NOAA ships and aircraft
Encyclopedia
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
Marine and Aviation Operations (NMAO) operates a wide variety of specialized aircraft and ships to complete NOAA's environmental and scientific missions. NMAO is also responsible for the administration and implementation of the NOAA Diving Program to ensure a level of diving skill conducive to safe and efficient operations in NOAA-sponsored underwater activities.
Overview
The Director of OMAO and the NOAA CorpsNOAA Corps
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps is one of seven federal uniformed services of the United States, which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce...
is Rear Admiral Jonathan W. Bailey. Rear Admiral Philip M. Kenul, NOAA, is the Director of the Marine and Aviation Operations Centers and Captain Brad B. Kearse, is the Director, NOAA Commissioned Personnel Center.
Aircraft Operations
Aircraft Operations Center
The Aircraft Operations Center is the main base for the approximately 15 aircraft of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government.It is the home base of the NOAA Hurricane Hunters....
(AOC), located at the MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, is home to NOAA's fleet of aircraft. These fixed-wing aircraft operate in some of the world's most remote and demanding flight regimes—over open ocean, mountains, coastal wetlands, Arctic pack ice, and in and around hurricanes and other severe weather—with an exemplary safety record. There are no comparable aircraft in the commercial fleet to support NOAA's atmospheric and hurricane surveillance/research programs. AOC provides unique specialized platforms to NOAA's scientists. The hard-working versatile aircraft collect the environmental and geographic data essential to NOAA hurricane and other weather and atmospheric research; provide aerial support for coastal and aeronautical charting and remote sensing projects; conduct aerial surveys for hydrologic research to help predict flooding potential from snow melt, and provide support to NOAA's fishery research and marine mammal assessment programs.
Ship Operations
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
or other maritime services. The vessels are located in various locations around the United States. The ships are managed by the Marine Operations Center, which has offices in Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and Newport, Oregon
Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
. Logistic support for these vessels is provided by the Marine Operations Center offices or, for vessels in Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Woods Hole is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It lies at the extreme southwest corner of Cape Cod, near Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands...
; Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
; Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
; San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
; and Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
; by Port Captains located in those ports.
Fleet Maintenance
NOAA's aircraft and ship fleet is operated and managed by a combination of NOAA CorpsNOAA Corps
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps is one of seven federal uniformed services of the United States, which operates under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , a scientific agency within the Department of Commerce...
Officers, wage marine and civilian employees. Officers and NMAO civilians frequently serve as chief scientists on program missions. The wage marine and civilian personnel include licensed engineers, mechanics, navigators, technicians, and members of the engine, steward, and deck departments. Administrative duties and navigation of the vessels are performed by the commissioned officers. The aircraft and ship's officers and crew provide mission support and assistance to embarked scientists from various NOAA laboratories as well as the academic community.
To complement NOAA's research fleet, NMAO is fulfilling NOAA's ship and aircraft support needs with contracts for ship and aircraft time with other sources, such as the private sector and the university fleet.
Notice: This article incorporates material taken from the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
website of the NOAA NMAO.
NOAA Research Aircraft
- Aero Commander 500
- Aero Commander 1000
- Beechcraft Super King AirBeechcraft Super King AirThe Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
- Cessna Citation II
- de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...
- Gulfstream IVGulfstream IVThe Gulfstream IV and derivatives are a family of twin-jet aircraft, mainly for private or business use. The aircraft was designed and built by Gulfstream Aerospace, a General Dynamics company based in Savannah, Georgia, United States from 1985 until 2003.-Design and development:Gulfstream, in...
- Lake RenegadeLake Renegade-External links:...
- Lockheed WP-3D OrionWP-3D Orion|-See also:- External links:* *...
Present
- NOAAS Bell M. ShimadaNOAAS Bell M. Shimada (R 227)NOAAS Bell M. Shimada is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research vessel launched in September 2008. The ship was named by students at Marina High School in Monterey, California, who won NOAA's vessel-naming contest. The ship's namesake, Bell M...
- NOAAS Gordan Gunter
- NOAAS Henry B. Bigelow (R 225)NOAAS Henry B. Bigelow (R 225)The NOAA RV Henry B. Bigelow is a research vessel operated by the United States' National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration NOAA.She is the second in a class of four new fisheries research vessels.-External links:*...
NOAAS Henry B. Bigelow - NOAAS Ka’Imimoana
- NOAAS McArthur IIUSNS Indomitable (T-AGOS-7)USNS Indomitable was a United States Navy Stalwart class ocean surveillance ship in service from 1985 to 2002.-History:Indomitable was laid down by the Tacoma Boatbuilding Company at Tacoma, Washington on 26 January 1985 and launched on 16 July 1985. She was delivered to the U.S. Navy on 26...
- NOAAS Miller Freeman
- NOAAS Okeanos ExplorerOkeanos ExplorerNOAAS Okeanos Explorer is a converted United States Navy ship , now an exploratory vessel for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , and will officially launch in 2010. Meanwhile, it is engaging in trial voyages before its maiden voyage planned for the Pacific Ocean, near Indonesia...
- NOAAS Oregon II
- NOAAS Oscar Dyson
- NOAAS Oscar Elton Sette
- NOAAS Pisces