diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index 801f3c8bc..48931b553 100755
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ set -x
 if [[ $BUILD_JCSDA == 'YES' ]]; then
   make -j ${BUILD_JOBS:-6} VERBOSE=$BUILD_VERBOSE
 else
-  builddirs="gdas iodaconv land-imsproc land-jediincr gdas-utils bufr-query"
+  builddirs="gdas iodaconv land-imsproc land-jediincr gdas-utils bufr-query da-utils"
   for b in $builddirs; do
     cd $b
     make -j ${BUILD_JOBS:-6} VERBOSE=$BUILD_VERBOSE
diff --git a/modulefiles/GDAS/hera.intel.lua b/modulefiles/GDAS/hera.intel.lua
index 613205f6f..7ef752a8e 100644
--- a/modulefiles/GDAS/hera.intel.lua
+++ b/modulefiles/GDAS/hera.intel.lua
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ load("fckit/0.11.0")
 load("fiat/1.2.0")
 --load("ectrans/1.2.0")
 load("fms/2023.04")
+load("esmf/8.6.0")
 load("atlas/0.35.1")
 load("sp/2.5.0")
 load("gsl-lite/0.37.0")
diff --git a/modulefiles/GDAS/hercules.intel.lua b/modulefiles/GDAS/hercules.intel.lua
index fb97a90b7..105efddee 100644
--- a/modulefiles/GDAS/hercules.intel.lua
+++ b/modulefiles/GDAS/hercules.intel.lua
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ load("fckit/0.11.0")
 load("fiat/1.2.0")
 load("ectrans/1.2.0")
 load("fms/2023.04")
+load("esmf/8.6.0")
 load("atlas/0.35.1")
 load("sp/2.5.0")
 load("gsl-lite/0.37.0")
diff --git a/modulefiles/GDAS/orion.intel.lua b/modulefiles/GDAS/orion.intel.lua
index 1c4c60ac3..509c7b053 100644
--- a/modulefiles/GDAS/orion.intel.lua
+++ b/modulefiles/GDAS/orion.intel.lua
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ load("fckit/0.11.0")
 load("fiat/1.2.0")
 load("ectrans/1.2.0")
 load("fms/2023.04")
+load("esmf/8.6.0")
 load("atlas/0.35.1")
 load("sp/2.5.0")
 load("gsl-lite/0.37.0")
diff --git a/modulefiles/GDAS/wcoss2.intel.lua b/modulefiles/GDAS/wcoss2.intel.lua
index 8fb769c96..2c3224f33 100644
--- a/modulefiles/GDAS/wcoss2.intel.lua
+++ b/modulefiles/GDAS/wcoss2.intel.lua
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ load("gsl/2.7")
 load("prod_util/2.0.14")
 load("bufr/12.0.1")
 load("fms-C/2023.04")
+load("esmf-C/8.6.0")
 
 -- hack for pybind11
 setenv("pybind11_ROOT", "/apps/spack/python/3.8.6/intel/19.1.3.304/pjn2nzkjvqgmjw4hmyz43v5x4jbxjzpk/lib/python3.8/site-packages/pybind11/share/cmake/pybind11")
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_viirs_n20_l2_north.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_viirs_n20_l2_north.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f6a24d7f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_viirs_n20_l2_north.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+obs space:
+  name: icec_viirs_n20_l2_north
+  obsdatain:
+    engine:
+      type: H5File
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}icec_viirs_n20_l2_north.{PDY}${cyc}.nc4
+  obsdataout:
+    engine:
+      type: H5File
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/icec_viirs_n20_l2_north.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
+  simulated variables: [seaIceFraction]
+  io pool:
+    max pool size: 1
+get values:
+  time interpolation: linear
+obs operator:
+  name: Identity
+  observation alias file: obsop_name_map.yaml
+obs error:
+  covariance model: diagonal
+obs filters:
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: {name: GeoVaLs/sea_area_fraction}
+    minvalue: 0.9
+- filter: Bounds Check
+  minvalue: 0.0
+  maxvalue: 1.0
+#- filter: Background Check
+#  threshold: 5.0
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: { name: GeoVaLs/sea_surface_temperature}
+    maxvalue: 2.0
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: { name: GeoVaLs/sea_surface_temperature}
+    maxvalue: 0.0
+  action:
+    name: inflate error
