US Navy recently expanded its fleet with the acceptance of the Auxiliary General Purpose Oceanographic Research Vessel (AGOR), R/V Neil Armstrong, AGOR 27.
Handed over on September 23, R/V Neil Armstrong will carry on the legacy of the naval aviator and astronaut who stated, “Research is creating new knowledge.”
AGOR 27 is a well-equipped modern oceanographic research platform capable of satisfying a wide range of research activities conducted by academic institutions and national laboratories involved in oceanographic research.
R/V Neil Armstrong is the first of two planned Ocean Class AGOR ships.
Based on a single-hull commercial design, R/V Neil Armstrong and R/V Sally Ride (AGOR 28) are approximately 238 feet long and incorporate the latest technologies, including high-efficiency diesel engines, emissions controls for stack gasses, and new information technology tools both for monitoring shipboard systems and for communicating with the world.
AGOR 27 is capable of assisting with integrated, interdisciplinary, general purpose oceanographic research in coastal and deep ocean areas. The ship will be operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution under a charter party agreement with Office of Naval Research (ONR). The vessel will operate with a crew of 20 with accommodations for 24 scientists.
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Image: US Navy