**Office of Marine and Aviation Operations**

**The Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) requests \$184.9M
in FY 2008, reflecting a net increase of \$13.0M over the FY 2007
President's Budget, which is a decrease of \$43.7M from the FY 2006
enacted level. This budget request supports the funding and program
requirements necessary to address established NOAA strategic goals and
sets OMAO on a path to achieve its vision: To be the best in class for
sea and air operations and data acquisition for NOAA and the Nation.**

**FY 2008 Program Change Highlights**

**Maritime Crew Safety and Rotation +\$1.7M:** Funds will be used to
comply with international safety and training requirements to ensure
that NOAA vessels can enter foreign ports and to improve ship staffing
and rotation. This funding will continue a multi-year initiative first
requested in FY 2007 and will enable NOAA vessels to meet the intent of
industry standards and regulations. From FY 2004 to FY 2007, NOAA
experienced an approximately 33% increase in the number of ships and a
39% increase in the number of seagoing positions. By providing effective
staffing rotation on five of NOAA's 21 ships, NOAA will be able to
reduce the high attrition rate for wage mariners from 23% to 19%.

**Operations and Maintenance for New NOAA Fisheries Survey Vessels
+\$4.6M:** This request will address the additional operational and
maintenance needs of vessels added to NOAA's fleet over the last two
years. The additional funding will support operations on Fisheries
Survey Vessel 3 (FSV 3) and Fisheries Survey Vessel 4 (FSV 4) by
addressing requirements for crew, fuel, supplies, maintenance, and spare
parts. These two vessels are part of a four-ship contract that
constructed four acoustically quiet vessels. The quiet operation of the
vessels ensures a more accurate survey of various fisheries.

**OKEANOS EXPLORER Operations and Maintenance +\$1.0:** The vessel's
multi-mission capability and modern ocean-mapping systems will support a
variety of NOAA's ocean exploration and ocean mapping missions in the
future. The requested funds, together with a transfer of \$4.6 million
from the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, will provide crew,
fuel, supplies, maintenance, repairs, and spare parts for NOAA's first
dedicated Ocean Exploration vessel. The ship will have three primary
missions: (1) deep-water habitat mapping; (2) sampling and imaging the
seafloor using sophisticated, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs)
outfitted with high-definition video and still cameras; and (3)
transmitting data real-time to shore-based control centers using
satellite technology. OKEANOS EXPLORER's initial missions will entail
ocean mapping, sea-bed mapping, and habitat characterization off the
West Coast and the Hawaiian Islands and in the Northeast Pacific Ocean.

![](media/image4.jpeg){width="3.736111111111111in"
height="1.8333333333333333in"}

**Third P-3's Operations and Maintenance +\$5.5M:** This request will
enable NOAA to operate and maintain its third P-3, which was acquired
through the FY 2006 Hurricane Supplemental. The FY 2008 request will
cover pilots' and support crew's salaries, benefits, premium pay,
training, and change of station, as well as scientific equipment for the
aircraft. A total of 300 base-funded flight hours also is provided for
such projects as air chemistry, air quality, remote sensing, and
oceanographic research, which will allow NOAA's other two P-3's to be
available solely for tasking from the Hurricane Center or for hurricane
research and reconnaissance.

**Vessel Equip. & Technology Refresh +\$1.0M:** This request will fund
the replacement of obsolete mission equipment on several NOAA vessels to
maintain expertise in vital missions, based on a rolling replacement
schedule. Data acquisition and processing system will be installed on
RONALD H. BROWN, NANCY FOSTER; side-scan sonars on THOMAS JEFFERSON; and
moving vessel profilers on RAINIER and NANCY FOSTER.

+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+
| **OMAO   |              |              |             |              |
| FY 2008  |              |              |             |              |
| Budget** |              |              |             |              |
|          |              |              |             |              |
| **(\$ in |              |              |             |              |
| Mil      |              |              |             |              |
| lions)** |              |              |             |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+
|          | **FY 06      | **FY 07      | **Net       | **FY 08      |
|          | Enacted**    | Request**    | Change**    | Request**    |
+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+
| **ORF**  | **\$133.3**  | **\$129.9**  | **\$25.7**  | **\$155.6**  |
+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+
| **PAC**  | **\$75.1**   | **\$20.7**   | *           | **\$4.4**    |
|          |              |              | *(\$16.3)** |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+
| *        | **\$20.1**   | **\$21.3**   | **\$3.6**   | **\$24.9**   |
| *OTHER** |              |              |             |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+
| *        | **\$228.6**  | **\$171.9**  | **\$13.0**  | **\$184.9**  |
| *TOTAL** |              |              |             |              |
+----------+--------------+--------------+-------------+--------------+

**For more information, contact the NOAA Budget Office: (202) 482-4600
-- or -- AskNOAABudget@noaa.gov**