Trusted CI visits US ARF vessels

The United States Academic Research Fleet (ARF) consists of 18 research vessels organized by University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS). These ships belong to different classes of vessels, from large Global Class vessels to smaller Coastal Class vessels. These ships are owned by NSF and the US Navy; and also by operating institutions. As a part of the Trusted CI engagement with ARF, the five member Trusted CI engagement team traveled to various places where the ships were docked to better understand and observe issues that affect the security of their cyberinfrastructure. Since it was not possible for Trusted CI to visit all the 18 ships, the team decided to see one ship from each vessel class and also took advantage of opportunities that coincided with other travel in order to reduce costs. The observations captured by the team during these trips will be used in their final report to ARF and its stakeholders.

R/V Sikuliaq
Date of Visit: 8th Oct’ 2019
Class: Global Class
Owner: NSF
Operating Institution: 
University of Alaska Fairbanks

R/V Robert Gordon Sproul
Date of Visit: 14th Oct’ 2019
Class: Coastal Class
Owner: University of California
Operating Institution: 
Scripps Institution of Oceanography

R/V Neil Armstrong
Date of Visit: 7th Nov’ 2019
Class: Ocean Class
Owner: Navy
Operating Institution:
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

R/V Endeavor
Date of Visit: 8th Nov’ 2019
Class: Ocean Class
Owner: NSF
Operating Institution:
University of Rhode Island













The team would like to thank all of the vessels’ captains, crews, operating institutions and ARF staff for facilitating our visit to the ships. These visits have played a major role in helping us to make recommendations to improve the cybersecurity of the fleet.