This report deals with the completeness quality aspect of the DCW. First, the meaning of this data quality characteristic is discussed from the perspectives of the US Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS) and the European spatial data standard, the former under implementation and the latter currently under development. The major part of the report summarizes completeness information found in a ‘grey’ military report : "Defense Mapping Agency. 1987. Product specifications for Operational Navigation Charts (Code: ONC) Scale 1:1,000,000. First edition 1981 and changes and amendments thereto. Product Specifications PS/1AB/120." using the SDTS definition of the completeness.

The completeness information is structured in tables, usually two for each DCW coverage. One table presents additional definition information, the other includes selection criteria and other mapping rules. The selection criteria elaborated in various degrees of detail reflect the initial purposes of the Operational Navigation Charts, which are the basis for the DCW. These were produced to support “medium altitude enroute navigation by dead reckoning visual pilotage, celestial, radar, and other electronic techniques” and “for operational planning, intelligence briefings, and preparation of visual cock-pit displays/ film strips essential to aerospace navigation of high-performance weapon systems.”