U.S. Navy Christens Navajo-Class Ship USNS Solomon Atkinson to Enhance Fleet Recovery Capability.

The U.S. Navy christened the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) at Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama, on May 2, 2026, marking another step toward restoring the fleet’s ability to recover, tow, and support damaged vessels at sea. The Navajo-class ship matters because contested maritime operations will require faster salvage, stronger rescue capacity, and resilient support far from secure ports.

The vessel is built to tow disabled ships, conduct complex salvage missions, and assist recovery operations in demanding conditions. Its entry into the program strengthens the Navy’s operational endurance and reflects a wider push to improve survivability and fleet sustainment in high-risk theaters.

Related Topic: USS Patrick Gallagher begins sea trials as last US Navy Arleigh Burke-class Flight IIA destroyer

USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6), the lead towing, salvage and rescue ship of its class, is christened on August 26, 2023, while the U.S. Navy continues the expansion of this new generation of auxiliary vessels with the christening of follow-on ships such as USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12), strengthening fleet towing, salvage, and recovery capabilities. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War/Defense)

The christened ceremony of the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) , held at 10 a.m. CDT on May 2, 2026, reflects the U.S. Navy’s push to regenerate a capability set that has eroded with the retirement of legacy rescue and tug ships, directly impacting fleet readiness and survivability in both peacetime and combat scenarios.

The Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship is a multi-mission auxiliary vessel operated by the Military Sealift Command, combining the roles previously performed by two distinct ship types: the Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ships (T-ARS) and the Powhatan-class ocean tugs (T-ATF). These legacy vessels provided essential functions such as open-ocean towing, underwater salvage, diving operations, and recovery of stranded or damaged naval assets, capabilities that remain indispensable for sustaining naval power projection.

Technically, the Navajo-class ships are designed to perform heavy towing of large surface combatants such as destroyers and amphibious ships, ensuring that disabled vessels can be recovered without requiring combatants to divert from operational missions. Their salvage systems support deep-sea recovery, including lifting operations, hull patching, firefighting assistance, and stabilization of damaged ships. These functions are critical following collisions, groundings, mechanical failures, or battle damage.

The ships also integrate modern command, control, and navigation systems, allowing precise maneuvering through dynamic positioning technology during salvage operations. This capability is essential when operating near damaged vessels, underwater wreckage, or sensitive infrastructure. In addition, embarked diving systems and remotely operated vehicles enable subsea intervention, expanding the Navy’s ability to operate below the surface without deploying specialized submarines.

With a 6,000-square-foot open deck, the Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship can embark mission-specific equipment, transforming it into a flexible support asset. This includes systems for oil spill response, humanitarian assistance supplies, or wide-area search and surveillance packages. This modularity allows the same vessel to support disaster relief operations, recover downed aircraft, or assist in maritime security missions, reinforcing its role beyond purely military tasks.

The program, launched in 2017, includes 10 ships intended to fully replace the aging Safeguard-class and Powhatan-class vessels. These older ships have been progressively retired, creating a capability gap in towing and salvage operations. As of 2026, none of the Navajo-class ships have yet entered active service, making the delivery of units such as USNS Solomon Atkinson increasingly critical to restoring this essential function within the fleet.

From an operational perspective, towing, salvage, and rescue ships are force enablers that directly support combat effectiveness. In high-intensity conflict, the ability to recover a damaged destroyer or auxiliary vessel instead of losing it can significantly affect force availability and campaign sustainability. These ships also reduce the logistical burden on combat units by taking over recovery missions that would otherwise divert frontline assets.

Strategically, the Navajo-class enhances the U.S. Navy’s global posture. As naval operations expand across contested regions such as the Indo-Pacific, the need for dedicated recovery and support ships becomes more acute. Without sufficient towing and salvage capacity, the Navy risks operational disruption and increased asset attrition.

The christening of USNS Solomon Atkinson, therefore, represents more than a ceremonial milestone; it marks incremental progress in restoring a critical but often overlooked capability. As the U.S. Navy continues to build its “Fleet of the Future,” the timely delivery of these ten towing, salvage, and rescue ships will be essential to ensuring that U.S. forces can operate continuously, recover from damage, and maintain dominance across global maritime theaters.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.