The U.S. Navy’s next-generation fleet support capability took another step forward as Bollinger Shipyards laid the keel for the future USNS Lenni Lenape (T-ATS 9) on May 23, 2024. Part of the Navajo-class of towing, salvage and rescue ships (T-ATS), this vessel will provide critical blue-water support to U.S. naval operations worldwide. The ceremony marks a key milestone in the recapitalization of aging fleet ocean tugs and rescue ships.
Navajo-Class Overview: Replacing Aging Tugs with Multi-Mission Capability
The Navajo-class Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ships (T-ATS) are designed to replace both the aging Powhatan-class fleet ocean tugs (T-ATF) and Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ships (T-ARS). Developed under a single-hull design to reduce lifecycle costs and improve operational flexibility, these vessels are being procured by the U.S. Navy through the Military Sealift Command (MSC).
Key mission sets include:
- Ocean towing of disabled warships or submarines
- Salvage operations including heavy lift and recovery
- Humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HA/DR)
- Dive support and limited firefighting capabilities
The class is built to commercial ABS standards with select military enhancements such as flight decks for vertical replenishment or unmanned systems deployment. The vessels also feature dynamic positioning systems to maintain station during complex recovery tasks.
USNS Lenni Lenape (T-ATS 9): Honoring Indigenous Heritage
The future T-ATS 9 is named “Lenni Lenape” in honor of the Indigenous people native to what is now Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and parts of New York. This continues a recent trend by the Navy to name auxiliary vessels after Native American tribes—an initiative spearheaded by former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus as part of efforts to recognize diverse American heritage.
The keel laying ceremony at Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding in Pascagoula included ship sponsor Loretta Mirabal—a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe—who authenticated the keel by welding her initials into a steel plate that will remain part of the ship throughout its service life.
Bollinger’s Role in Accelerating Auxiliary Ship Production
Bollinger Shipyards acquired VT Halter Marine in late 2022 and rebranded it as Bollinger Mississippi Shipbuilding. The Pascagoula yard is now central to producing several key auxiliary platforms including T-ATS hulls from T-ATS 6 onward following Gulf Island Fabrication’s exit from shipbuilding.
Bollinger has committed significant investment into modernizing its Gulf Coast facilities post-acquisition—including workforce expansion and capital upgrades—to meet growing demand from both DoD and commercial clients. The company currently has multiple Navajo-class hulls under construction simultaneously.
“The laying of this keel symbolizes our commitment to supporting America’s maritime superiority,” said Ben Bordelon, President & CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “We’re proud to contribute directly to strengthening naval logistics resilience.”
T-ATS Technical Specifications and Capabilities
While not combatants themselves, T-ATS ships are vital enablers across peacetime operations and contested logistics scenarios. Their design reflects versatility across traditional blue-water missions as well as emerging hybrid threats such as seabed warfare or unmanned system recovery.
| Displacement | ~6,000 tons full load |
|---|---|
| Length Overall | 263 feet (~80 meters) |
| Beam | 59 feet (~18 meters) |
| Bollard Pull | >90 metric tons |
| Crew Complement | Civilian mariners via MSC + mission-specific detachments |
| Aviation Facilities | Flight deck for MH-60/SAR or UAV ops; no hangar |
| Main Missions Systems | Towing winch system; salvage crane; dynamic positioning; firefighting monitors; dive support gear |
| Builder Standard | ABS + SOLAS compliance with MIL-SPEC augmentations where needed |
| Sponsor Agency | Military Sealift Command under NAVSEA acquisition authority |
| Total Planned Hulls | At least 10 confirmed; potential expansion pending FYDP reviews |
Navajo-Class Program Status & Strategic Impact on Fleet Readiness
The first-in-class USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6) was launched by Austal USA in May 2023 after taking over construction from Gulf Island Fabrication following contractual issues. Subsequent hulls—including T-ATS 7 through T-ATS 10—are now being built by Bollinger Mississippi under NAVSEA oversight.
This transition reflects broader efforts within Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to stabilize auxiliary ship acquisition pipelines after years of delays across several non-combatant classes such as hospital ships or surveillance platforms.
The strategic relevance of these vessels has grown amid rising tensions in Indo-Pacific sea lanes where long-range tow/salvage capability could prove critical during distributed maritime operations or post-conflict recovery efforts involving damaged surface combatants or submarines.
Ahead on Schedule? Challenges Remain Despite Progress Signals
Bollinger has publicly stated that it aims to deliver its first T-ATS hull ahead of schedule—a notable claim given persistent industrial base challenges including labor shortages, inflationary pressures on materials like steel or copper cabling, and supply chain disruptions affecting marine electronics integration timelines.
NAVSEA officials have not yet confirmed revised delivery dates but have expressed cautious optimism about improved program execution under Bollinger stewardship compared with prior contractors.
If successful, this could serve as a model for other auxiliary recapitalization programs such as AS(X) submarine tenders or future expeditionary repair platforms envisioned under Distributed Maritime Logistics concepts outlined in Force Design 2045 guidance documents.
Looking Ahead: A Modular Future?
An open question remains whether future variants beyond T-ATS 10 could adopt more modular payload bays akin to those seen on Expeditionary Sea Bases or Littoral Combat Ships—allowing rapid role changes between deep-sea recovery missions vs ISR sensor deployment vs seabed warfare countermeasures using ROVs/UUVs.
No formal modularity roadmap exists yet for T-ATS beyond baseline outfitting packages—but growing interest within OPNAV N4/N95 communities suggests potential evolution toward more flexible mission-tailorable auxiliaries aligned with Joint All-Domain Command & Control (JADC2) logistics nodes at sea.
