WASHINGTON (USTCNS) --- On Aug. 16, the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command awarded a three-year contract for more than $108 million to Maersk Line, Limited of Norfolk, Va., to operate and maintain 14 MSC-owned Auxiliary General Ocean Surveillance or T-AGOS class ships.

The fourteen ships support four Department of Defense programs: the Navy's Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) operations; Navy, Atlantic Fleet and U.S. Coast Guard counter drug initiatives; and the Air Force Electronic Systems Command's radar missile tracking system.

MSC is responsible for providing personnel to operate and maintain the T-AGOS ships as well as monitor the ships' day to day activities in support of the four programs.

MSC also ensures that the ships meet their mission requirements and adapt the ship equipment to meet new missions. The customer as well as MSC provides mission specific personnel to their radar and tracking systems.

Eight T-AGOS ships support SURTASS operations. SURTASS ships collect acoustic data using an array of hydrophones -- underwater listening devices -- deployed on a tow cable. Acoustic data is gathered by civilian technicians and passed via satellite to fleet commanders to support anti-submarine warfare.

Military personnel embark when the ships support tactical units directly -- to analyze and relay information to commanders
instantaneously and advice surface ships of the presence of submarines.

USNS Stalwart, USNS Indomitable and USNS Capable support the CINCLANFLT counter drug initiatives. These ships detect and monitor drug trafficking activities in the Caribbean and northern Pacific.

USNS Vindicator and USNS Persistent support Coast Guard counter drug initiatives. Both Vindicator and Persistent have Coast Guard law enforcement detachments on board meaning these two T-AGOS ships not only monitor and detect illegal drug trafficking, but they can conduct law enforcement operations.

The ships also carry 38 -foot deployable pursuit boats. The highly-maneuverable DPBs can reach speeds of more than 55 miles per hour.

USNS Invincible supports the Air Force Electronic Systems Command by deploying a mobile surveillance and tracking radar system that can monitor U.S. or foreign space missiles or weapons testing.

Military Sealift Command, the ocean transportation provider for the Department of Defense, operates about 110 noncombatant Navy ships.

MSC ship missions vary from the transport and afloat prepositioning of defense cargo; to underway replenishment and other direct support to Navy ships at sea; to at-sea data collection for the U.S. military and other U.S. government agencies. (FROM MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).