanographic information;
· Provision of military meteorological and oceanographic capability in support of military operations and exercises;
· The development and delivery of meteorological and oceanographic capability;
· Delivering meteorological and oceanographic training; and
· Managing meteorological and oceanographic relationships with Defence, national and international communities.

In addition to operating as the Defence Oceanographic Data Centre, the DOM operates as the Australian National Oceanographic Data Centre (AODC) within the guidelines established by United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission. Through this AODC, the Directorate participates in national and international oceanographic programs involving the collection, management, exchange and web-based dissemination of maritime environmental data.

Ocean Modelling and Services System
The Navy, the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology (CBM) and CSIRO are jointly developing an Ocean Modelling and Services System (OMSS). OMSS is a numerical oceanography prediction model that can forecast the future state of the ocean using mathematical equations. Delivery date is expected to be by the end of year 2006.

OMSS will be able to produce three-dimensional forecasts of temperature, salinity and ocean currents at different points of time in the future. These products will be integrated with the Navy’s Tactical Environmental Support System (TESS 2) to assist in producing three-dimensional acoustic predictions. Having an accurate picture of how the ocean will look in the future greatly assists warfare planners and commanders in making decisions on how to best use the Navy’s maritime sensors and weapons, particularly sonar.

There is also a broader national interest as the CBM and CSIRO will also use OMSS for their own predictions/forecasts as well as for scientific research.

For more information, please visit the website http://www.metoc.gov.au