EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 105 



(70 Gas turbine generator for quiet operation. 



(i) Air conditioning of the living, messing, laboratory, and office spaces. 



(J) Bow propulsion unit. 



(k) Winches for research and survey. 



(I) Explosive and scientific storage. 



(m) Electronics based on new construction requirements. 



3. In order to provide some measure of operational usefulness of these seven 

 conversions, the design studies were submitted to the Office of Naval Research 

 and the Hydrographic Office for review and evaluation. Both offices indepen- 

 dently assigned a usefulness factor to these conversions as research and survey 

 ships. In both cases the AVP-54 conversion was rated first choice and considered 

 equal in usefulness to the SCB project 185 AGOR. The assigned factors are in- 

 dicated in enclosure (1). 



4. After development of the conversion cost estimates, the Hydrographic Office 

 recommended that consideration be given to a conversion to an ocean survey ship 

 that would be capable of conducting ocean surveys under the direction of the 

 Hydrographer, but would be able to collect only limited oceanographic and 

 meteorological data. The proposal recommended that the AK270 and the 

 Cl-M-AVl types be investigated. Eliminated under this reduced scope con- 

 version would be the following: 



(a) Storage batteries for ultraquiet operation. 



(b) Gas turbine generator for quiet operation. 



(c) All air-conditioning except for the laboratories, survey control center, and 

 gravity meter room. 



(d) Bow propulsion unit. 



(e) All winches except the BT and hydrographic winches. Added under this 

 limited conversion would be the following: 



(a) Accommodations for 4 additional scientific personnel bringing the total 

 to 20. 



(6) One additional echo sounder, deep, AN/UQN-1B, bringing the total to two. 



(c) One additional precision depth recorder, bringing the total to two. 



(d) One streaming winch, T-MK six double drum, on the fantail for magnetic 

 tail. 



Information on these reduced scope conversions is also included in enclosure (1;. 



5. In accordance with the guidelines, four new construction types received 

 original consideration. Early in the study it became apparent that some depar- 

 ture from these guidelines was appropriate. A first draft of preliminary charac- 

 teristics was developed for a 500-ton AGOR from the general characteristics. 

 These preliminary characteristics were used in this study, were reported on in 

 enclosure (3) and were priced at $3.2 million for the lead ship. It should be noted 

 parenthetically that consideration of a 500-ton AGOR has been recently dropped 

 by the Ship Characteristics Board because the sponsors within OPNAV did not 

 consider that this ship offered sufficient oceanographic capability for the cost. 

 In studying the 1,200-ton AGS it became apparent that it differed in only minor 

 fashion from the project No. 185 AGOR, these differences entailing elimination 

 of some installed equipment for research and the addition of some for survey. 

 Depending upon final selection of equipments, it appeared that the AGS would be 

 about $1.1 million (exclusive of future characteristics changes) more than the 

 $4.9 million AGOR. The 2,000-ton AGS was studied to meet the general charac- 

 teristics provided. Pertinent characteristics of new construction ships are shown 

 in enclosure (2). 



6. The following comments are considered appropriate when using the informa- 

 tion in this study. All nine conversions summarized in enclosure (1) and the 

 1,200 ton and 2,000 ton new constructions are feasible. Except for the AK270, 

 the conversion ships are of World War II construction. These ships are already 

 old and carry with them an implication of frequent repairs, especially of auxiliary 

 machinery. Estimation of useful life after conversion is difficult at best and 

 subject to many variables. For use in further analysis a figure of 10 years addi- 

 tional useful life is a reasonable approximation. The new construction and 

 conversion costs are engineering estimates of end costs covering the basic contract 

 with design work, spare parts, Government-furnished material, post trial correc- 

 tions and including 13% percent escalation. The costs are not based on definitive 

 characteristics; they assume inclusion in the fiscal year 1962 shipbuilding and 

 conversion program; and they are not keyed to a specific ship within a class in 

 the case of a conversion. They thus reflect for conversions, to a great extent, 

 statistical averages of expected conditions; and considerable variation from these 

 estimates would not be unexpected in an actual program. 



R. B. Bradley, Jr. (By direction.) 



