tracking ship

{{Short description|Class of ships used for tracking missiles and satellites}}

Image:USNS Range Sentinel T-AGM-22 DNSC8510327.jpg]]

A tracking ship, also called a missile range instrumentation ship or range ship, is a ship equipped with antennas and electronics to support the launching and tracking of missiles and rockets. Since many missile ranges launch over ocean areas for safety reasons, range ships are used to extend the range of shore-based tracking facilities.

In the United States, the initial tracking ships were constructed by the U.S. Army and then the U.S. Air Force to support their missile programs. They were generally built on a surplus Liberty ship or Victory ship hull. By 1964, the U.S. Navy took over all the range ships and introduced more.

In some Navies, such a ship is also given the Type Designation "Vigilship" or "Veladora", with the Designation Letter "V" or Letters "VC".{{cite web|title=INS Dhruv: India’s Secret Missile Tracking Ship |first=Sheershoo |last=Deb |date=April 2, 2021 |url=https://www.defencexp.com/ins-dhruv-indias-secret-missile-tracking-ship/ |website=defencexp.com|access-date=May 4, 2025}}

Missile range instrumentation ships

=Chinese PLA Strategic Support Force=

File:YuanWang2c.JPG

The Chinese ships were purpose built vessels for their role in the navy and the space program.

Yuanwang class
Yuanwang 1, 1977 – present
Yuanwang 2, 1978 – present
Yuanwang 3, 1995 – present
Yuanwang 4, 1999 – 2010
Yuanwang 5, 2007 – present
Yuanwang 6, 2007 – present

=French Navy=

Image:FS Monge.jpg

The Poincaré was a converted tanker, but the Monge was a purpose-built ship.

Inactive

Henri Poincaré, 1964–1992{{cite web|title=A603 Henri Poincaré |url=https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/fs-poincare.htm |website=globalsecurity.org|access-date=May 4, 2025}} — ex-Italian oil tanker

Active

Monge, 1992–present{{cite news|title=French Navy’s Monge Missile Range Instrumentation Ship back at sea

|url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/02/french-navys-monge-missile-range-instrumentation-ship-back-at-sea/ |date=July 2, 2019 |website=navalnews.com|access-date=May 4, 2025}}— purpose-built

=Indian Navy=

File:INS Anvesh (A41) during trials (cropped).png INS Dhruv, 2021–present
INS Anvesh - 2022–present{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf9zDKR7MW4&t=262s|title = INS Anvesh commissioning as seen in Indian Navy song| website=YouTube |date = 9 December 2022}}

=Pakistan Navy=

PNS Rizwan, 2023–present{{Cite web| title=Pakistan gets spy ship from China to track ballistic missiles |url=https://thenewsmill.com/2024/03/answer-to-ins-dhruv-pakistan-gets-spy-ship-from-china-to-track-ballistic-missiles/ |first=Vinay |last=Sadham |date= March 18, 2024 |website=thenewsmil.com |access-date=May 4, 2025}}

=Russian Navy / Soviet Navy=

File:Space control-monitoring ship "Kosmonaut Yuri Gagarin" in 1987 (2).png underway, 1987]]

The Soviet and later Russian ships were purpose built vessels for their role.

Kosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, 1966–1989 (scrapped)
Akademik Sergei Korolev, 1970–1996 (scrapped)
Kosmonavt Yuri Gagarin, 1971–1996 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Kosmonaut Viktor Patsaev|ru|3=Космонавт Виктор Пацаев (судно)}}, 1978–2001 (museum attraction)
{{Interlanguage link|Kosmonaut Georgy Dobrovolsky|ru|3=Космонавт Георгий Добровольский (судно)}}, 1978–2006 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Kosmonaut Pavel Belyaev|ru|3=Космонавт Павел Беляев (судно)}}, 1977–2000 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Kosmonaut Vladislav Volkov|ru|3=Космонавт Владислав Волков (судно)}}, 1977–2000 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Morzhovetz|ru|3=Моржовец (судно)}}, 1967–1989 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Nevel (ship)|lt=Nevel|ru|Невель (судно)}}, 1967–1989 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Borovitchi|ru|3=Боровичи (судно)}}, 1967–1989 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Kegostrov|ru|3=Кегостров (судно)}}, 1967–1989 (scrapped)
SSV-33 Ural, 1989–2001 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Marshal Nedelin|ru|3=Маршал Неделин (судно)}}, 1984–2000 (scrapped)
{{Interlanguage link|Marshal Krylov|ru|3=Маршал Крылов (судно)}}, 1990

