Cruise Speed (5,000 HP) 18 kn (21 mph) The Pathfinder-class survey ships are owned by the United States Navy and operated by Military Sealift Command for the Naval Oceanographic Office ("NAVOCEANO").

[1][2] The Pathfinder-class survey ships have three multipurpose cranes and five winches plus a variety of oceanographic equipment including multi-beam echo-sounders, towed sonars and expendable sensors.

HSLs carry SIMRAD high-frequency active hull-mounted and side scan sonars.

USNS Marie Tharp, the most recent addition to the survey ship fleet, is equipped with an 18-by-18-foot (5.5 by 5.5 m) moon pool for deploying and retrieving a variety of mission systems, including autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV).

[3] On November 19, 2018, the Navy awarded a contract for advanced work for an eighth Pathfinder-class ship.