Coast Guard: Observations on Progress Made and Challenges Faced in Developing and Implementing a Common Operational Picture

Abstract

To facilitate its mission effectiveness through greater maritime situational awareness, the Coast Guard developed its Common Operational Picture (COP) -- a map-based information system shared among its commands. The COP displays vessels, information about those vessels, and the environment surrounding them on interactive digital maps. COP information is shared via computer networks throughout the Coast Guard to assist with operational decisions. COP-related systems include systems that can be used to access, or provide information to, the COP. This statement summarizes GAO's work on the following: (1) the Coast Guard's progress in increasing the availability of data sources and COP information to users, and (2) the challenges the Coast Guard has experienced in developing and implementing COP-related systems. This statement is based on GAO's prior work issued from July 2011 through April 2013 on various Coast Guard acquisition and implementation efforts related to the COP, along with selected updates conducted in July 2013. To conduct the selected updates, GAO obtained documentation on the Coast Guard's reported status in developing COP-related acquisition planning documents. GAO has made recommendations in prior work to enhance the Coast Guard's development and implementation of its COP-related systems. DHS generally concurred with the recommendations and has reported actions under way to address them.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 31, 2013
Accession Number
ADA581770

Entities

People

  • Bintou Njie
  • Dawn Hoff
  • Jason Berman
  • Jessica Orr
  • Jonathan Bachman
  • Katherine Trimble
  • Laurier Fish
  • Lerone Reid
  • Stephen L. Caldwell

Organizations

  • United States Government Accountability Office

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Cyber
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Automatic Identification Systems
  • Coast Guard
  • Coast Guard Personnel
  • Command And Control
  • Command And Control Systems
  • Command Centers
  • Computer Programs
  • Computers
  • Control Systems
  • Department Of Homeland Security
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Governments
  • Information Systems
  • Marine Transportation
  • Maritime Domain Awareness
  • United States Government

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
  • Enterprise Information Systems Architecture and Joint Command Capability Interoperability Support.