ATLS-9701
{{Short description|US Navy auxiliary ship with advanced communication and navigation}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= US Navy 110907-N-PB383-160 Marines assigned to the Maritime Raid Force of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a casualty evacuation during a.jpg |Ship caption=ATLS-9701 in 2011 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= United States |Ship flag= {{USN flag}} |Ship name=None |Ship namesake= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= VT Halter Marine Shipbuilder, Moss Point, MS |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= 1998 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= 1998-present |Ship out of service= |Ship struck= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship honors= |Ship homeport= Port Hueneme, Naval Base Ventura County |Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|369970276}}
|Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship aircraft facilities= none |Ship status= {{Ship in active service}} |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= aerial target launch ship |Ship displacement= 857 t |Ship length= {{convert|264|ft|5|in|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship beam= {{convert|26|ft|m|1|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draft= {{convert|6|ft|10|in|m|1|abbr=on}} maximum |Ship propulsion= 2 x diesels, 2 shafts, 1,342 bhp |Ship Propellers= 2 |Ship speed= {{convert|8|kn|km/h}} |Ship range= {{convert|1000|nmi|km}} |Ship capacity= |Ship complement= unknown/classified |Ship armament= 2 BQM-74 launchers |Ship armor= |Ship notes= }} |
ATLS-9701 is a small unnamed U.S. Navy active service auxiliary Aerial Target Launch Ship operated by the Pacific Targets and Marine Operations Division (PTMO), U.S. Department of the Navy.[http://www.navair.navy.mil/targets/PTMO/02_Vessels/Overview_Vessels300Feet.html ATLS-9701] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102912/http://www.navair.navy.mil/targets/PTMO/02_Vessels/Overview_Vessels300Feet.html |date=March 4, 2016 }}[http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/usa/aux_othr.htm World Navies Today: US Navy Minor Auxiliaries & Yard Craft: ATLS 9701 drone launch ship] The ship possesses VHF, UHF, Sat-Phone, NIPR/SIPRNET communication capabilities, equipped with Nobeltec Navigation system, and BQM-74 aerial targets launchers.
History
ATLS-9701 was built in 1998 for MQM-8G Vandal Targets program run by the Naval Air Systems Command. She was used for firing the MQM-8G super-sonic targets simulating cruise missiles, which were reconfigured RIM-8 Talos long-range naval surface-to-air missiles, in order to test the Phalanx and RIM close-range defensive systems deployed by the Navy. MQM-8G's were remote-controlled, non-recoverable vehicles, 36.2 feet in length, 7.3 feet in diameter, and weighing 8,225 pounds.[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/navy/ntsp/gen-d_2002.pdf Navy Training System Plan for General Aerial Targets, January 2002], Globalsecurity.org
File:15th MEU MRF secures Atlas during VBSS 150318-M-SV584-154.jpg’s Maritime Raid Force fast-roped from Bell UH-1Y Venom onto the ATLS-9701 to train a VBSS mission]]
After the last MQM-8 targets were launched in 2005, the ATLS-9701 was converted to firing BQM-74 targets and also became a platform for the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy for VBSS maritime training, confined space clearing, on-ship container access, and testing helicopter fast-roping skills, among other activities.
On April 4, 2013, ATLS-9701 was used by the members of the 13th MEU Maritime Raid Force, who fast-roped onto her from a CH-46 helicopter during VBSS training.[https://www.dvidshub.net/video/286774/13th-meu-mrf-train-maritime-platform#.VkbKiVJDiHs 13th MEU, MRF, Train on Maritime Platform], DVIDS, Video by Cpl. Ammon Carter, VIRIN:130405-M-KX613-001 (Released) On January 11, 2015, the 15th MEU Maritime Raid Force exercised their boarding skills on the ATLS-9701 in San Diego Bay during interoperability training.[https://www.dvidshub.net/image/1728434/mrf-conducts-interoperability-training#.VkbVslJDiHs MRF conducts interoperability training], DVIDS, U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Allison Burgos, VIRIN:150111-M-ZZ999-069 (Released)
References
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External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20160304102912/http://www.navair.navy.mil/targets/PTMO/02_Vessels/Overview_Vessels300Feet.html ATLS-9701]