161215-N-PO203-118 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 15, 2016) The

161215-N-PO203-118 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec. 15, 2016) The Auxiliary General Oceanographic Research (AGOR) vessel R/V Sally Ride is currently underway conducting a series of science verification cruises in order to test its installed systems and ensure its readiness for conducting future research missions. Operated by Scripps Institution of Oceanography under a charter lease agreement with the Office of Naval Research (ONR), Sally Ride has multi-beam bottom-mapping and ocean current profiling sonars, advanced meteorological sensors and satellite data transmission systems, the latest navigation and ship-positioning systems and a specially designed hull that improves sonar acoustic performance. The Navy, through ONR, has been a leader in building and providing large ships for the nation’s academic research fleet since World War II. (U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams/Released)