{{short description|Type of ship that supplies and supports submarines}} [[Image:USS Salt Lake City (SSN-716) and USS Frank Cable (AS-40) at Apra Harbor, Guam, on 23 May 2002 (6640652).jpg|thumb|right|300px|{{USS|Frank Cable}} (back of picture), one of two submarine tenders maintained by the [[United States Navy]]. The [[attack submarine]] {{USS|Salt Lake City|SSN-716}} is in the foreground.]]
A '''submarine tender''', in British English a '''submarine depot ship''', is a type of [[depot ship]] that supplies and supports [[submarine]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.msc.usff.navy.mil/Ships/Ship-Inventory/Submarine-Tenders/ | title=Submarine Tenders }}</ref>
==Development== [[File:USS Proteus USS Partick Henry HolyLoch 1961.jpeg|thumb|Transfer of a [[UGM-27 Polaris|Polaris]] [[submarine-launched ballistic missile]] between the submarine tender {{USS|Proteus|AS-19}} and the [[ballistic missile submarine]] {{USS|Patrick Henry|SSBN-599}} at [[Holy Loch]], [[Dunoon]], [[Scotland]], in 1961.]] Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally cannot carry large amounts of food, fuel, [[torpedo]]es, and other supplies, or a full array of maintenance equipment and personnel. The tender carries all these, and either meets submarines at sea to [[Underway replenishment|replenish]] them or provides these services while docked at a port near the submarines' operations zone. In some navies, the tenders were equipped with [[workshop]]s for maintenance, and as floating dormitories with relief [[crew]]s.
With the increased size and automation of modern submarines, plus in some navies the introduction of [[nuclear power]], tenders are no longer as necessary for fuel as they once were.
===Canada=== Canada's first submarine depot ship was {{ship|HMCS|Shearwater|K02|6}}.
===Chile=== The term used in the [[Chilean Navy]] is "submarine mother ship", as for example the BMS (buque madre de submarinos) ''Almirante Merino''.
===China=== China's [[Type 926 submarine support ship]] is capable of replenishing submarines and rescuing those in distress.<ref>{{cite web|title=Chinese Navy conducts naval exercise to perform submarine rescue missions|date=25 May 2021 |url=https://www.armyrecognition.com/archives/archives-naval-defense/naval-defense-2021/chinese-navy-conducts-naval-exercise-to-perform-submarine-rescue-missions}}</ref>
===France=== During the 1930s and [[World War II]], the [[French Navy]] and later the [[Free French Naval Forces]] operated the submarine tender {{ship|French submarine tender|Jules Verne|A640|2}}.
===Germany=== Unable to operate a significant number of conventional surface tenders during [[World War II]], [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]'s ''[[Kriegsmarine]]'' used [[German Type XIV submarine|Type XIV submarines]] (nicknamed ''milk cows'') for replenishment at sea.
===Japan=== Prior to and during World War II, the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] operated submarine tenders. It also operated {{ship|Japanese seaplane carrier|Nisshin||2}}, a [[seaplane tender]] designed and equipped to transport and support 12 [[midget submarine]]s in addition to [[seaplane]]s, and a number of submarines designed to transport, launch, and recover midget submarines.
===The Netherlands=== The [[Royal Netherlands Navy]] has one submarine support vessel, {{HNLMS|Mercuur|A900}}, commissioned in 1987, as a replacement of {{HNLMS|Onverschrokken|M886}}, then known as HNLMS Mercuur (A 856). Commissioned in 1956, as an ocean going Aggressive-class minesweeper, built in the US, and later used as a submarine tender.
===Russia=== The [[Russian Navy]] decommissioned all its [[Don class submarine tender|Don]] and [[Ugra class submarine tender|Ugra]]-class tenders inherited from the [[Soviet Navy]] by 2001. The last remaining ship of this class was {{INS|Amba|A54}}, initially sold to the [[Indian Navy]] in 1968 for use with their fleet of {{sclass2|Foxtrot|submarine}}s. She was reportedly [[Ship decommissioning|decommissioned]] in July 2006.{{Citation needed|date=October 2008}}
===United Kingdom=== In the [[Royal Navy]], the term used for a submarine tender is "submarine depot ship", for example {{HMS|Medway|F25|6}} and {{HMS|Maidstone|1937|6}}. '''List of Royal Navy submarine depot ships''' {{columns-list|colwidth=20em| * {{HMS|Adamant|1911}} * {{HMS|Adamant|A164}} * {{HMS|Alecto|1911}} * {{HMS|Ambrose|1914}} * {{HMS|Arrogant|1896}} * {{HMS|Bonaventure|1892}} * {{HMS|Bonaventure|F139}} * {{HMS|Cairo|1918}} * {{HMS|Cyclops|F31}} * {{HMS|Dolphin|1882}} * {{HMS|Forth|A187}} * {{HMS|Hazard|1894}} * {{HMS|Lucia}} (F27) * {{HMS|Mackay|D70|6}} * {{HMS|Maidstone|1912}} * {{HMS|Maidstone|1937}} * {{HMS|Medway|1928|6}} (F25) * {{HMS|Rosario|1898}} * {{HMS|Vulcan|1889}} * {{HMS|Whitehall}} * {{HMS|Wuchang|F30}} }}
===United States=== {{main|List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy#Submarine tenders (AS)}} In the [[United States Navy]], submarine tenders are considered [[auxiliary ship]]s, with the [[hull classification symbol]] "AS". {{As of|2017}}, the U.S. Navy maintains two submarine tenders, {{USS|Emory S. Land|AS-39}} and {{USS|Frank Cable|AS-40}}.
==See also== * [[Submarine rescue ship]] – similar ship meant for rescue and salvage of submarines
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{commons category-inline|Submarine tenders}}
{{Warship types of the 19th & 20th centuries}}
[[Category:Ship types]] [[Category:Submarine tenders| ]]