DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS
2000 NAVY PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, DC 20350-2000
OPNAVINST 5430.56A
N2/N6
19 Dec 2014
OPNAV INSTRUCTION 5430.56A
From: Chief of Naval Operations
Subj: NAVAL OCEANOGRAPHY POLICY, RELATIONSHIPS, AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Ref: (a) United States Navy Regulations, 1990
(b) SECNAVINST 5430.79C
(c) COMFLTFORCOMINST 5490.98
1. Purpose. To provide naval oceanography related policy and
objectives, to establish organizational relationships, and to
assign responsibilities for naval oceanography, part of the
Information Dominance Corps. This instruction is being reissued
with a new date, updated version, and signature authority to
meet the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) age requirement for
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) instructions.
2. Cancellation. OPNAVINST 5430.56.
3. Background. Reference (a) defines the Department of Navy
organization and assigns responsibility for research,
development, and acquisition; including oceanography and closely
related matters to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN)
(Research, Development and Acquisition) (ASN (RD&A)). Reference
(b) assigns the Chief of Naval Research (CNR) as the Navy’s
science and technology executive through ASN (RD&A). The
Oceanographer of the Navy (OPNAV N2/N6E) implements the CNO
responsibilities to naval oceanography and performs functions
relating to external interfaces with national and international
operations and research and development of oceanographic
organizations and activities.
4. Definitions. Naval oceanography encompasses the areas of
oceanography and meteorology, geospatial information and
services, hydrography, and precise time and astrometry under the
sponsorship of the CNO. Naval oceanography includes operational
oceanography and the ocean science and technology program under
the sponsorship of the CNR.
