National Maritime Intelligence Center
Stored: National Maritime Intelligence Center
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National Maritime Intelligence Center (NMIC) is a U.S. Navy-led military intelligence facility in Suitland, Maryland, established in 1994, housing the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA), Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center (ICC), and other units, supporting over 3,000 personnel in maritime security and intelligence efforts.
Mission
The NMIC’s mission is to enhance maritime domain awareness by providing a state-of-the-art facility for integrating intelligence from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. It supports national decision-makers, joint warfighters, and allied partners by facilitating 24/7 analysis and coordination of maritime threats, from naval capabilities to transnational issues like smuggling.
Parent organization
The NMIC is primarily managed by the United States Navy, under the Department of Defense, with the Office of Naval Intelligence as its lead tenant, though it hosts entities from the Department of Homeland Security (Coast Guard) and collaborates across federal lines.
Legislation
The NMIC was not created by specific legislation but emerged from post-Cold War Navy intelligence consolidation in 1994, following the 1991-1993 reorganization of naval intelligence units under ONI, driven by operational needs rather than a congressional mandate.
Partners
- National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office (NMIO) for intelligence sharing
- Department of Homeland Security (via Coast Guard ICC)
- Intelligence Community (e.g., CIA, NSA) for broader collaboration
Number of employees
The NMIC supports approximately 3,000 military and civilian personnel, per ONI estimates, including staff from ONI (majority), MCIA, ICC, and smaller units like the Naval Information Warfare Activity (NIWA), with numbers varying by mission demands.
Organization structure
The NMIC is a facility hosting multiple independent entities rather than a unified command:
Leader
The primary tenant leader is the Commander, Office of Naval Intelligence, currently Rear Adm. Mike Brookes as of March 2025, who also directs the NMIO, overseeing the facility’s largest workforce.
Divisions
Key resident organizations include:
- Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) for naval intelligence analysis.
- Marine Corps Intelligence Activity (MCIA) for expeditionary support.
- Coast Guard Intelligence Coordination Center (ICC) for domestic maritime security.
- Naval Information Warfare Activity (NIWA) for technical intelligence.
List of programs
- Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) Coordination
- Global Maritime Intelligence Integration (GMII)
- ONI Centers of Excellence (e.g., Nimitz, Farragut)
Last total enacted budget
The NMIC’s budget is not separately detailed; it’s funded within the Navy’s FY 2024 budget of $202.5 billion and DoD’s $842 billion, with contributions from DHS for Coast Guard elements, though facility-specific costs are not isolated.
Staff
The NMIC’s 3,000 personnel include active-duty sailors, Marines, Coast Guard members, and civilians, with ONI’s workforce (over 2,000) dominating, supported by analysts, scientists, and IT specialists across resident agencies, operating from secure Suitland facilities.
Funding
Since 1994, the NMIC has been funded through Navy appropriations under Title 10 U.S.C., with FY 2024’s $202.5 billion Navy budget covering ONI and facility operations, augmented by DHS funds for Coast Guard activities.
Services provided
The NMIC provides a secure hub for maritime intelligence, hosting ONI’s analysis of foreign navies, MCIA’s littoral mission support, and ICC’s domestic threat tracking. It supports classified operations, real-time threat assessments, and interagency collaboration, leveraging advanced tech for 24/7 intelligence production.
Regulations overseen
The NMIC operates under agency-specific regs (e.g., SECNAVINST 5530.4E for Navy security) but does not create regulations; it facilitates compliance with Intelligence Community directives like ICD 902 for maritime integration.
Headquarters address
4251 Suitland Road, Suitland, MD 20746
History
The NMIC emerged from 1991-1993 Navy intelligence consolidations, closing units like the Naval Technical Intelligence Center and forming a precursor (NAVMIC) before establishing the current facility in 1994. Located in Suitland since 1988 (ONI’s move), it expanded post-9/11 with NMIO (2009) to integrate maritime intel, hosting ONI’s Centers of Excellence since 2009.
Related
See Also Links to related programs articles or organizations:
- Office of Naval Intelligence
- National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office
- Marine Corps Intelligence Activity