Tag Archives: USNS Black Powder (T-AGSE 1)

T-AGSEs Surface

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An interesting addition to the Bollinger-built 87-foot Marine Protector class patrol boats for the Coast Guard in 2008 was four units– paid for wholly by the Navy– that would serve in two special Maritime Force Protection Units, assigned to the Submarine bases at Kings Bay and Kitsap, tasked to escort submarines (particularly SSBNs) heading in and out on patrol.

Each MFPU, which numbers 150-200 personnel, also has a dozen smaller craft (33-foot RIBs, etc).

In a nod to their taskings, these Navy-paid-for/assigned and CG-manned patrol boats carried the names of historic fleet boats of WWII fame:

  • USCGC Sea Dragon (WPB-87367) MFPU Kitsap
  • USCGC Sea Devil (WPB-87368) MFPU Kings Bay
  • USCGC Sea Dog (WPB-87373) MFPU Kitsap
  • USCGC Sea Fox (WPB-87374) MFPU Kings Bay

Armed with three 50 cal. machine guns (instead of the standard two for the class) these MFPUs carried their “extra” BMG in a permanently installed forward mount that was stabilized and remotely controlled.

TAMPA, Fla. – Coast Guard Cutter Sea Dog, a newly-designed 87-foot coastal patrol boat, transits Tampa Bay, Fla.,, Wednesday, May 6, 2009, during sea trials. The Sea dog is scheduled to be commissioned July 2, 2009, and is homeported in Kings Bay, Ga. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/PA3 Rob Simpson)

However, last year all four of these still rather young WPBs were withdrawn from CG service, decommissioned, disarmed, and relegated to auxiliary service with the Navy and Marine Corps.

For instance, the two Kings Bay-based boats were transferred to MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina to be used as range/target towing boats.

Disarmed and without her racing stripe, the ex-USCGC Sea Dragon WPB-87367 at MCAS Cherry Point for target support

Their replacements?

Meet T-AGSEs

The civilian mariner crewed Military Sealift Command has a small flotilla of eight vessels tasked with “Submarine and Special Warfare Support.”

These vessels, typically oilfield supply boats operated by Louisiana-based Hornbeck Offshore Services, include a quartet of 250-foot EDF type who have been christened as U.S. Naval Ships with hull numbers.

They also carry fixed armament, something extremely rare for the MSC, namely two Mk. 38 25mm mounts, operated by a USCG Tactical Boatcrew. I wouldn’t be surprised if they had MANPADs, AT4s, and M2s stowed as well

  • USNS Black Powder (T-AGSE 1)
  • USNS Westwind (T-AGSE 2)
  • USNS Eagleview (T-AGSE 3)
  • USNS Arrowhead (T-AGSE 4)

Built by Leevac Industries of Jenerette, these four brand-new 250EDFs were operated by HOS between 2009 and 2015 on a Navy contract and then purchased outright for $152 million.

The MSC has their file pictures all still in their HOS livery:

HOS Black Powder 200819-N-IS698-0004

HOS Eagle View 200819-N-IS698-0007

HOS Arrowhead

Since 2015, these craft have been Navy (MSC) owned and operated by HOS, typically for 215 days per year at a rate of about $30,000 per day.

Arrowhead and Eagleview are out of Kitsap while Black Powder and Westwind are out of Kings Bay.

Being some 250 feet in length, they are often referred to as “Blocking Vessels” in operations.

They rarely get any attention, with the USCG operating their guns and providing an MLE team for intervention/boarding if an escort gets…weird. Why the Coasties pull the gig is that they are federal law enforcement with a pretty far-reaching jurisdiction around U.S. flagged vessels in U.S. waters. 

