R/P FLIP (FLoating Instrument Platform)

R/P FLIP (FLoating Instrument Platform) is an open ocean research platform. When flipped, most of the buoyancy for the platform is provided by water at depths below the influence of surface waves. At the end of a mission, compressed air is pumped into the ballast tanks in the flooded section and the platform, which has no propulsion, returns to its horizontal position so it can be towed to a new location.