Briefing for NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel ________________ Briefing by Captain Stephen H. Manzo, NOAA (Ret.

1. Briefing for NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel ________________ Briefing by Captain Stephen H. Manzo, NOAA (Ret.) Executive Officer, NOAA Marine Operations Center July 29, 2004

2. Purpose of This Briefing: • Present overview of Report of NOAA’s Ship Platform Requirements FY 2003 – FY 2012 to NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel • Internal NOAA report – Begun August 2002; Completed May 2003; Currently being updated • Copy of original report located at: • http://205.156.48.106/00003389/00021d31.pdf

3. Background: • Why? -- Response to DUS Scott Gudes’ Memo of July 30, 2002: Request for Report of NOAA’s Platform Requirements • What? -- 10-Year Analysis of NOAA’s Ship Platform Requirements and Recommendations on How Best to Fulfill the Requirements • Who? -- NMAO with input from and in coordination with the NOAA Line Offices • How? – Based on Ship Platform Requirements as identified by NOAA Line Offices

4. Background: • Report was fast-tracked – 3 month deadline for initial submission to VADM Lautenbacher • Copy provided to U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy • Report briefed to NOAA Science Advisory Board • Otherwise, it has been primarily used as an internal NOAA plan during the past 12- 18 months -- to help guide decisions regarding the NOAA fleet • Please note that all items recommended in this Report are not necessarily included in NOAA’s current programming or budget request

5. Six Mission Areas: 1) fisheries surveys and science 2) nautical charting/hydrographic surveys 3) blue water oceanography, climate and weather services 4) coastal oceanography 5) ocean exploration 6) homeland security

6. Assumptions: 1) NOAA’s Line Office reviews and documentation of ship platform requirements are valid 2) NOAA will meet its ship platform requirements using an appropriate mix of outsourcing and NOAA-owned and operated ships 3) Money will be tight and NOAA must be cost effective; conversion of surplus Navy vessels is a cost effective option for meeting NOAA’s ship platform requirements

7. Common Definition/Performance Metric: • Operating Day - “A day when a ship is not at its home port and is available for service” • Consistent with the way days are expressed in the academic fleet and private sector

8. Useful Service Life and Average Age: • Report assumes a “Useful Service Life” of 30 years for NOAA ships – consistent with the UNOLS academic research fleet plan • Based on 30 year useful service life, Report recommends NOAA set an “Average Age” goal of 15 years for the NOAA fleet – with ships ranging from 0 – 30 years • For a NOAA fleet of ~20 ships, this implies a long-term, replacement strategy of ~ one ship every 18 months.

9. Defining and Documenting Requirements: • Two Mission Areas – Fisheries Surveys and Science and Nautical Charting/Hydrographic Surveys – have well-documented, recent studies and reports on ship platform/data acquisition requirements that were reviewed and updated for this report • Two Mission Areas – “Blue Water” Oceanography and “Coastal” Monitoring and Assessment had requirements documented in FRAM Report, September 1990, that were reviewed and updated for this report • Two Mission Areas – Ocean Exploration and Homeland Security– reviewed and defined their requirements for this report

10. FY 2003 Ship Platform Requirements • 12,200* Operating Days – total requirement for all mission areas. • 4,680 Operating Days – 38% of requirement – to be met by Outsourcing. • 3,670 Operating Days – 30% of requirement – to be met by NOAA fleet of 15 ships. • 3,830 Operating Days – 32% of requirement – expected to be unmet for FY 2003. * Does not include NOS contracts for Hydrographic Data

11. NOAA Ship Platform Utilization during the Past Decade -- Significant Changes in NOAA’s Business Practice.

12. NOAA’s Ship Platform Requirements and Plan for the Next Decade

13. FY 2012 Ship Platform Requirements • 14,500 Operating Days – total requirement for all mission areas – 19% increase from FY 2003. • Recommended Approach/Solution: • 7,980 Operating Days – 55% of requirement – to be met by Outsourcing. • 5,350 Operating Days – 37% of requirement – to be met by NOAA fleet of 18 ships. • 1,140 Operating Days – 8% of requirement/ up to 6 ship-years remaining To Be Determined.

14. Performance Schedule:

15. Projected Service Life & Replacement Schedule of NOAA Ships (May 2003):

16. Average Age and Number of Ships (May 2003 – corrected version):

17. Nautical Charting/Hydrographic Survey Requirements: • Requirements for hydrographic data based on Office of Coast Survey’s National Survey Plan (November 2000) – updated w/ 2002 data • Requirements for maintaining federal expertise and for replacing NOAA’s hydrographic fleet based on 2000 Report to Congress – Maintaining Federal Expertise and Capability in Hydrographic Services • Cost-benefit analysis of in-house, contract, and time charter resources was prepared by KPMG Consulting for NOAA in September 2001

18. National Survey Plan: • Navigationally Significant -- 538,000 snm (approximately 16% of 3.4 million snm EEZ) • Critical Backlog -- 43,000 snm (approximately 8% highest priority portion of Navigationally Significant Area) • Resurvey Areas -- 5,000 snm (areas of Critical Backlog and Navigationally Significant that require periodic surveying due to silting, shoal migration, and new obstructions in shipping channels)

19. National Survey Plan:

20. Current Status: • In FY 2004, NOAA’s hydrographic survey rate is approximately 2,800 snm per year (vice 9,500 snm requirement) • At this rate, the remaining 29,000 snm of Critical Backlog is not expected to be completed until the year 2016 • At this rate, requirements for Resurvey Areas and Navigationally Significant Areas are not being met

