Washington: US Navy today announced the decision to name a new class of research vessels after Neil Armstrong, the first man to land on the Moon in 1969, to honour the late astronaut.
The first Armstrong-class Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (AGOR) ship will be named Neil Armstrong, the US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said.
“Neil Armstrong rightly belongs to the ages as the man who first walked on the moon. While he was a true pioneer of space exploration and science, he was also a combat-proven naval aviator,” said Mabus.
Neil Armstrong.
“Naming this class of ships and this vessel after Neil Armstrong honours the memory of an extraordinary individual, but more importantly, it reminds us all to embrace the challenges of exploration and to never stop discovering,” he said.
Armstrong’s widow Carol will serve as the ship’s sponsor. In a statement, US Navy said the Armstrong-class AGOR ship will be a modern oceanographic research platform equipped with acoustic equipment capable of mapping the deepest parts of the oceans, and modular on-board laboratories that will provide the flexibility to meet a wide variety of oceanographic research challenges.
These make them capable of supporting a wide range of oceanographic research activities conducted by academic institutions and national laboratories.
Additionally, the research vessel will be outfitted with multi-drive, low-voltage diesel electric propulsion systems. This upgraded system will maintain engine efficiency while lowering maintenance and fuel costs, it said.
Armstrong-class AGOR ships will be 238 feet in length, have a beam length of 50 feet, and operate at more than 12 knots. AGOR 27 is currently under construction by Dakota Creek Industries in Washington State. On August 25, Armstrong has died at the age of 82.
PTI