=United States Navy/United States Air Force=

File:USNS Vanguard.jpg underway]]

Image:Dmp trinidad dock.jpg tracking ship (1958–1964) USAS American Mariner docked at Chaguaramus, Trinidad]]

File:USNS Timber Hitch 1962.jpg

There are currently only two active Instrumentation Ships in the U.S. Navy inventory: {{ship|USNS|Invincible|T-AGM-24}}{{cite web |url=http://www.msc.navy.mil/factsheet/t-agm.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021027172754/http://www.msc.navy.mil/factsheet/t-agm.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 27, 2002 |title=Military Sealift Command Fact Sheet |access-date=2008-02-10 }} and {{ship|USNS|Howard O. Lorenzen|T-AGM-25}}.{{cite web | title=Range Instrumentation Ship Photo Index | url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/53/5325.htm | access-date=2009-04-04}} The former is now in the inactive fleet. The latter was delivered in January 2012{{cite news |url=http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=64740 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309030047/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=64740 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 9, 2012 |title=Navy Accepts Delivery of USNS Howard O. Lorenzen |work=Navy.mil |date=12 January 2012 |access-date=2 February 2012 |id=No. NNS120112-16}} to replace USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) in 2014.{{cite web | title=SIU - Keel laid for future USNS Observation Island replacement (8/25) | url=http://www.seafarers.org/HeardAtHQ/2008/Q3/keel.xml | access-date=2009-04-04}} Most of the USN and USAF tracking ships were converted into their role. Some ships were in service with NASA.

==Inactive==

USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM-1), 1961–1969 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)
USNS Range Recoverer (T-AGM-2), 1960–1972 - built for US Army
USNS Longview (T-AGM-3), 1959–1976? - built as Victory ship
USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4), 1960–1968 - built as Victory ship
USNS Sunnyvale (T-AGM-5), 1960–1974 - built as Victory ship
USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6), 1960–1972 - built as Victory ship
USNS Huntsville (T-AGM-7), 1960–1974 - built as Victory ship
USNS Wheeling (T-AGM-8), 1962–1990 - built as Victory ship
USNS General H. H. Arnold (T-AGM-9), 1961–1982 - built as C4 class troop ship
USNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM-10), 1963–1983 - built as C4 class troop ship
USNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11), 1964–1972 - built as Victory ship
USNS American Mariner (T-AGM-12), 1959–1966 - built as Liberty ship (transport/freighter), US Coast Guard training ship
USNS Sword Knot (T-AGM-13), 1950s–1982 - C1-M cargo ship built for US Maritime Commission
USNS Rose Knot (T-AGM-14), 1950s–1969 - C1-M cargo ship
USNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM-15), 1950s–1972 - C1-M cargo ship
USNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16), late 1950s–1976 - C1-M cargo ship
USNS Timber Hitch (T-AGM-17), 1964–1969 - C1-M cargo ship
USNS Sampan Hitch (T-AGM-18), 1964–1973 - C1-M cargo ship
USNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19), 1964–1999 - built as Type T2-SE-A2 tanker
USNS Redstone (T-AGM-20), 1964–1993 - built as Type T2-SE-A2 tanker
USNS Mercury (T‑AGM‑21), 1964–1974? - built as Type T2-SE-A2 tanker
USNS Range Sentinel (T-AGM-22), 1969–1974 - USN {{Sclass|Haskell|attack transport}} (Victory ship variation) Sherburne (APA-205)
USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23), 1977–2014 - built as "Mariner" class merchant ship
SS Pacific Tracker, a U.S. Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Force tracking ship - built as crane ship.

==Active==

USNS Waters (T-AGS-45), 1991–present
USNS Invincible (T-AGM-24), 2000–present - built as ocean surveillance ship
USNS Howard O. Lorenzen (T-AGM-25), 2012–present - purpose built to replace Observation Island.
{{Sclass|Pathfinder|survey ship}}s (T-AGS 60–66), 1994–present