[2] The ships will be SWATH catamarans, and carry SURTASS towed array sonar for anti-submarine warfare,[1] as well as collecting acoustic data for the IUSS submarine detection system.

[2] On 18 May 2023, the navy awarded US$3.2 billion to the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama to construct seven Explorer-class vessels.

On May 30, 2024, the Navy awarded an additional $516 million to account for cost growth on the procurement of the first ship.

[1] On 10 January 2025, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro named the first two ships the USNS Don Walsh (T-AGOS 25) and the USNS Victor Vescovo (T-AGOS 26) after undersea explorers Don Walsh and Victor Vescovo, both whom dove to the deepest known point on Earth's seabed, Challenger Deep.

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