AGOR 26 Kilo Moana
Oceanographic Research Ship
The R/V KILO MOANA, designated AGOR 26, is designed as a large general-purpose research ship. The ship, displacing over 2500 tons, is 182 feet long with an 88-foot beam. The AGOR 26 was built for the U.S. Navy and operated by the University of Hawaii for general purpose oceanographic research. The workhorse of the UH fleet, the Moana Wave, retired from the Navy's University National Oceanographic Laboratory Systems fleet in 1999. "Kilo Moana" is short for "oceanographer" but means "one who is looking for understanding of the deep sea" in Hawaiian.
The overriding required characteristic is that the ship provide the most stable environment possible in order to allow both overside and laboratory work to proceed in greater capacity and in higher sea states than is now possible. Other general requirements are larger scientific parties, reliability , flexibility, cleanliness, vibration- and noise-free, and an overall upgrading of quality for doing science and engineering at sea.
The ship incorporates small-waterplane-area, twin-hull (SWATH) technology developed by Lockheed Martin. The ship is unique because it has two submerged lower hulls connected by thin struts to the superstructure. Compared to a conventional monohull or catamaran, SWATH design offers a much more comfortable ride, a substantial working deck area, and stable efficient operations in rough seas.
AGOR 26 is the first ship to be acquired using the government's new streamlined acquisition process. The program combines Atlantic Marine's reputation for quality and on-time delivery using commercial shipyard practices with Lockheed Martin's innovative hull design, integration capability and experience in government contracting. Lockheed Martin Marine Systems in Baltimore is the prime contractor. Atlantic Marine is the shipbuilder, and Guido Perla & Associates, Inc. is the naval architect. The contract value is $45.3 million.
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