USS Defender (MCM-2)

USS Defender (MCM-2) is an Avenger-class mine countermeasures ship in the service of the United States Navy.

Construction and commissioning
It was laid down on 1 December 1983 at Marinette Marine Corp., Marinette, Wisconsin; launched on 4 April 1987; and commissioned on 30 September 1989. As of 1 July 2009, she is active in, Mine Countermeasures Squadron Seven, U.S. Pacific Fleet, permanently forward deployed to Sasebo, Japan.

Systems
Auxiliary systems: three Waukesha ship service diesel generator sets, one solar gas turbine generator, one omnithruster bow thruster system.

Electronic systems: one AN/SSN-2 Precise Integrated Navigation System (PINS), one AN/SQQ-32 Mine Hunting Sonar, one AN/SPS-55 Surface Radar, one AN/WSN-7 Gyro compass, Mine Countermeasure Equipment Suite, one AN/SLQ-48 (V) Mine Neutralization System, one AN/SQL-37 (V) 3 Magnetic/Acoustic Influence Minesweeping Gear, Oropesa type 0 size 1 Mechanical Sweep Equipment, MDG 1701 Marconi Magnetometer Degaussing System.

Operations
For a review of current year-to-year operations of USS Defender), including operations after Hurricane Katrina, see:
 * Index for Histories/Command Operations Reports submitted by Defender (MCM 2)
 * Mine Warfare Ships Support Hurricane Katrina Recovery, Relief Efforts
 * Defender Clears Way for Shipping off Gulf Coast (2005)