Maritime domain awareness in the South China Sea: an operational picture design

Maritime domain awareness (MDA) is a crucial U.S. Navy operational function, with significant long-term strategic overtones, especially in the South China Sea (SCS) region. Socio-economic issues plague the SCS, including overfishing, piracy, and energy usage, and have forced many countries to disregard borders, laws, and economic exclusionary zones (EEZ). These actions have caused numerous vessels of interest (VOIs) to turn off required positioning systems to participate in illicit activities. This thesis builds upon the concept of operations (CONOPS) developed in year one of a multi-year project in order to create an exercise plan for use during the 2018 naval exercise Southeast Asia Cooperation and Training (SEACAT). Advances in commercial satellite imagery programs will enhance and improve situational awareness in the MDA realm for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries adjacent to the SCS. The research focuses on utilizing a variety of unclassified software programs. These programs provide interested parties with additional tools that improve the capabilities of the partner nations to improve information sharing on both cooperative and non-cooperative MDA tracks.http://archive.org/details/maritimedomainwa1094558305Lieutenant, United States NavyLieutenant, United States NavyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited