Posted on May 4, 2026
By Will Xavier
The US Navy formally named the towing, salvage and rescue ship (T-ATS) USNS Solomon Atkinson during a ceremony in Mobile, Alabama, on Saturday, May 2.
Built by Austal USA, the newest Navajo-class T-ATS honours the late Solomon Atkinson, a US Navy veteran and member of the Metlakatla Indian Community.
A decorated US Navy SEAL who saw action during the Vietnam War and retired as a chief warrant officer four, Atkinson later became Mayor of Metlakatla, Alaska.
The Navajo-class ocean-going tug, salvage, and rescue ships have been designed to support the US Navy’s fleet operations. Each T-ATS has a multi-mission common hull platform capable of towing heavy ships.
The vessels are capable of supporting a variety of missions including oil spill response, humanitarian assistance, search and rescue, and surveillance.
The T-ATS has 6,000 square feet (600 square metres) of deck space for embarked systems. A large, unobstructed deck will allow for the embarkation of a variety of stand-alone and interchangeable systems.
