USNS Grapple

Rescue and salvage ships render assistance to disabled ships, provide towing, salvage, diving, firefighting and heavy lift capabilities.

The mission of the rescue and salvage ships is fourfold: to debeach stranded vessels, heavy lift capability from ocean depths, towing of other vessels, and crewed diving operations. For rescue missions, these ships are equipped with fire monitors forward and amidships which can deliver either firefighting foam or sea water. The salvage holds of these ships are outfitted with portable equipment to provide assistance to other vessels in dewatering, patching, supply of electrical power and other essential service required to return a disabled ship to an operating condition.

The Navy has responsibility for salvaging U.S. government-owned ships and, when it is in the best interests of the United States, privately owned vessels as well. The rugged construction of these steel-hulled ships, combined with speed and endurance, make these rescue and salvage ships well-suited for rescue/salvage operations of Navy and commercial shipping throughout the world. The versatility of this class of ship enables the U.S. Navy to render assistance to those in peril on the high seas.

Grapple is designed to perform combat salvage, lifting, towing, off-ship firefighting, crewed diving operations, and emergency repairs to stranded or disabled vessels.{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/s/ars-52/1986.pdf |title=USS Salvor Command History 1986 |date=2 March 1987 |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103134624/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/s/ars-52/1986.pdf |archive-date=3 November 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/g/ars-53/2002.pdf |title=USS Grapple Command History 2002 |date=25 September 2003 |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103141453/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/g/ars-53/2002.pdf |archive-date=3 November 2012}}{{cite web |url=https://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4625&tid=150&ct=4 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140130041347/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4625&tid=150&ct=4 |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 30, 2014 |title=US Navy Fact File: Rescue and Salvage Ships T-ARS |date=20 November 2018 |website=United States Navy |access-date=11 February 2019}}

Disabled or stranded ships might require various types of assistance before retraction or towing can be attempted. In her {{convert|21,000|cuft|m3}} salvage hold, Grapple carries transportable cutting and welding equipment, hydraulic and electric power sources, and de-watering gear. Grapple also has salvage and machine shops, and hull repair materials to effect temporary hull repairs on stranded or otherwise damaged ships.

Stranded vessels can be retracted from a beach or reef by the use of Grapple's towing machine and propulsion. Additional retraction force can be applied to a stranded vessel through the use of up to six legs of beach gear, consisting of {{convert|6,000|lb|kg|adj=on}} STATO anchors, wire rope, chain, and salvage buoys. In a typical configuration, two legs of beach gear are rigged on board Grapple, and up to four legs of beach are rigged to the stranded vessel.{{cite web |url=https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Portals/103/Documents/SUPSALV/Salvage%20Docs/Salvage%20Manual%20Vol%201%20S0300-A6-MAN-010.pdf |title=US Navy Salvage Manual Volume 1: Strandings and Harbor Clearance |date=31 May 2013 |website=Naval Sea Systems Command |access-date=11 February 2019}}

In addition to the standard legs of beach gear, Grapple carries 4 spring buoys. The spring buoys are carried beneath the port and starboard bridge wings. Each spring buoy weighs approximately {{convert|3100|lb}}, is {{convert|10|ft}} long and {{convert|6|ft}} in diameter, provides a net buoyancy of 7½ tons, and can withstand 125 tons of pull-through force. The spring buoys are used with beach gear legs rigged from a stranded vessel when deep water is found seaward of the stranded vessel.

Grapple's propulsion machinery provides a bollard pull (towing force at zero speed and full power) of 68 tons.{{cite web |url=https://www.procurement.msc.navy.mil/procurement/AttachmentViewer?sectionType=CommonDocumentSection&id=20000071&fileId=60004154 |title=US Navy Towing Manual |date=1 July 2002 |website=Military Sealift Command |access-date=19 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070721023908/http://www.procurement.msc.navy.mil/procurement/AttachmentViewer?sectionType=CommonDocumentSection&id=20000071&fileId=60004154 |archive-date=21 July 2007 }}{{cite thesis |last=Southworth |first=George T. |date=June 2008 |title=Systems Architecting Approach to Towing and Salvage Ship Recapitalization |type=MSc |publisher=University of Florida |url=http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA483590 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150611095948/http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA483590 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 11, 2015 |access-date=11 February 2019}}

The centerpiece of Grapple's towing capability is an Almon A. Johnson Series 322 double-drum automatic towing machine. Each drum carries {{convert|3000|ft}} of {{convert|2.25|in|mm|adj=mid|-diameter}} drawn galvanized, 6×37 right-hand lay, wire-rope towing hawsers, with closed zinc-poured sockets on the bitter end. The towing machine uses a system to automatically pay in and pay out the towing howser to maintain a constant strain.

The automatic towing machine also includes a Series 400 traction winch that can be used with synthetic line towing hawsers up to 14 inches in circumference. The traction winch has automatic payout but only manual recovery.

The Grapple's caprail is curved to fairlead and prevent chafing of the towing hawser. It includes two vertical stern rollers to tend the towing hawser directly aft and two Norman pin rollers to prevent the towing hawser from sweeping forward of the beam at the point of tow. The stern rollers and Norman pins are raised hydraulically and can withstand a lateral force of {{convert|50000|lb}} at mid barrel.