USNS Black Powder and USNS Westwind. Note the 25mm Mk 38 Mod 2 mounts, and the MSC blue and yellow stripes around Westwind’s pilothouse. Wiki commons

Ohio class USS West Virginia (SSBN-736) USNS Black Powder

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from Moody Air Force Base, Ga., escorted ballistic missile submarine USS Wyoming (SSBN 742), July 15, 2024. The aircraft conducted a live fire exercise and U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Force Protection Unit Kings Bay, USNS Black Powder (T-AGSE-1), and USNS Westwind (T-AGSE-2) also participated in the escort of the submarine. Joint operations, such as this one which involved the Air Force, Coast Guard, and Navy, ensure the U.S. military is ready to meet its security commitments at home and abroad

Being three times the size of the 87s, they can also help serve as mini-tenders and, during Covid, were used to swap out Blue/Gold crews on SSBNs at sea, as well as replenishment for parts and stores transfers via a moving brow.

Note the USCG ensign on Black Powder’s mast and her USNS designator on her bow. 

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 24, 2022) Sailors assigned to the Blue Crew of the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) prepare to execute an exchange of command and crews at sea. This regularly scheduled exchange of command at sea demonstrates the continuity and operational flexibility of our sea-based nuclear deterrent operations and our ready, reliable ballistic submarine force. The efficiency of exchanges of crews at sea allows Sailors to reunite with their families and provides a ready, resilient submarine force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Xavier Saldana/Released)

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 24, 2022) USNS Black Powder supports the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming’s (SSBN 742) exchange of command and crews at sea. This regularly scheduled exchange of command at sea demonstrates the continuity and operational flexibility of our sea-based nuclear deterrent operations and our ready, reliable ballistic submarine force. The efficiency of exchanges of crews at sea allows Sailors to reunite with their families and provides a ready, resilient submarine force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Xavier Saldana/Released)

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Jan. 24, 2022) Sailors assigned to the Blue and Gold Crews of the Ohio-class ballistic-missile submarine USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) execute an exchange of command and crews at sea. This regularly scheduled exchange of command at sea demonstrates the continuity and operational flexibility of our sea-based nuclear deterrent operations and our ready, reliable ballistic submarine force. The efficiency of exchanges of crews at sea allows Sailors to reunite with their families and provides a ready, resilient submarine force. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Aaron Xavier Saldana/Released)

They just popped up in a DOD Contract list this week, as noted below, with the current daily rate being more like $50K per vessel including operation and maintenance:

Hornbeck Offshore Operators, Covington, Louisiana, is being awarded a $48,360,544 firm-fixed-price contract (N3220525C4134) for the operation and maintenance of four government-owned Transportation Auxiliary General Submarine Escort (T-AGSE) vessels. The vessels under this award include USNS Arrowhead, USNS Eagleview, USNS Westwind, and USNS Black Powder. The contract includes a six-month base period with a six-month option. The contract will be performed in Kings Bay, Georgia; and Bangor, Washington, beginning March 1, 2025, based on the availability of funds clause at Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 52.232-18 and will utilize fiscal 2025 working capital funds (Navy), and will conclude Feb. 28, 2026, if the option is exercised. This contract is a Sole Source Bridge and was not competitively procured, under the authority of 41 U.S. Code 3304(a)(2), as implemented by FAR 6.302-2 Unusual and compelling urgency. Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity.

Navy Turns to Charters to fill ATF/ARS/ATS roles

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Back in the day, the Navy ran its own salvage ships (ATS), salvage rescue ships (ARS), submarine rescue ships (ASR), and fleet tugs (ATF), amassing a giant fleet of such hard-working niche auxiliaries in the 1940s. However, in the general rush to save dollars after the end of the Cold War, the Navy transferred all the above to the civilian mariner-manned Military Sealift Command, thus removing any armament and converting them from commissioned ships on the NVR to cheaper-to-run non-commissioned naval ships, i.e., the USS Safeguard (ARS-50) became USNS Safeguard (T-ARS-50). Still haze gray, still underway, just with civilian crews on contract to MSC. Plus, it was thought the U.S. Navy Supervisor of Salvage could fly out equipment to commercial vessels as needed, because that is a valid line of thinking when the bullets start flying.

