Special Mission Ships - 23 (as of Sept. 30, 2004) Oceanographic Survey - 7 USNS Bowditch (T-AGS 62) USNS Bruce C. Heezen (T-AGS 64) USNS Henson (T-AGS 63) USNS John McDonnell (T-AGS 51) USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) USNS Mary Sears (T-AGS 65) USNS Sumner (T-AGS 61) Ocean Surveillance – 5 MV Cory Chouest (NHN) USNS Effective (T-AGOS 21) USNS Impeccable (T-AGOS 23) USNS Loyal (T-AGOS 22) USNS Victorious (T-AGOS 19) Submarine Support - 4 MV Carolyn Chouest MV Dolores Chouest MV Kellie Chouest MV C Commando Missile Range Instrumentation - 2 USNS Invincible (T-AGM 24) USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23) Acoustic Survey - 1 USNS Hayes (T-AG 195) Navigation Test Support - 1 USNS Waters (T-AGS 45) Cable-laying/repair - 1 USNS Zeus (T-ARC 7) High-Speed Vessel - 1 HSV-2 Swift Command Ship - 1 USS Coronado (AGF 11)

pecial Mission ships carried out diverse assignments for Department of Defense sponsors in FY 2004. Civilian mariners employed by companies under contract to MSC operated the majority of Special Mission ships, while embarked U.S. government customer-sponsored technicians and U.S. military personnel conducted the mission work and performed specialized shipboard tasks. Two ships were crewed by federal civil service mariners — USNS Zeus, a cable-laying/repair ship, and command ship USS Coronado. Coronado was transferred to MSC for operation at the beginning of 2004. This was a unique situation for the Navy because the ship remained under a military commanding officer, but U.S. civil service mariners were assigned as the ship's crew. USNS Capable was deactivated in September 2004 and transferred to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Sailors aboard MSC special mission ship MV Kelly Chouest prepare the Super Scorpio remotely operated vehicle for a salvage dive on an F-14D Tomcat 200 feet beneath the Pacific Ocean. Photo by Geoffrey Patrick.

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 water depth measurements and other related data. One coastal survey ship, USNS John McDonnell, surveyed the sea bottom and collected data in the littoral areas along the world's coastlines.

Ocean Surveillance

Ocean surveillance ships USNS Loyal, USNS Victorious, USNS Effective, USNS Impeccable and MV Cory Chouest worked directly with units from the Navy's numbered fleets in FY 2004 listening for undersea threats. USNS Capable supported air surveillance operations for the Pacific Fleet prior to her transfer to NOAA.

Missile Range Instrumentation

Missile range instrumentation ships USNS Observation Island and USNS Invincible supported the U.S. Air Force as seaborne platforms for radar systems. The radars support data collection requirements for theater ballistic missiles as well as domestic tests.

A U.S. Navy machinist's mate guides Super Scorpio, a remotely operated vehicle, into position from aboard MSC’s chartered special mission ship MV Kellie Chouest. The ship surveyed the wreckage off the coast of California. Photo by PH1 Daniel N. Woods, USN.

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 for the U.S. Navy and supported the Navy's advanced swimmer delivery system.

Acoustic Survey

USNS Hayes, an acoustic survey ship, conducted sound-measuring surveys in support of the U.S. Navy's submarine noise reduction program.

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.

High-Speed Vessel

HSV-2 Swift continued under charter to MSC for use by the Navy's Mine Warfare Command, serving operationally as an interim mine warfare command and support ship. Swift also conducted various experimental missions that explored the use of her advanced hull design and propulsion technology, integrated with advanced communications, to support the littoral combat ship program. For the Marine Corps, Swift conducted exercises, demonstrations and training events to develop the interoperability potential of high-speed vessels with causeways, watercraft, amphibious ships and other ship types.

An MSC civilian mariner dressed in crash and salvage gear watches as an SH-3G Sea King helicopter lands aboard the command ship USS Coronado. Photo by PH3 John E. Woods, USN.

Command Ships

USS Coronado transferred to MSC from combatant fleet operations during FY 2004, but remained under the command of a military officer while civilian mariners performed navigation, deck, engineering, laundry and galley service operations. Small military departments remained aboard to support communications and weapons systems. Coronado deployed to the Far East to serve as the 7th Fleet flagship while USS Blue Ridge underwent overhaul. MSC also provided advanced crewing and maintenance planning to prepare for USS Mount Whitney's transfer to MSC at the beginning of FY 2005.

Harbor Tug and Port Services

The Special Mission Program assumed administrative responsibility for MSC's harbor tug and port services contracts in June 2004. MSC contracts for on-call harbor tug services to support Navy ships worldwide. MSC also contracts for other port services for Navy ships around the world, including resupply, launch service and utilities. Both contracts had been administered by the Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force Program prior to June.