FAIRFAX, Va., 14 June 2009. Map makers at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) needed a system to improve how they produce nautical charts for maritime navigation and guidance. They found their solution from ManTech International Corp. in Fairfax, Va.

ManTech supervised creation of the Nautical Chart System II (NCS II) for NOAA -- a technological leap forward in creating nautical charts for maritime navigation of America's oceans and coasts.

In 2004, NOAA's Office of Coast Survey partnered with ManTech to develop an integrated production system for NOAA charts. ManTech chose the ArcGIS 9.3 Nautical solution from Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. in Redlands, Calif. (ESRI).

ManTech led the integration activities and worked with NOAA and ESRI to enhance the functional capability of the COTS solution to align with the needs of the NOAA Hydrographic Office community.

"The needs of the global navigation community are constantly changing, and our charts must adapt to those needs," says Captain Steven Barnum, NOAA Office of Coast Survey director. "The system we developed with ManTech allows NOAA to continue being the provider of choice for accurate and timely navigation data."

For more information contact ManTech online at www.mantech.com, or ESRI at www.esri.com.