A tracking ship, also called a missile range instrumentation ships or range ships, is a ship equipped with antennas and electronics to support the launching and tracking of missiles and rockets. Since many missile ranges launch over ocean areas for safety reasons, the range ship extend the range of shore based tracking facilities.
In the United States the initial tracking ships were constructed by the US Army and then US Air Force to support their missile programs. They were generally built on a surplus Liberty ship or Victory ship hull. By 1964 the US Navy took over all the range ships and introduced more.
The Chinese ships were purpose built vessels for their role in the navy and the space program.
Yuanwang classYuanwang 1, 1977 – presentYuanwang 2, 1978 – presentYuanwang 3, 1995 – presentYuanwang 4, 1999 – 2010Yuanwang 5, 2007 – presentYuanwang 6, 2007 – presentThe Poincaré was a converted tanker, but the Monge was a purpose built ship.
Inactive
Henri Poincaré, 1964–1990? — ex-Italian oil tankerActive
Monge, 1992–present — purpose-builtThe Soviet and later Russian ships were purpose built vessels for their role.
Kosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, 1966–1989 (scrapped)Akademik Sergei Korolev, 1970–1996 (scrapped)Kosmonavt Yuri Gagarin, 1971–1996 (scrapped)Kosmonaut Viktor Potsaev, 1968–2001 (museum attraction)Kosmonaut Georgy Dobrovolsky, 1978–2006 (scrapped)SSV-33 Ural, 1989–2001 (laid up, scrapping in progress)Marshal Nedelin, 1984–1996 (scrapped)Marshal Krylov, 1990There are currently only two active Instrumentation Ships in the US Navy inventory: USNS Invincible (T-AGM-24) and USNS Howard O. Lorenzen (T-AGM-25). The latter was delivered in January 2012 to replace USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23) in 2014. Most of the USN and USAF tracking ships were converted into their role. Some ships were in service with NASA.
USNS Range Tracker (T-AGM-1), 1961–1969 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS Range Recoverer (T-AGM-2), 1960–1972 - built for US ArmyUSNS Longview (T-AGM-3), 1959–19? - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS Richfield (T-AGM-4), 1960–1968 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS Sunnyvale (T-AGM-5), 1960–1974 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS Watertown (T-AGM-6), 1960–1972 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS Huntsville (T-AGM-7), 1960–1974 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS Wheeling (T-AGM-8), 1962–1990 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS General H. H. Arnold (T-AGM-9), 1961–1982 - built as C4 class troop shipUSNS General Hoyt S. Vandenberg (T-AGM-10), 1963–1983 - built as C4 class troop shipUSNS Twin Falls (T-AGM-11), 1964–1972 - built as Victory ship (transport/freighter)USNS American Mariner (T-AGM-12), 1959–1966 - built as Liberty ship (transport/freighter), US Coast Guard training shipUSNS Sword Knot (T-AGM-13), 1950s–1982 - purpose built ship C1-M ship for US Air ForceUSNS Rose Knot (T-AGM-14), 1950s–1969 - purpose built C1-M ship for US Air ForceUSNS Coastal Sentry (T-AGM-15), late 1950s–1972 - USN C1-M cargo shipUSNS Coastal Crusader (T-AGM-16), late 1950s–1976 - USN C1-M cargo shipUSNS Timber Hitch (T-AGM-17), 1964–1969 - purpose built C1-M ship for US Air ForceUSNS Sampan Hitch (T-AGM-18), 1964–1973 - purpose built C1-M ship for US Air ForceUSNS Vanguard (T-AGM-19), 1964–1999 - built as Type T2-SE-A2 tanker/supplies shipUSNS Redstone (T-AGM-20), 1964–? - built as Type T2-SE-A2 tanker/supplies shipUSNS Mercury (T‑AGM‑21), 1964–1974? - built as Type T2-SE-A2 tanker/supplies shipUSNS Range Sentinel (T-AGM-22), 1969–1974 - USN Haskell-class attack transport (Victory ship variation) Sherburne (APA-205)USNS Observation Island (T-AGM-23), 1977–2014 - built as "Mariner" class merchant shipUSNS Waters (T-AGS-45), 1991–presentUSNS Invincible (T-AGM-24), 2000–present - built as research shipUSNS Howard O. Lorenzen (T-AGM-25), 2012-present - purpose built to replace Observation Island.Pathfinder-class survey ships (T-AGS 60-66)
