View source for Pathfinder-class survey ship

{|{{Infobox ship begin
}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = File:USNS Pathfinder (T-AGS-60) underway in the Gulf Of Mexico on 19 September 1994 (6490546).jpg
| Ship caption = USNS ''Pathfinder'', the lead ship of her class, underway in 1994
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = 
| Builders = [[Halter Marine]]
| Operators = [[Military Sealift Command]]
| Class before = 
| Class after = 
| Subclasses = 
| Cost = 
| Built range = 
| In commission range = 1994–present
| In service range = 
| Total ships building = 1
| Total ships planned = 8
| Total ships completed = 7
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 6
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 1
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Survey ship]]
| Ship displacement = 4,762 long tons
| Ship length = {{convert|329|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|58|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship draft = {{convert|19|ft|m|abbr=on}}
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = Diesel-electric; 4 EMD/Baylor diesel generators; 11,425 horsepower (8.52 MW); 2 GE CDF 1944 motors; 8,000 horsepower (5.96 MW) sustained; 6,000 horsepower (4.48 MW); 2 Lips Z drives; bow thruster, 1,500 horsepower (1.19 MW).
| Ship speed = Hull Speed (13,000 HP) {{convert|25|knots|mph|abbr=on}}

Cruise Speed (5,000 HP) {{convert|18|knots|mph|abbr=on}}

Economic Speed: {{convert|16|knots|mph|abbr=on}}
| Ship range = 
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship complement = 26 Civilian Personnel/27 military sponsor personnel
| Ship sensors = 
| Ship EW = 
| Ship armament = 
| Ship armor = 
| Ship aircraft = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The '''''Pathfinder''-class survey ships''' are owned by the [[United States Navy]] and operated by [[Military Sealift Command]] for the [[Naval Oceanographic Office]] ("NAVOCEANO").  They have mostly civilian crews, including scientists from NAVOCEANO.<ref name=msc-list>{{cite web |url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=135&type=OceanographicSurveyShip |title=Ship Inventory - Oceanographic Survey Ships |publisher=U.S. Navy |work=Military Sealift Command |accessdate=17 December 2016}}</ref><ref name=wp-20161217>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/12/16/defense-official-chinese-naval-ship-seized-an-unmanned-u-s-ocean-glider/ |title=Pentagon: Chinese naval ship seized an unmanned U.S. underwater vehicle in South China Sea |author=Missy Ryan, Dan Lamothe |newspaper=Washington Post |date=17 December 2016 |accessdate=17 December 2016}}</ref>

The ''Pathfinder''-class survey ships have three multipurpose cranes and five winches plus a variety of oceanographic equipment including multi-beam echo-sounders, towed sonars and expendable sensors. These ships are capable of carrying {{convert|34|ft|adj=on}} hydrographic survey launches (HSLs) for data collection in coastal regions with depths between {{convert|10|and|600|m|sp=us}} and in deep water to {{convert|4,000|m|sp=us}}. A small [[diesel engine]] is used for propulsion at towing speeds of up to {{convert|6|kn|lk=in}}. HSLs carry SIMRAD high-frequency active hull-mounted and side scan sonars. USNS ''Marie Tharp'', the most recent addition to the survey ship fleet, is equipped with an {{convert|18|by|18|ft|m|adj=on}} [[moon pool]] for deploying and retrieving a variety of mission systems, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV).<ref name="navy.mil">{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4500&tid=700&ct=4 |title= Oceanographic Survey Ships T-AGS|website=navy.mil|date=11 April 2005|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060402214322/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4500&tid=700&ct=4|archive-date=2 April 2006 |access-date=22 December 2022}}</ref>

The original contract for the ''Pathfinder''-class of surveying ships was awarded in January 1991 for two ships with an option for a third, which was taken up May 29, 1992. A fourth ship was ordered in October 1994 with an option for two more. A fifth ship was ordered January 15, 1997. Construction began on the sixth ship in the class in 1999. By early 2002, six ships had been delivered and were performing active missions for MSC. The contract for a seventh ship, USNS ''Maury'', was awarded in December 2009. In August 2014, USNS ''Sumner'', was deactivated, and USNS ''Maury'' was delivered on February 16, 2016, restoring the survey fleet to six ships.<ref name="navy.mil"/> On November 19, 2018, the Navy awarded a contract for advanced work for an eighth ''Pathfinder''-class ship.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Burgess|first=Richard R.|date=2018-11-20|title=Navy Awards Contract to VT Halter for New Oceanographic Survey Ship|url=https://seapowermagazine.org/navy-awards-contract-to-vt-halter-for-new-oceanographic-survey-ship/|access-date=2021-06-24|website=Seapower|language=en-US}}</ref>

==Ships==
There are eight ships in the ''Pathfinder''-class:<ref name=msc-list/><ref name=":0" /><ref name=navy-20070823>{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_print.asp?cid=4500&tid=700&ct=4&page=1 |title=Oceanographic Survey Ships - T-AGS |publisher=U.S. Navy |date=23 August 2007 |accessdate=17 December 2016}}</ref>

* {{Ship|USNS|Pathfinder|T-AGS-60}}
* {{Ship|USNS|Sumner|T-AGS-61}} (struck in 2014, scheduled for disposal)
* {{Ship|USNS|Bowditch|T-AGS-62}}
* {{Ship|USNS|Henson|T-AGS-63}}
* {{Ship|USNS|Bruce C. Heezen|T-AGS-64}}
* {{Ship|USNS|Mary Sears|T-AGS-65}}
* {{Ship|USNS|Marie Tharp|T-AGS-66}} (formerly ''Maury'', renamed 8 March 2023)
* {{Ship|USNS|Robert Ballard|T-AGS-67}} <ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3252541/secnav-names-future-oceanographic-survey-ship-usns-robert-ballard/ | title=SECNAV Names Future Oceanographic Survey Ship USNS Robert Ballard }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{Pathfinder class survey ship}}

[[Category:Pathfinder-class survey ships| ]]
[[Category:Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Auxiliary research ship classes]]
{{Active ship classes of the United States Navy}}{{USN-stub}}