Two tow bows provide a safe working area on the fantail during towing operations.

File:USS Grapple tows USS Inflict USS Fearless and USS Illusive.jpg

{{USS|Inflict|MSO-456}}, {{USS|Fearless|MSO-442|3}} and {{USS|Illusive|MSO-448|3}} were towed to the Gulf of Oman by USS Grapple (ARS-53), which departed Little Creek, Virginia on 6 September 1987. They traveled via the Suez Canal and arrived in the Gulf of Oman on 2 November 1987. At the time, the {{convert|9000|nmi|km|adj=on}} trip was the longest distance three ships were towed by one.{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/g/ars-53/1987.pdf |title=USS Grapple Command History 1987 |date=26 April 1988 |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022233504/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/g/ars-53/1987.pdf |archive-date=22 October 2012}}

Grapple has several diving systems to support different types of operations. Divers descend to diving depth on a diving stage that is lowered by one of two powered davits.

The diving locker is equipped with a double-lock hyperbaric chamber for recompression after deep dives or for the treatment of divers suffering from decompression sickness.{{cite web |url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/s/ars-52/2003.pdf |title=USS Salvor Command History 2003 |date=11 February 2004 |website=Naval History and Heritage Command |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103140514/http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/s/ars-52/2003.pdf |archive-date=3 November 2012}}

The MK21 MOD1 diving system supports crewed diving to depths of {{convert|190|ft}} on surface-supplied air. A fly-away mixed gas system can be used to enable the support of diving to a maximum depth of {{convert|300|ft}}.

The MK20 MOD0 diving system allows-surface supplied diving to a depth of {{convert|60|ft}} with lighter equipment.

Grapple carries SCUBA equipment for dives that require greater mobility than is possible in tethered diving.

In addition to her two main ground tackle anchors ({{convert|6000|lb|kg|adj=on}} Navy standard stockless or {{convert|8000|lb|kg|adj=on}} balanced-fluke anchors) Grapple can use equipment associated with her beach gear to lay a multi-point open water moor to station herself for diving and ROV operations.

A typical four-point-moor consists of an X pattern with four Stato Anchors at the outside corners and Grapple at the center, made fast to a spring buoy for the close end of each mooring leg with synthetic mooring lines. Using her capstans, Grapple can shorten or lengthen the mooring line for each leg and change her position within the moor.{{cite web |url=http://safetycenter.navy.mil/afloat/articles/diving/Mooring.htm |title=A Four-Point Moor is Taxing and Challenging |first=Lee |last=Shannon |date=4 April 2007 |website=Naval Safety Center |access-date=19 July 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827072632/http://safetycenter.navy.mil/afloat/articles/diving/Mooring.htm |archive-date=27 August 2009 }}

Grapple has a 7.5-ton-capacity boom on her forward kingpost and a 40-ton-capacity boom on her aft kingpost.{{cite web |url=http://www.supsalv.org/00c2_ars50.asp |title=T-ARS 50 Safeguard Class Salvage Vessel |date=20 January 2012 |website=Supervisor of Salvage and Diving |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223165926/http://www.supsalv.org/00c2_ars50.asp |archive-date=23 February 2012}}

File:Wreckage recovery twa800.PNG to a utility craft, 2 August 1996]]

Grapple has heavy lift system that consists of large bow and stern rollers, deck machinery, and tackle. The rollers serve as low-friction fairlead for the wire rope or chain used for the lift. The tackle and deck machinery provide up to 75 tons of hauling for each lift. The two bow rollers can be used together with linear hydraulic pullers to achieve a dynamic lift of 150 tons. The stern rollers can be used with the automatic towing machine to provide a dynamic lift of 150 tons. All four rollers can be used together for a dynamic lift of 300 tons or a static tidal lift of 350 tons.{{cite web |url=http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/SALVORS_HANDBOOK_1-04.pdf |title=US Navy Salvor's Handbook |date=31 December 2003 |website=Supervisor of Salvage and Diving |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230401/http://www.supsalv.org/pdf/SALVORS_HANDBOOK_1-04.pdf |archive-date=3 March 2016}}

Grapple also has two auxiliary bow rollers, which can support a 75-ton lift when used together.

Grapple has three manually operated fire monitors, one on the forward signal bridge, one on the aft signal bridge, and one on the forecastle, that can deliver up to 1,000 gallons per minute of seawater or aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) When originally built, Grapple had a fourth remotely controlled fire monitor mounted on her forward kingpost, but this was later removed. Grapple has a 3,600 gallon foam tank.

In addition to the equipment carried by Grapple, the US Navy Supervisor of Salvage maintains a stock of additional emergency fly-away salvage equipment that can be deployed aboard the salvage ships to support a wide variety of rescue and salvage operations.{{cite web |url=http://www.supsalv.org/essm/ |title=Emergency Ship Salvage Material System |website=Supervisor of Salvage and Diving |access-date=11 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001213/http://www.supsalv.org/essm/ |archive-date=4 March 2016}}{{cite web |url=http://everyspec.com/USN/NAVSEA/download.php?spec=S0300-BV-CAT-010.00000174.pdf |title=Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) Catalog: Salvage Equipment Volume 1 (S0300-BV-CAT-010) |date=1 April 1999 |website=Everyspec.com |access-date=11 February 2019}}

In 2000, Grapple won the Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award for the Atlantic Fleet.