+    inflation factor: 2.0
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: {name: GeoVaLs/distance_from_coast}
+    minvalue: 100e3
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_viirs_n20_l2_south.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_viirs_n20_l2_south.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..030b1091f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/config/icec_viirs_n20_l2_south.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+obs space:
+  name: icec_viirs_n20_l2_south
+  obsdatain:
+    engine:
+      type: H5File
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/obs/${OPREFIX}icec_viirs_n20_l2_south.{PDY}${cyc}.nc4
+  obsdataout:
+    engine:
+      type: H5File
+      obsfile: !ENV ${DATA}/diags/icec_viirs_n20_l2_south.${PDY}${cyc}.nc4
+  simulated variables: [seaIceFraction]
+  io pool:
+    max pool size: 1
+get values:
+  time interpolation: linear
+obs operator:
+  name: Identity
+  observation alias file: obsop_name_map.yaml
+obs error:
+  covariance model: diagonal
+obs filters:
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: {name: GeoVaLs/sea_area_fraction}
+    minvalue: 0.9
+- filter: Bounds Check
+  minvalue: 0.0
+  maxvalue: 1.0
+#- filter: Background Check
+#  threshold: 5.0
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: { name: GeoVaLs/sea_surface_temperature}
+    maxvalue: 2.0
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: { name: GeoVaLs/sea_surface_temperature}
+    maxvalue: 0.0
+  action:
+    name: inflate error
+    inflation factor: 2.0
+- filter: Domain Check
+  where:
+  - variable: {name: GeoVaLs/distance_from_coast}
+    minvalue: 100e3
diff --git a/parm/soca/obs/obs_list.yaml b/parm/soca/obs/obs_list.yaml
index 150722c58..c11dc1ace 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obs/obs_list.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obs/obs_list.yaml
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ observers:
 # Ice concentration
 - !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_amsr2_north.yaml
 - !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_amsr2_south.yaml
+#- !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_viirs_n20_l2_north.yaml
+#- !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_viirs_n20_l2_south.yaml
 #- !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_amsu_mb_l2.yaml
 #- !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_atms_n20_l2.yaml
 #- !INC ${MARINE_OBS_YAML_DIR}/icec_atms_n21_l2.yaml
diff --git a/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml b/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml
index fd9239022..0b3c56764 100644
--- a/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml
+++ b/parm/soca/obsprep/obsprep_config.yaml
@@ -46,6 +46,22 @@ observations:
     dmpdir regex: 'AMSR2-SEAICE-SH_v2r2_GW1_s*.nc'
     ocean basin: RECCAP2_region_masks_all_v20221025.nc
 
+- obs space:
+    name: icec_viirs_n20_l2_north
+    provider: JPSSRR
+    dmpdir subdir: ocean/icec/NH
+    type: nc
+    dmpdir regex: 'JRR-IceConcentration_v2r3_j01_s*.nc'
+    ocean basin: RECCAP2_region_masks_all_v20221025.nc
+
+- obs space:
+    name: icec_viirs_n20_l2_south
+    provider: JPSSRR
+    dmpdir subdir: ocean/icec/SH
+    type: nc
+    dmpdir regex: 'JRR-IceConcentration_v2r3_j01_s*.nc'
+    ocean basin: RECCAP2_region_masks_all_v20221025.nc
+
 - obs space:
     name: icec_amsu_mb_l2
     provider: MIRS
diff --git a/sorc/da-utils b/sorc/da-utils
index a2da7a84c..5c6080c3f 160000
--- a/sorc/da-utils
+++ b/sorc/da-utils
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit a2da7a84c76c03cbede5aa13f25549417bd30c43
+Subproject commit 5c6080c3f52e300ebba70075ca094ef5785df93a