USNS Able (T-AGOS 20)

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USNS ABLE is the second of the four VICTORIOUS - class Ocean Surveillance Ships and the first ship in the Navy to bear the name. The four ships in the class are designed to operate SURTASS (Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System) which is used for long-range detection of submarines. SURTASS provides passive detection of quiet nuclear and diesel submarines and real-time reporting of surveillance information to theater commanders.

Deactivated in August 2004, the ABLE was subsequently laid up at Philadelphia, Penn., until reactivated again in 2007. The ABLE then underwent a conversion at the Detyens Shipyard at Charleston, SC., during which she received the SURTASS LFA (Low Frequency Active Sonar). The conversion was finished in early 2008 making her the only ship in her class equipped with the SURTASS LFA. The LFA system is used when a target is too quiet to be detected by the passive (SURTASS) system alone.

General Characteristics:	Awarded: October 7, 1988
	Keel laid: May 23, 1989
	Launched: February 16, 1991
	Delivered: July 22, 1992
	Deactivated: August 2004
	Reactivated: March 17, 2007
	Builder: McDermott Shipyards, Morgan City, La.
	Propulsion system: diesel-electric, two shafts
	Propellers: two
	Length: 235 feet (71.6 meters)
	Beam: 94 feet (28.6 meters)
	Draft: 25 feet (7.6 meters)
	Displacement: approx. 3,384 tons full load
	Speed: 9.6 knots
	Aircraft: none
	Armament: none
	Crew: 19 civilian mariners, 5 military
	Homeport: Pacific

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Crew List:

This section contains the names of sailors who served aboard USNS ABLE. It is no official listing but contains the names of sailors who submitted their information.

Click here to view the list.

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Click here to see which USNS ABLE memorabilia are currently for sale on ebay.

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USNS ABLE Image Gallery:

McDermott Shipyards Photo

The photos below were taken by me and show the ABLE at Naval Base San Diego, Calif., on March 10, 2008, shortly after the transit from her conversion shipyard in Charleston, SC.

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