G. Ship Operations, Shipboard Scientific Equipment 



and Ship Construction/Conversion 



Long-Range Planning 



I. The Core Program 



The U.S. academic research fleet is supported through a joint effort of several Federal agencies. 

 The National Science Foundation is the key agency among these and conducts a comprehensive 

 program for support of ship operations, development and acquisition of shipboard scientific 

 equipment, and ship construction/conversion. 



The Ship Operations Program provides funds for operation and maintenance of research vessels 

 used in support of NSF-funded scientists. Ship Operations support Includes: crew and marine 

 staff salaries; maintenance, overhaul, and repair; insurance; direct operating costs such as fuel, 

 food, supplies, and pilot fees; shore facilities costs directly related to ship operation; and 

 indirect costs. Ship Operations is an integral part of the core program. It supplies support for 

 operation and maintenance of platforms essential to ocean-going research. NSF supports each 

 year about 170 science projects requiring about 3,700 days at sea and about 40,000 scientist 

 days on 25 ships. As a result, NSF supports about 70% of the total operating costs of the U.S. 

 academic fleet. 



A modern and efficiently operated academic fleet is essential to field programs in the ocean 

 sciences, both for the core ocean science programs and for the global program. This plan 

 outlines the requirements for NSF to take the lead in equipping and assuring effective operation 

 of the academic fleet. The plan identifies the NSF role in upgrading and modernizing a research 

 fleet largely built during the 1960's and now requiring extended operational and scientific 

 capabilities. This plan is based on a careful evaluation of this fleet, done with assistance from 

 UNOLS and the National Academy of Sciences. 



II. Critical Needs of the Core Program 



The U.S. academic fleet has been the cornerstone of productivity in the ocean sciences. There are 

 critical needs that require appropriate budget augmentations to maintain an effective and 

 scientifically viable field science program in the ocean sciences. Two priority areas of the core 

 program require special attention: (l)shlpboard scientific equipment and (2)upgrading and 

 modernization of the academic fleet. 



A. Shipboard Scientific Equipment 



The Shipboard Scientific Equipment Program provides funds for ship equipment deemed 

 essential to proper and safe conduct of ocean science research. This Program provides support 

 for such items as deck equipment, including winch systems for deployment and retrieval of 

 scientific instruments; navigational equipment, such as radars, gyroscopes, and earth satellite 

 receivers to pinpoint the locations of research sites; communications equipment, including 

 radio and satellite transceivers for voice and scientific data communications; and other 

 equipment, such as motorized workboats for transporting scientists to and from their 

 operations. 



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