SERVICE: Navy
DESCRIPTION: Submarine Tenders furnish maintenance and logistic support for nuclear attack submarines.
BACKGROUND:
Along with destroyer tenders, submarine tenders are the largest of the active auxiliaries. Their crews are mainly technicians and repairmen. The Emory S. Land and L.Y. Spear classes were designed and fitted to accommodate attack submarines, and can service four submarines moored alongside simultaneously. USS Proteus was commissioned as a diesel sub tender in 1944 and overhauled and reconfigured in 1959-60 to service ballistic missile subs. In 1981, she became an attack submarine tender. The Hunley and Simon Lake classes are configured especially to service ballistic missile submarines. USS Hunley has been converted to service attack submarines.