In September 1988, LST-1190 USS Boulder ran aground on a shoal in a Norwegian fjord during Exercise: Teamwork. The Grapple, along with two Norwegian tugs, removed Boulder from the shoal.{{cite web |url=https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/grapple-ii.html |title=USNS Grapple II |website=history.navy.mil |access-date=18 February 2019}} As of February 2019, Grapple is berthed behind Boulder and three Charleston-class vessels.

The Grapple also helped to recover an F-16C which had crashed in the Adriatic Sea in 2013, killing its pilot.{{cite web |title=SPATIAL DISORIENTION CAUSES F-16 CRASH, PILOT DEATH |url=https://www.torch.aetc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/567542/spatial-disoriention-causes-f-16-crash-pilot-death/ |website=AETC Torch |publisher=United States Air Force |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211017034353/https://www.torch.aetc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/567542/spatial-disoriention-causes-f-16-crash-pilot-death/ |archive-date=2021-10-17 |date=23 October 2014}}

In July 2014, Grapple was in Newfoundland's Botwood Harbor for the body recovery from a 1940s plane wreck.{{cite news |last1=McCabe |first1=Robert |title=Va.-based ship conducts salvage missions around world |url=https://www.progress-index.com/story/news/military/2015/01/13/va-based-ship-conducts-salvage/35543899007/ |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=The Progress Index |date=2015-01-13}}

In October 2012, Grapple supported research operation diving on a sea landing B-17 in WWII.

In November 1999, Grapple participated in the salvage operation of EgyptAir Flight 990.{{cite web |url=http://www.navysite.de/ars/ars53.htm |title=USNS Grapple (T-ARS 53) |website=navysite.de |access-date=11 February 2019}}

In September 1998, Grapple helped in the recovery of Swissair Flight 111.{{cite web |url=http://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/1998/a98h0003/01report/01factual/rep1_12_01.asp |title=Aviation Investigation Report A98H0003 |date=27 July 2012 |website=Transportation Safety Board of Canada |access-date=11 February 2019}}

In January 2010, Grapple assisted in the search and recovery of aircraft fuselage pieces and "black-box" flight recorders following the crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 409."[https://web.archive.org/web/20100131082718/http://www.c6f.navy.mil/article20center.html US salvage ship to aid in Ethiopian Airlines aircraft recovery efforts]". United States Navy. Archived from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20100131082718/http://www.c6f.navy.mil/article20center.html original] on 31 January 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

Grapple was placed in "Out of Service, in Reserve" status on October 1, 2016,{{cite web |url=http://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_ARS_53_58.HTML |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170204015504/http://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_ARS_53_58.HTML |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 4, 2017 |title=Grapple (ARS 53) |website=Naval Vessel Register |access-date=11 February 2019}} and is stored at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

File:Uss_grapple_T-ARS-53.jpg|USS Grapple - Calvi (Corsica - October 2012)

File:USS Grapple Calvi Citadelle.jpg|USS Grapple - Calvi (Corsica - October 2012)

File:USS Grapple.jpg|The former USS Grapple sits in mothballs at the Philadelphia Navy Yard - February 16, 2019.

{{reflist}}

• {{Naval Vessel Register}}
• This article contains information from a United States Navy web site which is in the public domain.

{{Commons category}}

• {{cite web |url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=178&type=RescueSalvageShip |title=USNS Grapple (T-ARS 53) |website=Military Sealift Command |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205023604/http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=178&type=RescueSalvageShip |archive-date=5 February 2012}}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20161023111550/https://www.history.navy.mil/research/archives/command-operations-reports/ships/g/grapple-ars-53-ii.html NHC - USS Grapple ship's histories]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/g/grapple-ii.html DANFS - Grapple II] (it also has Grasp ARS-51 material mixed into it making it misleading)
• {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=ARS53|title=NVR - ARS-53}}
• {{hlist|USNS Grapple (T-ARS-53) command histories – Naval History & Heritage Command
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1986.pdf 1986]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1987.pdf 1987]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1988.pdf 1988]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1989.pdf 1989]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1990.pdf 1990]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1991.pdf 1991]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1992.pdf 1992]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1993.pdf 1993]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1994.pdf 1994]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1995.pdf 1995]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1996.pdf 1996]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1997.pdf 1997]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1998.pdf 1998]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/1999.pdf 1999]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/2001.pdf 2001]
• [https://www.history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/archives/command-operation-reports/ship-command-operation-reports/g/grapple-ars-53-ii/pdf/2002.pdf 2002]

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{{Safeguard class salvage ship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Grapple (Ars-53)}}

Category:Safeguard-class salvage ships

Category:1984 ships

Category:Ships built by Peterson Builders