The US Navy has christened its seventh Navajo-class towing, salvage, and rescue ship in Mobile, Alabama.
The USNS Solomon Atkinson (T-ATS 12) was named after Chief Warrant Officer 4 Solomon Atkinson, the pioneer member of the US military’s SEAL Team One in the 1960s.
He received the Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V,” and Purple Heart for his service and actions in combat, particularly across Korea and Vietnam.
He was also part of training programs for spaceflight missions, preparing astronauts including Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
After leaving the force, Atkinson returned to his hometown in Alaska, where he held community and local government roles.
The Alabama ceremony was attended by representatives from the US Navy, Navajo fleet industry partner Austal USA, and civic leaders.
Joann Atkinson, Atkinson’s widow, bore sponsorship for the event alongside their daughters, Michele Gunyah and Maria Hayward.
“This christening marks an important milestone for T-ATS 12 and the dedicated workforce who brought this ship to life,” said Gene Miller, interim president of Austal USA.
“It is an honor to take part in this ceremony alongside the Atkinson family as we recognize Solomon Atkinson’s legacy of service. We are proud to support the Navy with a platform that will serve critical missions around the world and look forward to delivering this ship to the fleet.”
The Navajo Vessel
The US Navy’s Navajo system was launched in 2017 to replace the military’s Powhatan-class ocean tugs and Safeguard-class rescue vessels since the 1980s.
Similar to the older fleets, the new series is designed to support recovery missions for ships, submarines, and aircraft, tow larger surface combatants, and assist firefighting and diving operations, while also supporting tasks involving autonomous systems.
A Navajo platform is 263 feet (80 meters) long and has a beam of 59 feet (18 meters). It features a 6,000-square-foot (557-square-meter) deck space and capacity for up to 65 personnel.
It is fitted with twin Wartsila diesel engines with an output of 6,300 horsepower each, supporting a speed of 15 knots (17 miles/28 kilometers per hour) and a range of 8,100 nautical miles (9,321 miles/15,001 kilometers).
Washington has ordered 10 Navajos from Austal USA and program partner Bollinger Shipyards.
Under the split contract, Austal is building five vessels, including the USNS Atkinson, the second hull in its batch, while Bollinger is responsible for the remaining five.