21. To meet requirements, NOAA must: • Complete the remaining 29,000 snm of Critical Backlog • Begin surveying 1,000 snm per year in Resurvey Areas in order to maintain a 2-7 year cycle • Obtain 100% bottom coverage surveys in all Navigationally Significant Areas, and periodically resurvey them on a 50-60 year cycle • In order to fully address these core requirements NOAA needs to survey 9,500 snm per year (Note: This is more than 3 times the current rate)

22. Options for Increasing Capability by FY 2012:

23. Advantages of NOAA In-House Vessels (2001 KPMG Analysis):

24. Two Options for meeting NOAA’s Nautical Charting Requirements: • Both options phase in additional data acquisition resources gradually with the goal of meeting 9,500 snm by FY 2012 (Note: Option 1 is lowest cost option) • Option 1 -- 6 NOAA Hydrographic Survey ships by FY 2012 (THOMAS JEFFERSON, SWATH, FAIRWEATHER Replacement, RAINIER Replacement, New 2-Launch Atlantic/Gulf/Caribbean, and New 2-Launch Pacific/Alaska); 100% increase in Hydro Contracts; One Additional 2-Launch Time Charter; LIDAR Contracts • Option 2 – 5 NOAA Hydrographic Survey ships by FY 2012 (all except New 2-Launch Pacific/Alaska); 200% increase in Hydro Contracts; Two Additional 2-Launch Time Charters; LIDAR Contracts

25. Option 1: 6 NOAA Ships/100% Increase in Hydro Contracts/One Time Charter:

26. Option 2: 5 NOAA Ships/200% Increase in Hydro Contracts/Two Time Charters:

27. The NOAA Fleet - Changes in FY 2003/2004: • 4 ships removed from service/replaced with newer ships converted for NOAA missions: • TOWNSEND CROMWELL/OSCAR ELTON SETTE • FERREL/NANCY FOSTER • MCARTHUR/MCARTHUR II • WHITING/THOMAS JEFFERSON (commissioned July 8, 2003 in Norfolk) • 3 ships added to NOAA fleet: • FAIRWEATHER (conversion) – Reactivation ceremony scheduled for August 18, 2004 in Ketchikan • HI’IALAKAI (conversion) • OSCAR DYSON (new construction)

28. The NOAA Fleet - Changes in FY 2003/2004: • NOAA active fleet expanded from 15 to 18 ships • USNS ASSERTIVE (T-AGOS 9) acquired from U.S. Navy as future replacement for DAVID STARR JORDAN

29. The NOAA Fleet – Expected Changes in FY 2005/2006: • Expect to acquire USNS CAPABLE (T-AGOS 16) from U.S. Navy as an additional ship for Ocean Exploration. Conversion likely to occur in FY 2005/2006. Begin operations TBD. When activated NOAA fleet would expand to 19 ships. • Ship Disposals: • MCARTHUR transfer to Utrok Atoll pending • FERREL transfer/disposal pending • WHITING transfer to Mexico – Legislation pending

30. The NOAA Fleet – Expected Changes in FY 2007/2008: • HENRY B. BIGELOW (FSV2) operational in FY 2007 -- overlaps/replaces ALBATROSS IV in FY 2008 • FSV3 – Additional Fishery Survey Vessel for SE operational in FY 2007. Temporarily expands NOAA fleet to 20 ships – eventually replaces DELAWARE II when FSV6 comes on line to replace OREGON II • FSV4 – Additional Fishery Survey vessel shared by SW and NW operational in FY 2008. Expands NOAA fleet to 21 ships. • SWATH – operational in FY 2008 – replaces RUDE; homeported in New Hampshire • USNS ASSERTIVE (T-AGOS 9) converted FY 2007 to replace DAVID STARR JORDAN in FY 2008

31. Summary: • NOAA is working hard to modernize its aging fleet and to maintain federal expertise – in hydrographic services – and in other program areas, as well • The majority of NOAA fleet modernization in the recent past and immediate future has been in the area of fisheries surveys and science

32. Summary (con’t): • Ship Acquisition/Conversion -- NOAA has acquired/converted 6 T-AGOS ships from the U.S. Navy and is expected to soon acquire a 7th (CAPABLE – dedicated for Ocean Exploration). • 3 T-AGOS ships dedicated for fisheries programs (GUNTER, SETTE and ASSERTIVE/DSJ) • 2 T-AGOS ships serve multiple programs (MCARTHUR II and HI’IALAKAI) • 1 T-AGOS ship dedicated for TAO array (KA’IMIMOANA)

33. Summary (con’t): • Ship Acquisition/Conversion -- NOAA has also acquired/converted 1 YTT and 1 TAGS-51 from the U.S. Navy • YTT-12 -- NANCY FOSTER replaced FERREL dedicated for coastal oceanography programs on the east coast • TAGS-51 – THOMAS JEFFERSON replaced WHITING dedicated to nautical charting/hydrographic survey programs on the east coast

34. Summary (con’t): • New Construction • 4 new, purpose built Fishery Survey Vessels already in pipeline • 2 additional FSV’s currently in 10-year plan – different from first 4 (long-liner for Hawaii; shallow-draft for GOM) • 1 additional FSV (MILLER FREEMAN replacement) under consideration • SWATH vessel to replace RUDE for nautical charting/hydrographic surveys on east coast in pipeline

35. Summary (con’t): • Modernization/Reactivation • FAIRWEATHER modernization is now complete and the ship will be soon be reactivated and dedicated to nautical charting/hydrographic surveys in Alaska. Homeport is Ketchikan, Alaska. Given the significant investment involved, expect the ship to stay in service another 10-15 years vice being replaced in FY 2012.

36. Questions/Discussion