Talk:USNS Relentless

Latest comment: 8 years ago by Thewolfchild in topic in need of updating...?

in need of updating...? edit

This page states that this ship is currently stricken from the naval register and is now with NOAA as a research vessel outfitted for studying fisheries, as the "NOAAS Gordon Gunter (R 336)" However, this article in Jane's states that in the summer of 2015, this ship was being used by the US Navy for missile tests, as "USNS Relentless (T-AGOS-18)". Other articles further state "Relentless" was also used by the navy for testing the previous year (2014) for defense against attacks by swarming small boats. I tried checking the registry (nvr.navy.mil), but it appears to be offline, and has been so for several days at least. FYI - theWOLFchild 12:05, 24 October 2015 (UTC)Reply

NOAA has not changed their page for NOAAS Gordon Gunter and here is the web archive link from NVR since NVR seems dead today that shows the transfer. https://www.facebook.com/NOAAShipGordonGunter NOAA's Gordon Gunter FB page shows photos from June 2015 of a whale research mission, no mention of missile firings. The Navy Story says Relentless, but not T-AGOS-18, so I don't know. Defense update has a link to LM video of a test from late 2014, near Eglin AFB, FL, with the hellfires being launched from a much smaller boat with an Air Force logo. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zry-DDwggg shows the June 2015 test video, but doesn't show much of the test ship. The fan tail and mast shown don't look much like a T-AGOS class ship, but it's hard to say. Maybe the Navy has a smaller boat they named Relentless and used that for these tests? --Dual Freq (talk) 12:38, 24 October 2015 (UTC)Reply

OK, I found it, I think it refers to Offshore Supply Vessel Relentless, built in 2001, Master Boat Builders, Alabama IMO 8967553. The mast and fantail appear to match the June 2015 video as well. It appears to be a ship chartered by the Navy and owned by P & R WATER TAXI LLC and before that ABDON CALLAIS OFFSHORE LLC. I guess Janes was wrong about the T-AGOS part. --Dual Freq (talk) 13:09, 24 October 2015 (UTC)Reply

http://www.procurement.msc.navy.mil/docs/MSC-SummaryofCharters.xlsx has an MSC charter for Special Mission Ship HRG Relentless, chartered by Hawaii Resource Group for $3,236 / day. Searching google with terms P & R water taxi Hawaii Resource Group seems to indicate that "P&R Water Taxi, a company of the Hawaii Resource Group". So it seems fairly certain that the test ship Relentless mentioned as a hellfire test ship is IMO 8967553 / OSV Relentless owned by P&R Water Taxi. --Dual Freq (talk) 13:30, 24 October 2015 (UTC)Reply

@Dual Freq: - Wow! Thanks for doing all that digging around. I think you may have cleared this up. (and found a rare error in Jane's >gasp!< ) Now, go check your fridge... Cheers! - theWOLFchild 06:16, 25 October 2015 (UTC)Reply