USNS Apache (T-ATF-172)
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USNS Apache in the Atlantic Ocean, 2004
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| History | |
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 United States
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| Name: | USNS Apache |
| Namesake: | The Apache, the collective term for several culturally related groups of Native Americans originally from the American Southwest |
| Operator: | Military Sealift Command |
| Builder: | Marinette Marine Corporation, Marinette, Wisconsin |
| Laid down: | 22 March 1979 |
| Launched: | 28 March 1981 |
| Sponsored by: | Mrs. John R. Young |
| Acquired: | 23 July 1981 |
| Homeport: | Norfolk, Virginia |
| Identification: |
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| Motto: | "First in Tow and Salvage" |
| Fate: | in active service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Powhatan-class fleet ocean tug |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 226 ft (69 m) |
| Beam: | 42 ft (13 m) |
| Draught: | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Installed power: | 7,200 hp (5,400 kW) |
| Propulsion: | Two GM EMD 20-645F7B diesel engines, 3,600 hp (2,700 kW) each; two shafts; Kort nozzles; controllable pitch propellers; bow thruster, 300 horsepower (224 kilowatts) |
| Speed: | 14.5 knots |
| Range: | 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers) |
| Complement: | 18 civilians, room for 25 transients |
USNS Apache (T-ATF-172), fifth United States Navy ship of the name, is the last of the Powhatan class of fleet ocean tugs. Apache was delivered to the U.S. Navy in 1981. She is operated by Military Sealift Command and crewed by 18 civil service mariners (CIVMARS). She is designed to provide the Navy with towing service, and when augmented by Navy divers, assist in the recovery of downed aircraft and ships. There are quarters on board for up to 22 additional personnel.
Fleet ocean tugs are used to tow ships, barges and targets for gunnery exercises. They are also used as platforms for salvage and diving work, as participants in naval exercises, to conduct search and rescue missions, to aid in the cleanup of oil spills and ocean accidents, and to provide fire fighting assistance.
Apache is equipped with a 10 ton capacity crane and a bollard pull of at least 87 tons. A deck grid is fitted aft which contains 1-inch (25 mm) bolt receptacles spaced 24 inches (610 mm) apart. This allows for the bolting down of a wide variety of portable equipment. The large rear deck is also painted for helicopter operations to allow for vertical replenishment at sea. There are two GPH diesel off-ship fire pumps supplying three fire monitors with up to 2,200 gallons of foam per minute. A deep module can be embarked to support naval salvage teams.
Apache has twin GM EMD 20-645F7B diesel engines providing a total of 7,200 shaft horsepower capable of hauling large tows at speeds up to and exceeding 8 knots (15 km/h), and light boat at 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h). The shafts are connected to controllable pitch propellers (CPP). The engines can be operated from one of three stations on the bridge, at the engine operating station, and from an aft control station looking astern. Usually controlled from the bridge by deck officers, they allow control of the engines' RPMs and propeller pitch independently. Together with twin rudders and a 300 horsepower (220 kW) bow thruster, the ship is highly maneuverable at slow speeds with extremely quick engine response.
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Wikipedia