The IFC: Challenges in Building a Regional Maritime Domain Awareness System

Since the turn of this century there has been a growing realisation among security analysts about the importance of maritime domain awareness (MDA) as an essential enabler of maritime security. Of course, understanding the position and likely intention of maritime actors has always been a big concern of navies it is something they have always done in relation to rivals and enemies. But recent advances in sensor and computing technology render it technically possible to create a networked real time picture that allows for a shared understanding of threats and developmentsboth civil and militaryin the maritime domain. However, actually implementing an MDA system also involves overcoming some formidable technical, organisational, and legal hurdles.