Basemaps
Command staff, planners, operators, and analysts rely on high-quality basemaps to provide context for their specific tasks. We provide map templates to help you build and publish high-quality basemaps, using raw data available through the Defense Mapping organizations. The ArcGIS for Defense team tests these templates using worldwide data sources to ensure their suitability for large volumes of data. These basemap templates support the planning, operations and intelligence analysis templates found in our template gallery.
Topographic Basemap
The Topographic basemap provides topographic contours and other physiographic features. It emphasizes the physical geography and is widely used to support a variety of planning, operations and intelligence analysis needs. This basemap includes boundaries, water features, physiographic features, elevation, landmarks, transportation, and structures. This basemap template uses the same cartographic style as the online topographic map for the National System for Geospatial Intelligence (NSG) Entity Catalog.
Scanned Maps Basemap
Mapping agencies usually provide scanned maps as sets of raster files in folders that are organized by the scale and series of the scanned map. These maps have been scanned from worldwide map collections and are generally provided in CADRG/ECRG format. The Scanned Maps basemap helps you build a single, multi-resolution, seamless basemap from these digital products. The scanned maps basemap displays the correct standard map product at each scale. The template includes tools to load data, including updating it with new source data. Download the Getting Started document for scanned maps here.
Imagery Basemap
The Imagery basemap is built using various scales of seamless imagery. Mapping agencies generally supply imagery as sets of raster files in folders organized by image type and scale. The Imagery basemap allows you to create a single, seamless, multi-resolution imagery basemap from these products. The Imagery basemap uses standard commercial datasets for small-scale display and Controlled Image Base Imagery for large-scale imagery. This template includes tools and best practice models for loading and managing large volumes of this imagery, and for updating it with new source data. Download the Getting Started document for Imagery basemaps here.