USNS Apache ( T - ATF - 172 ) USNS " Apache " ( T - ATF - 172 ) , fifth United States Navy ship of the name , is the last of the " Powhatan " class of fleet ocean tugs . " Apache " was delivered to the U . S . Navy in 1981 . She is operated by Military Sealift Command and crewed by 18 civil service mariners ( CIVMARS ) . She is designed to provide the Navy with towing service , and when augmented by Navy divers , assist in the recovery of downed aircraft and ships . There are quarters on board for up to 22 additional personnel . Background . Fleet ocean tugs are used to tow ships , barges and targets for gunnery exercises . They are also used as platforms for salvage and diving work , as participants in naval exercises , to conduct search and rescue missions , to aid in the clean up of oil spills and ocean accidents , and to provide fire fighting assistance . Features . " Apache " is equipped with a 10 ton capacity crane and a bollard pull of at least 87 tons . A deck grid is fitted aft which contains bolt receptacles spaced apart . This allows for the bolting down of a wide variety of portable equipment . The large back deck is also painted for helicopter operations to allow for vertical replenishment at sea . There are two GPH diesel off - ship fire pumps supplying three fire monitors with up to 2 , 200 gallons of foam per minute . A deep module can be embarked to support naval salvage teams . Propulsion . " Apache " has twin GM EMD 20 - 645F7B diesel engines providing a total of 7 , 200 shaft horsepower capable of hauling large tows at speeds up to and exceeding , and light boat at . The shafts are connected to controllable pitch propellers ( CPP ) . The engines can be operated from one of three stations on the bridge , at the engine operating station , and from an aft control station looking astern . Usually controlled from the bridge by deck officers , they allow control of the engines ' RPMs and propeller pitch independently . Together with twin rudders and a bow thruster , the ship is highly maneuverable at slow speeds with extremely quick engine response . Towing equipment . The vessel can employ one of two winches for towing operations . The main towing winch for large , long distance tows is a single drum , closed - loop SMATCO electro - hydraulic drive winch , with a mechanically , pneumatically , or hydraulically actuated band brake and an air - actuated dog brake which are capable of holding 500 , 000 lbf of tension . The winch has of 2¼ inch IWRC 6×37 wire rope with a poured end fitting and a breaking strain of 424 , 000 lbf ( 1 . 89 MN ) . The cable weighs approximately 8 . 5 lb per foot ( 12 . 6 kg / m ) , making the weight of the wire approximately 21 , 500 lb ( 10 . 75 short tons ) excluding the weight of any chain bridle used on the vessel being towed . The second winch is a traction machine capable of handling up to synthetic hawser s used for smaller , shorter distance tows . The traction machine is capable of line pulls of up to . The stern employs a tow - pin box capable of capturing either the wire or synthetic towing lines , as well as Norman pins at the quarters . Service history . " Apache " began service with the Military Sealift Command in 1981 in the Atlantic . Among her early assignments was a mission in September 1982 towing the battleship USS " Iowa " ( BB - 61 ) from the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard at Philadelphia , Pennsylvania to Westwego , Louisiana , where " Iowa " began modernization work preparatory to her return to active service .