NOAA Administrator Tours Navy Carrier At Sea  

Ed Levy, NOAA Communications & External Affairs

July 20, 2009 — NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco knew she was in for a thrilling visit to the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier when the aircraft she flew in on abruptly went from 173 mph to a full stop, as its tail hook was trapped by wires meant to keep it on the carrier’s flight deck.

Dr. Lubchenco’s dramatic arrival kicked off an overnight visit on June 23 to the USS Truman where she could observe how NOAA and the U.S. Navy are working together and how we might strengthen our interactions. The visit also helped solidify the close connection between environmental security and national security, which includes protecting the nation’s natural resources. 

Joining Dr. Lubchenco were Jim Lecky and Jolie Harrison of NOAA Fisheries, Michael Weiss of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, Michael Fitzpatrick of the Office of Management and Budget, Capt. Michael Angove (Asst. Naval Deputy to NOAA) and Amrit Mehra of the NOAA under secretary’s office.

The delegation was treated to an up-close look at the violent yet elegant maneuvers required to launch and recover naval tactical aircraft at sea. A helicopter visit to the USS Carney destroyer to observe sonar training exercises was also part of the itinerary.

Dr. Lubchenco was pleased and proud to see the extent to which Navy meteorologists rely on NOAA products and services to produce accurate forecasts for their battle group. The Truman’s weather team briefed Dr. Lubchenco on how they use NOAA satellites, buoy networks, weather models, coastal forecasts, and hurricane warnings.

She also observed how the Navy is balancing its need to conduct sonar training with the need to protect marine mammals and undersea habitats.

NOAA and Navy researchers are working together to improve and better align mitigation measures with specific dangers — whether it be actual physical injury to marine mammals or their harmful behavioral responses to sonar output. 

A rewarding aspect of the trip was meeting a good number of the more than 5,000 Navy officers and crew who work around the clock to make a modern carrier battle group “tick.”

Later that week, Dr. Lubchenco wrapped up her personal “Navy Week” with a meeting at the Pentagon with Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead. Their discussions focused on NOAA’s and the Navy’s shared interest in improving our knowledge of the Arctic, especially in the face of global climate change. By aggressively coordinating each agency’s respective research and technology resources, NOAA and the Navy have a rare opportunity to tackle one of our nation’s biggest environmental challenges … together.