60 THE NAVY OCEAN SCIENCE PROGRAM 



SPECIAL-PURPOSE PLATFORMS 



As the state of our knowledge of the oceans progresses beyond 

 a general understanding of the major features and forces, we 

 must make investigations with increasing precision and com- 

 plexity. Operations from conventional ships and piers do not 

 satisfy requirements. Also, as mathematical models for predic- 

 tion are developed, we must have the capability to make mea- 

 surements over long periods at selected sites to determine the 

 validity of the model. We have learned that many observations 

 £uid tests can be more economically carried out from platforms 

 specifically designed for the purpose. These special-purpose 

 platforms are a unique national resource. 



Oceanographic research ships are the work horses for con- 

 ducting research at sea. In the past they have been conventional 

 ships, in terms of standard hulls and propulsion systems. Re- 

 cently, the Naval Ship Systems Command, in concert with the 

 oceanographers in the Navy Ocean Science Program, have 

 designed a new ship, now under construction, to meet the re- 

 quirements of the latest technology of work being incorporated. 

 The new ship posseses the following highly desirable charac- 

 teristics: 



1. Cycloidal propellers, fore and aft, to allow the ship to main- 

 tain geographic position in ocean currents of one knot and 

 wind speeds of forty knots, broadside to the ship. 



2. Pilot house and bridge located to provide maximum visibil- 

 ity of all scientific £ireas on deck. 



3. An option to perform all foreseeable scientific tasks at sea, 

 by the use of portable systems. Examples are: handling 

 deep research vehicles, drilling for long cores in deep water, 

 towing large objects such as Flip, handling large acoustic 

 arrays through a center well, handling large dredges on a 

 stern ramp, and carrying large parties of students for 

 training purposes. Several such tasks, but not all of them, 

 may be performed during a single cruise. These new ships 

 have been designed to be operated with minimum crew size 

 and minimum maintenance in an effort to check the rising 

 costs of research-ship operations. 



