scope:

Scope and Applicability.

a. This instruction applies to sponsoring commands, offices and commanders exercising control over operations of the type described in paragraph 1.

b. This instruction does not apply to:

(1) Intelligence operations.

(2) Activities of civilian oceanographic institutions that are operating ships or aircraft owned by the U.S. Navy which are leased or bonded to academic institutions, such as the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System program assets.

(3) Operation of navigation, meteorological, telecommunication and similar data gathering instruments used in the normal course of navigation. Use of such instruments employed in the normal course of navigation does not require coastal state consent seaward of the baseline (see paragraph 4e for further guidance).

c. References (a) and (b) contain separate procedures for obtaining diplomatic clearance for ship port visits and aircraft flights to or within foreign countries. Those activities are separate from marine data collection and are neither addressed nor superseded by this instruction. Further, aircraft performing marine data collection may require normal aviation clearances, which must be requested through proper channels.