Special Mission Ships - 29 (as of Sept. 30, 2002) Oceanographic Survey - 8 USNS Bowditch (T-AGS 62) USNS Bruce C. Heezen (T-AGS 64) USNS Henson (T-AGS 63) USNS Littlehales (T-AGS 52) USNS John McDonnell (T-AGS 51) USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) USNS Mary Sears (T-AGS 65) USNS Sumner (T-AGS 61) Ocean Surveillance – 9 USNS Able (T-AGOS 20) USNS Assertive (T-AGOS 9) USNS Bold (T-AGOS 12) MV Cory Chouest (NHN) USNS Effective (T-AGOS 21) USNS Impeccable (T-AGOS 23) USNS Loyal (T-AGOS 22) USNS Prevail (T-AGOS 8) USNS Victorious (T-AGOS 19) Counter-Drug Operations - 3 USNS Capable (T-AGOS 16) USNS Indomitable (T-AGOS 7) USNS Stalwart (T-AGOS 1) Missile Range Instrumentation - 2 USNS Invincible (T-AGM 24) USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23) Submarine Support - 4 MV Carolyn Chouest (NHN) MV Dolores Chouest (NHN) MV C Commando (NHN) MV Kellie Chouest (NHN) Acoustic, navigation and missile test support - 2 USNS Hayes (T-AG 195) USNS Waters (T-AGS 45) Cable-laying/repair - 1 USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7)

MSC’s special mission ships perform diverse assignments for Department of Defense customers.

t the end of FY 2002, the 29 ships in MSC’s Special Mission Program had carried out diverse assignments for Department of Defense sponsors. Civilian mariners employed by companies under contract to MSC operate the majority of special mission ships; however, four ships are crewed by federal civil service mariners. Embarked civilian sponsor technicians and military personnel conduct the missions and perform specialized shipboard tasks.

Crewmembers prepare equipment MSC oceanographic ship USNS Sumner used to track currents during the transfer of the sunken Japanese school ship Ehime Maru to a shallow-water recovery site off the coast of Hawaii. Photo courtesy of American Maritime Officers.

Oceanographic survey

Oceanographic survey ships USNS Pathfinder, USNS Sumner, USNS Bowditch, USNS Henson, USNS Bruce C. Heezen and USNS Mary Sears studied the world's oceans using multi-beam, wide-angle, precision hydrographic sonar systems to collect bathymetric data. Two coastal survey ships, USNS John McDonnell and USNS Littlehales, surveyed the sea bottom and collected data in the littoral areas along coastlines.

In October 2001, USNS Sumner assisted in efforts to recover the victims aboard Japanese fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru off the coast of Hawaii. Sumner provided detailed current and drift data for contract recovery ship, Rockwater Two, during the exacting mission.

In April 2002, USNS Henson and the U.S. delegation to the XVI International Hydrographic Conference, hosted more than 400 guests at an evening reception at Port Hercule, Monaco. Representatives from 78 countries and observers from 12 international organizations attended the event.

A crewmember of MSC oceanographic survey ship USNS Mary Sears instructs Sea Scholar teachers in safe equipment deployment procedures. The Sea Scholar program acquaints selected teachers from across the nation with ocean and underwater surveying. Photo by Mark Jarrett.

Ocean surveillance

Ocean surveillance ships USNS Prevail, USNS Assertive, USNS Bold, USNS Loyal, USNS Victorious, USNS Able and USNS Effective worked directly with units from the Navy’s numbered fleets in FY 2002 listening for undersea threats.

USNS Impeccable delivered to MSC in October 2001 and conducted post delivery activities, including mission equipment installation, post-shakedown availability and system test and evaluation. Impeccable is equipped with active and passive sonar arrays.

USNS Stalwart, USNS Indomitable and USNS Capable, three older ocean surveillance ships, supported U.S. counter-drug efforts in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific under the tactical control of the Joint Interagency Task Force East. USNS Capable’s mission changed to air surveillance operations during the summer of 2002.

Missile range instrumentation ship USNS Observation Island reached a new benchmark as the oldest ship in MSC’s fleet with almost 48 years of service. She is the second oldest active ship in the Navy. USS Constitution is the oldest.

USNS Invincible, a former ocean surveillance ship, was reclassified as T-AGM 24 to reflect her new mission as a seaborne platform for a U.S. Air Force radar system. The radar supports Air Force data collection requirements for theater ballistic missiles.

MSC oceanographic survey ship USNS Henson is moored at the port of Stavanger, Norway, following completion of a hydrographic survey off the coast of Norway. The Norwegian flag waves in the foreground. Photo by Ed Baxter.

Submarine support

Four chartered ships, MV Kellie Chouest, MV Dolores Chouest, MV Carolyn Chouest and MV C Commando, provided deep submergence support, salvage support and submarine escort/rescue assistance and supported the Navy's advanced swimmer delivery system. MV Carolyn Chouest assisted the Navy’s special purpose research submarine, NR-1, in obtaining detailed mapping of the underwater site of USS Monitor, the Navy’s first ironclad warship, sunk during a storm off Cape Hatteras in 1862.

USNS Observation Island (left) and USNS Invincible, two MSC missile range instrumentation ships, moored next to each other in Sasebo, Japan– a rare coincidence. The two ships spend much of their time at sea.

Acoustic, navigation and missile test support

USNS Hayes, an acoustic research ship, conducted sound-measuring surveys in support of the submarine noise-reduction program. In FY 2002, Hayes supported several Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock acoustic-testing missions involving the new Seawolf-class submarine. Navigation and missile test support ship USNS Waters conducted submarine navigation system testing and monitored ballistic missile flight-tests, gathering data for subsequent evaluation by program sponsors.

Cable laying/repair

USNS Zeus continued service as the Navy’s only dedicated cable ship, laying, repairing and burying sub-sea cables for various Department of Defense sponsors.

Navy Capt. Joey Carlton (left), Commander, Military Sealift Command Atlantic, presents the award of MSC Master of the Year to civilian mariner Capt. Philippe Julienne, master of MSC cable-laying ship USNS Zeus. Photo by Susan Melow.