Of course, we’re not getting into the risk to civilian mariners manning such vessels in time of war, but nonetheless, the Navy has slowly allowed even this aging salvage, rescue, and tug force to wither away. Today, the MSC only has 14 of these Service Support (PM4) category ships, two of which are the hospital ships USNS Comfort and Mercy.

When it comes to tugs, there are the last two (of seven built in the 1970s-80s) Powhatan-class: USNS Catawba (T-ATF 168) and USNS Apache (T-ATF 172), with the latter recently retired but not disposed of yet. This is fleshed out by the 4,066-ton/276-foot MV Gary Chouest, manned on a long-term lease.

Submarine and SPECWAR support vessels include the leased MV Kellie Chouest, MV HOS Dominator, MV Malama, and the government-owned USNS Black Powder (T-AGSE 1), USNS Westwind (T-AGSE 2), USNS Eagleview (T-AGSE 3), and USNS Arrowhead (T-AGSE 4), all generally oil field supply boats purchased or leased from operators in the Gulf.

USNS Eagleview (T-AGSE 3) in her commercial guise as MV HOS Eagleview, an oilfield supply boat owned and operated by Hornbeck Offshore. 200819-N-IS698-0007

The only two salvage and rescue ships left are the two final 3,336-ton/255-foot Safeguard-class vessels USNS Grasp (T-ARS 51) and USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52). Commissioned in the mid-1980s, they were decommissioned and transferred to the MSC in 2006.

Sailors assigned to Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit (MDSU) 1, Company 1-6, embarked aboard the Military Sealift Command rescue and salvage ship USNS Salvor (T-ARS 52) work to complete a heavy lift of a 30-ton wrecked Korean vessel as part of Salvage Exercise (SALVEX) 2015. (U.S. Navy photo by Navy Diver 2nd Class Blake Florhe/Released)

With that, we have the following contract announcements made in the past week, specifically running the above-mentioned MV Gary Chouest and adding the MV HOS Rosebud from Hornbeck Offshore to the game:

Alpha Marine Services LLC, Cut Off, Louisiana, is awarded a $12,656,010 firm-fixed-price option (P00005) with reimbursable elements contract N3220521C4030 for the long-term charter of one U.S.-flagged Jones Act offshore supply vessel, MV Gary Chouest, to support Navy fleet requirements for towing, diving and salvage operations, submarine rescue, and training exercises. This contract includes a 12-month base period with two 12-month option periods, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $38,008,507. Work will be performed primarily in the Atlantic Ocean and is expected to be completed, if all options are exercised, by July 29, 2024. Fiscal 2022 working capital (Navy) funds in the amount of $12,656,010 are obligated for the option period and will not expire. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the Federal Business Opportunities website and two offers were received. The Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220521C4030).

And:

Hornbeck Offshore Operators LLC, Covington, Louisiana, was awarded an $8,766,200 firm-fixed-price contract (N3220522C3102) for the operation and crewing of one Jones Act-qualified, U.S.-flagged vessel to support the Navy’s submarine fleet operational and rescue requirements. This contract includes one 182-day base period, one 182-day option period, and one 120-day option period, which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $19,336,200. The vessel, HOS Rosebud, will provide support for Navy operations in the Atlantic Ocean. Working capital funds (Transportation) in the amount of $8,766,200 are obligated for fiscal 2022, and will expire at the end of the fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured with proposals solicited via the System for Award Management website, and one offer was received. The Navy’s Military Sealift Command, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N3220522C3102). (Awarded July 20, 2022)

The plan is to finally put much of the above out to pasture with the eight planned new Navajo-class rescue and salvage ships building at Bollinger and Austal.

At 5,100 tons they will be a much-needed shot in the arm for such neglected yet vital work, although they will still be MCS vessels.

190215-N-DM308-003 WASHINGTON (Jan. 29, 2019) An artist rendering of the future USNS Navajo (T-ATS 6). (U.S. Navy photo illustration/Released)