The Navy's comprehensive program in materials development, the most 

 comprehensive in the Nation, provides knowledge for private shipbuilders 

 and Federal maritime agencies such as ESSA, the Coast Guard, and the 

 Maritime Administration. Navy developments in navigation, which have 

 ranged from submerged acoustic position-keeping devices to global systems 

 for precision ship location by satellite and VLF radio, have been released for 

 scientific and commercial use. Environmental knowledge of the Arctic, 

 collected by the Navy and the Corps of Engineers, has been made available 

 to commercial developers of Arctic shipping. The programs of the Advanced 

 Research Projects Agency, directed toward detection of underwater nuclear 

 explosions, provide knowledge of the earth's crust and its energy transmission 

 characteristics which is relevant to earthquake studies and volcanology. 



From the standpoint of science and technology, however, it is difficult to 

 separate those portions which also support nondefense goals in addition 

 to their military mission. Therefore, military marine science efforts which 

 make substantial contributions to other national needs are described in 

 other chapters of this report to give a coherent picture of all Federal efforts 

 in the relevant field of marine science activity. 



The Navy's Hydroskimmer (SKMR-l) is being used as a research and operational 

 test vehicle. Built by Bell Aerospace the 35-ton craft is the largest air-cushion vehicle 

 constructed in the United States. 



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