112 THE NAVY OCEAN ENGINEERING PROGRAM 



submerged endurance capability will add a new dimension to ocean engi- 

 neering and research. 



These preceding major development programs are underway in under- 

 water search, rescue and salvage. These programs are of some urgency 

 and are the Navy response to Navy operational requirements, with devel- 

 opments leading to a specific operating capability in a specified time 

 fiame. 



A NEW INITIATIVE: DEEP OCEAN TECHNOLOGY 



The result of a recent Navy study which proposed a plan for the Navy's 

 future role in undersea technology, is the Deep Ocean Technology Pro- 

 gram, established in the FY 68 budget request. The Deep Ocean Tech- 

 nology Program is broadly based. The objective of the program is to pro- 

 vide the Navy with a technological base from which options for improving 

 present undersea warfare systems and developing future ones can be selected. 

 Since the ocean technology required to support national security objectives 

 is exactly similar to that required for economic, commercial, and political 

 purposes, this program will also provide a large measure of support to other 

 national objectives. 



The Navy is developing a comprehensive program which will identify 

 the ocean technology required to improve the Navy's capability to meet 

 the future threats and fully exploit the potential of the undersea environ- 

 ment. To this end a focal project philosophy has been established to 

 identify and encourage development of the broad range of technologies 

 involved. 



The focal project established for the Deep Ocean Technology Program 

 is Seascope, an experimental manned sea floor base. The technologies re- 

 quired to establish this project will support the Navy missions in strategic 

 deterrence, antisubmarine warfare, antishipping warfare, underwater recon- 

 naissance, search, location, rescue and recovery. 



The Seascope technologies will provide direct support to many of the 

 other eight program areas selected by the National Council on Marine 

 Resources and Engineering Development for increased emphasis in its first 

 report to the President. These areas include: 



• International cooperation 



• Food from the sea 



• Surveys of mineral resources 



• Ocean observation and prediction 



