The rugged construction of this steel-hulled vessel, combined with her speed and endurance, make Safeguard well-suited for rescue and salvage operations throughout the world.

She is designed to perform combat salvage, lifting, towing, off-ship firefighting, manned diving operations, and emergency repairs to stranded or disabled vessels.

In her 21,000 cubic feet (590 m3) salvage hold, Safeguard carries transportable cutting and welding equipment, hydraulic and electric power sources, and de-watering gear.

Additional retraction force can be applied to a stranded vessel through the use of up to six legs of beach gear, consisting of 6,000-pound (2,700 kg) STATO anchors, wire rope, chain, and salvage buoys.

Each drum carries 3,000 feet (910 m) of 2+1⁄4-inch-diameter (57 mm), drawn galvanized, 6×37 right-hand lay, wire-rope towing hawsers, with closed zinc-poured sockets on the bitter end.

The stern rollers and Norman pins are raised hydraulically and can withstand a lateral force of 50,000 pounds (23,000 kg) at mid barrel.

[9][10][12] Safeguard has heavy lift system that consists of large bow and stern rollers, deck machinery, and tackle.

[10] Safeguard has three manually operated fire monitors, one on the forward signal bridge, one on the aft signal bridge, and one on the forecastle, that can deliver up to 1,000 gallons per minute of seawater or aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)[10] When originally built, Safeguard had a fourth remotely controlled fire monitor mounted on her forward kingpost,[4] but this was later removed.

[14][15] In September 1989, divers from Safeguard surveyed the wreck of the Imperial Japanese Navy submarine Ro-65, which sank in the harbor at Kiska in the Aleutian Islands in November 1942 during World War II.

[17][18] Divers from the ship helped clear the port at Hachinohe, Aomori to facilitate the delivery of relief supplies via the city.

[20][21] Safeguard was placed in "Out of Service, in Reserve" on 1 October 2016[1] and is stored in the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.