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Special Mission Ships

Military Sealift Command's Special Mission Program has 25 ships that provide operating platforms and services for a wide variety of U.S. military and other U.S. government missions.

Oceanographic and hydrographic surveys, underwater surveillance, missile tracking, acoustic surveys, and submarine and special warfare support are just a few of the specialized services provided to:

• U.S. Fleet Forces Command
• The Oceanographer of the Navy
• Commander, Undersea Surveillance
• The U.S. Air Force
• Naval Sea Systems Command
• Navy's Strategic Systems Programs Office
• Naval Special Warfare Command
• Commander, Navy Installations Command
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Commander, Submarine Force

Special mission ships are operated by civilian mariners who work for private companies under contract to MSC.

• ABLE, USNS
• ARROWHEAD, MV HOS
• BLACK POWDER, MV HOS
• BOWDITCH, USNS
• C-CHAMPION, SSV
• C-COMMANDO, SSV
• DOLORES CHOUEST, MV
• DOMINATOR, MV HOS
• EAGLE VIEW, MV HOS
• EFFECTIVE, USNS
• BRUCE C. HEEZEN, USNS
• HENSON, USNS
• IMPECCABLE, USNS
• INVINCIBLE, USNS
• HOWARD O. LORENZEN, USNS
• LOYAL, USNS
• MALAMA, MV
• OBSERVATION ISLAND, USNS
• PATHFINDER, USNS
• SEA-BASED X-BAND RADAR (SBX-1),
• MARY SEARS, USNS
• SUMNER, USNS
• VICTORIOUS, USNS
• WATERS, USNS
• WESTWIND, MV HOS