USNS Tenacious (T-AGOS-17)

HMNZS ''Resolution'' (A14) was a hydrographic ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Originally the United States Naval Ship USNS ''Tenacious'' (T-AGOS-17), the ''Stalwart''-class ocean surveillance ship was used by the United States to locate and track Soviet submarines from 1989 to 1997, when she was transferred to the RNZN for use as a hydrographic survey ship. She served until 27 April 2012. She was subsequently sold to EGS Group, a private surveying company, and renamed RV ''Geo Resolution''.

Construction

The ship's construction contract was awarded 20 February 1987 to VT Halter Marine, Inc. of Moss Point, Mississippi, under then name ''Intrepid''. Her keel was laid down 26 February 1988, she was launched 17 February 1989 and commissioned as USNS ''Tenacious'' on 29 September 1989. The renaming was prompted by protests from veterans of the ''Essex''-class aircraft carrier , who felt that the surveillance ship was not a fitting vessel to carry on the carrier's name.

Operational history

United States

During the Cold War, Ocean Surveillance Ships patrolled the world's oceans searching for Soviet Navy submarines. Data was collected using the Surveillance Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS), consisting of listening devices and electronic equipment that transmit the acoustic data via satellite to shore for analysis. SURTASS is a linear array of deployed on a tow cable and neutrally buoyant. The array could operate at depths between .

''Tenacious'' was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and sold to New Zealand on 6 February 1997.

New Zealand

On commissioning into the RNZN on 13 February 1997, the ship was renamed HMNZS ''Resolution'', after the sailing sloop , used by James Cook during his second and third voyages of exploration, in recognition of the extensive hydrographic survey work done by Cook. ''Resolution'' replaced HMNZ Ships and as the navy's primary survey and acoustic research vessel. She undertook various marine survey tasks, including for the Land Information New Zealand agency. SMB ''Adventure'' was operated by ''Resolution'' as a tender and survey motor boat.

''Resolution'' sponsored a scholarship for under-privileged high school students to participate in a 10-day passage on the sail training ship ''Spirit of New Zealand''. On occasion, university and high school students were embarked aboard ''Resolution'' as part of the 'Students at Sea' programme.

On 22 February 2011, ''Resolution'' was underway off Christchurch when the 2011 Canterbury earthquake occurred. NZ Navy Today said later : '..the feeling onboard was that the engines had been set in full astern with associated shuddering and shaking. It was only when a dust cloud over Christchurch was observed and chatter on VHF soon alerted the bridge team of the enormity of the disaster. With Captain Dean McDougall (CTU 654.0.1, Captain Fleet Operational Support) in an established headquarters on HMNZS Canterbury in Lyttelton, ''Resolution'' reported for duty and was subsequently called in to conduct a hydrographic confidence survey of the main channel into the Port of Lyttelton.S/Lt Dave Jaquiery, 'End of an Era,' Navy Today, April–May 2012, 12.

''Resolution'' was decommissioned at Devonport Naval Base on 27 April 2012. She was subsequently sold to EGS Group, a private surveying company, and renamed RV ''Geo Resolution''. Following the sale she left Devonport Naval Base for the final time on 11 October 2014.

See also

*Survey ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy

References

External links

*

NavSource

Resolution For Sale
– Auckland Shipbrokers webpage advertising the sale of the ship

{{DEFAULTSORT:Resolution (A14)
Tenacious
Ships built in Moss Point, Mississippi
1989 ships
Research vessels of New Zealand
Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ships of the Royal New Zealand Navy