Description
Fleet Ocean Tugs provide ocean-going towing, salvage, and rescue capabilities to support Fleet operations. The current capabilities are provided by Powhatan-class T-ATF Fleet Tugs and Safeguard-class T-ARS Rescue and Salvage vessels, which reach the end of their expected service lives starting in mid-2020. Navajo-class ships will be capable of towing U.S. Navy ships and will have 6,000 square feet of deck space for embarked systems.

The T-ATS 6 Navajo Class will be comprised of 10 vessels, 10 of which have been awarded for construction:

Bollinger Houma Shipyard is in production for the future USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6), the Cherokee Nation (T-ATS 7), the Saginax Ojibwe Anishinabek (T-ATS 8), USNS Lenni Lenape (T-ATS 9) and USNS Muscogee Creek Nation (T-ATS 10). The projected delivery for first vessel is in early FY 2024, with one ship delivering each subsequent FY.

Austal USA was awarded a follow on Detail Design and Construction contract for the construction of T-ATS 11 through T-ATS 15. Austal USA has begun construction of USNS Billy Frank Jr (T-ATS 11) and USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) and is under contract for the detail design and construction of T-ATS 13 through T-ATS 15 (names TBD). The projected delivery for T-ATS 11 is in early FY 2025, with one more ship delivering in FY 2025, and two ships delivering in FY 2026.