Table 7—4.—Specifications of U.S. submersible vehicles—1976 9 
Vehicle 
Operator 
Sea Ranger 
Verne Engineering, Inc. 
Nemo Southwest Research Institute 
PC-3B International Underwater Contractors 
Sea Explorer Sea Line Inc. 
PRV-2 ® Pierce Subs Inc. 
Margenaut Margen International 
Nekton Alpha 
Nekton Beta 
Nekton Gamma 
General Oceanographics 
General Oceanographics 
General Oceanographics 
Johnson Harbor Branch Foundation 
Sea-Link © 
Snooper Undersea Graphics 
Guppy Sun Shipbuilding & DryDock 
OPSUB Ocean Systems 
Sea Ray Sub. R&D Corp. 
Mermaid II International Underwater Contractors 
Nemol Seaborne Ventures 
Diaphus Martech International 
PC-14C-2 Kentron, Hawaii 
Star I Deepwater Explorations, Ltd. 
PC-I17 b¢ Perry Oceanographics, Inc. 
Deep View Southwest Research Institute 
Johnson. Harbor Branch Foundation 
Sea-Link » 
Beaver MK IV » International Underwater Contractors 
DSRV-I U.S. Navy 
DSRV-2 U.S. Navy 
Sea Cliff U.S. Navy 
Turtle U.S. Navy 
Deep Quest Lockheed Ocean Systems 
Alvin Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution 
Trieste II U.S. Navy 
Length 
Depth Crew beam Weight Payload 
ft ft Ib Ib 
600 4 17.8 19,000 2,200 
600 2 6.6 2,000 850 
600 2 22.4 6,350 1,000 
600 22 15.5 3,600 300 
600 3 19.8 15,500 1,000 
600 8 44.9 108,000 6,000 
1,000 2 15.4 4,500 300 
1,000 2 15.4 4,700 460 
1,000 2 15.4 4,700 460 
1,000 4 23.8 21,000 1,200 
1,000 2 15.4 4,500 200 
1,000 2 11.8 5,000 400 
1,000 2 18.8 10,400 400 
1,000 2 20.5 9,000 350 
1,000 2 17.6 14,000 1,000 
1,000 3 12.8 20,000 1,200 
1,200 2 13.5 10,000 225 
1,200 2 13.5 10,000 225 
1,200 2, 17.5 10,000 500 
1,500 4 34.8 38,000 500 
1,500 2 16.6 12,000 500 
2,000 4 23.8 21,000 1,200 
2,700 5 25.8 34,000 2,000 
5,000 4 50.8 75,000 4,300 
5,000 4 50.8 75,000 4,300 
6,500 3 26.12 42,000 700 
6,500 3 26.12 42,000 700 
8,000 4 40.16 115,000 7,000 
12,000 3 23.8 32,000 1,500 
20,000 3 78.19 180,000 2,000 
a Source: NOAA. International Status and Utilization of Undersea Vehicles 1976 (1976). » Diver lockout. © Construction. 
recommended that the proposed National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Agency “initiate a dynamic and 
comprehensive fundamental technology program.” °° 
General purpose technology has also been the sub- 
ject of recommendations by the Marine Board of the 
National Academy of Engineering and NACOA. In 
1972 the Marine Board recommended that “any or- 
ganizational arrangement established for maine af- 
fairs in the U.S. Government should insure that all 
long-range engineering development is accorded ade- 
quate budgetary priority, continuity, and stability 
without separating the effort from its professional 
tie with the interests of mission-related marine activ- 
ityyae 
While emphasizing that long-range, engineering 
development undertaken by the Federal Government 
should be able to meet its own requirements as a usei 
of technology, the Board suggested that the Govern- 
ment should also support high-risk engineering de- 
velopment for use by the private sector in meeting 
broad national needs. 
vs Tbid., p. 37. 
“National Academy of Engineering. Toward Fulfillment of 
a National Ocean Commitment. Washington, D.C., National 
Academy of Sciences, 19772, p. 9. 
In 1974, the National Advisory Committee on 
Oceans and Atmosphere (NACOA) proposed the 
establishment of an “Institute for Engineering Re- 
search in the Oceans” within NOAA. The purpose of 
the Institute was: °° 
“. . to stimulate and support engineering 
research (advanced development) in the 
oceans to meet civilian needs by using 
seed-money to get good work started, but 
not supported indefinitely . . . It would 
be to support work and act as a catalyst 
in any new areas of special materials and 
techniques which would serve a multi- 
plicity of marine activities. It would have a 
central responsibility for improving pro- 
fessional communications and encourage 
the development of standards.” 
In September 1976, NOAA established the Office 
of Ocean Engineering (OOE). Its mission is to exer- 
cise functional review over, and recommend policy 
plans for, NOAA’s ocean engineering and instru- 
mentation programs; conduct an integrated program 
38 U.S. National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmo- 
sphere. Engineering in the Ocean. Washington; D.C., Government 
Printing Office, 1974, p. 3. 
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