Austal USA launched the future USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12), the company’s first ship of 2026 and its second Navy Towing, Salvage, and Rescue Ship (T-ATS), at its Mobile, Alabama shipyard.
The launch, on 23 February, marks the first of two ships launched at the facility within a single week.
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Named in honour of a Native American plankowner of the Navy SEAL teams, the future USNS Solomon Atkinson is among the three Navajo-class T-ATS ships that are being built at Austal USA.
The launch comes less than a year after the keel for this ship was laid during a ceremony on 16 April 2025.
At launch, construction on the USNS Solomon Atkinson had surpassed 75% completion. The vessel will next undergo preparations for engine light off ahead of sea trials and delivery.
Austal USA interim president Gene Miller said: “It’s always exciting to see these giants we build roll out of the assembly bay. The completion of this milestone is the result of the hard work and dedication of our talented workforce and the strength of our maritime industrial partnerships key to success in this proven launch process.”
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By GlobalDataThe future USNS Solomon Atkinson is the sixth of 10 vessels awarded for construction in the T-ATS 6 Navajo-class programme.
Currently, the first eight vessels are under construction while the last two are still under contract.
The Navajo-class vessels are 263 feet (ft) long with a beam of 59ft. They have a displacement of 5,110 tonnes (t) and a full load capacity of 1,796t.
These vessels feature 6,000ft2 of open deck space, enabling them to accommodate a variety of stand-alone or interchangeable embarked systems.
T-ATS ships are designed to support fleet operations by providing ocean-going towing, salvage, and rescue capabilities, as well as fulfilling roles in oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, and wide-area search and surveillance.
The platform is also intended to support future rapid capability efforts such as modular payloads. It will incorporate capabilities of retiring Rescue and Salvage Ship (T-ARS 50) and Fleet Ocean Tug (T-ATF 166) platforms.
