The Naval Floating Research Vessel R/P Flip Celebrates 50th Anniversary

The R/P Flip is an open ocean research vessel owned by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), and is operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography. This year marks the 50 anniversary of the unusual vessel. FLIP is designed to study wave height, acoustic signals, water temperature and density, and for the collection of metoerlogical data. Because of the potential interference with the acoustic instruments, FLIP has no engines or other means of propulsion. It must be towed to open water, where it drifts freely or is anchored. In tow, FLIP can reach speeds of 7–10 knots. FLIP weighs 700 long tons (711 tons) and carries a crew of five, plus up to eleven scientists. It is capable of operating independently during month-long missions without resupply, being able to operate worldwide but the normal area is the west coast of the United States. The vessel operates out of a home base at the Scripps Minitz Marine Facility in San Diego, California. The ship is 355 feet (108 meters) long and is designed to partially flood causing a pitch backwards of 90 degrees. While in this position the front 55 feet (17 meters) of the vessel point up and out of the water. When the mission is complete compressed air is pumped into the ballast tanks in the flooded section and the vessel returns to the horizontal position. This unique characteristic provides a low profile, stable observational platform. The vessel was built in 1962 and was originally designed to study underwater acoustics. In 2010, researchers used FLIP for a set of experiments called High Resolution Air-Sea Interaction project, which measured wind and swell conditions. That data is helping to improve weather models and other ocean-atmosphere databases.