The ship is in Da Nang as part of a joint project to research the oceanography of the East Sea and the interaction between the sea and mainland. The joint initiative will be carried out by Vietnam's Ministry of Science and Technology and the US Navy's Research Laboratory.

During their stay, the 28 US officers and sailors on board will run short training courses on oceanographic studies for Vietnamese scientists and researchers to increase the capacity of the country’s oceanographic research and management.

The Roger Revelle is a modern research and survey ship equipped with the latest technologies and is facilitated by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California in San Diego.