S6 



A commercial diver works on an 

 offshore oil wellhead unit. Host 

 undersea icork iircsciitly takes place 

 under arduous eonditions combining 

 limited visibility, low temperatures, 

 and strong currents. 



Men enter the sea as divers or in siibmersi- 

 bles either to observe or to work. Both func- 

 tions are sharply limited by available tools 

 and equipment which are deficient in reli- 

 ability, simplicity of operation, ruggedness, 

 effectiveness, and cost. Most undersea work 

 presently takes place in conditions combin- 

 ing dim light or darkness, murky water, low 

 temperature, and strong currents. Advances 

 in the fundamental technology of basic tools, 

 equipment, machinery, and devices to im- 

 prove visibility and communications are es- 

 sential to efficient, economical undersea 

 operations. 



One of the most pressing needs in funda- 

 mental technology is for better instruments. 

 Much of the national investment in ocean pro- 

 grams for the foi'eseeable future will be de- 

 voted to measuring, mapping, defining, and 

 monitoring the marine environment and to 

 testing and monitoring ocean equipment. 

 Good instruments — dependable, accurate, 

 and not too costly — are an urgent necessity. 



To build fundamental capability requires 

 an adequate level of support. The cost of de- 

 veloping the technology of underwater tools 

 for man and vehicle may reach $100 million 

 over a 10-year period. Improving basic design 

 for underwater viewing techniques may in- 

 volve $50 million in 10 years. Needs in mate- 

 rials technology are so broad as to be essen- 

 tially open ended, but an estimate of $250 

 million over a decade does not seem unrea- 

 sonable. 



Development of fundamental technology 

 calls for a full partnership among the Fed- 

 eral Government, industry, the academic en- 

 gineering community, and the States. The 

 Federal role is primarily one of leadership 

 and support. While some Government facili- 

 ties for marine technological development 

 exist, the principal broad-based competence 

 is found in industry, with the academic com- 

 munity as a prime source of theoretical en- 

 gineering and leading center for some aspects 

 of experimentation and testing. 



Federal leadership requires that the Na- 

 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency 

 (NOAA) \ye given a statutoi-y mission to 

 advance fundamental marine teclmology. 

 The novelty and scope of the program pro- 

 posed by the Commission will require the 

 agency to oversee the program's implementa- 

 tion and to have a mechanism through which 

 the head of the agency may obtain advice on 

 a continuing basis from industry, the States, 

 and universities. 



