Constructed by VT Halter Marine in Pascagoula, Miss.,
T-AGM 25 and its Cobra Judy Replacement (CJR) radar system will be the
replacement for USNS Observation Island., which was launched in 1953.
CJR will provide worldwide, high-quality, dual-band radar data in support
of ballistic missile treaty verification.
The crew consists of civilian mariners that operate the ship and
an Air Force operations and maintenance crew to operate the mission
radars.
"The crew demonstrated their professionalism and dedication
throughout many weeks of hard work to ensure the successful completion
of the final contract trials, as assessed by INSURV," said Capt.
Roderick Wester, CJR major program manager, Program Executive Office
for Integrated Warfare Systems (PEO IWS). "Captain Patrick Christian,
the ship's master, thoroughly prepared his crew and ensured the highest
level of material readiness for Howard O. Lorenzen."
CJR is a PEO IWS program. Design and construction of T-AGM 25 was
managed by PEO Ships. The Navy will transfer the vessel to the U.S.
Air Force for operations and maintenance once the ship reaches initial
operational capability in 2014.
PEO IWS, an affiliated program executive office of the Naval Sea
Systems Command, manages surface ship and submarine combat technologies
and systems and coordinates Navy enterprise solutions across ship
platforms.
