Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship

Last updated
US Navy 080718-N-1082Z-027 The Military Sealift Command dry cargo-ammunition ship USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) steams in the Atlantic Ocean as an MH-60S Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28.jpg
USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) in 2008
Class overview
Builders General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO)
OperatorsFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Built2001–2012
In service2006–present
Planned14
Completed14
Active14
Retired0
General characteristics
Type Dry cargo/Ammunition ship
Displacement45,149 tons
Length689 ft 0 in (210 m) overall
Beam106 ft 0 in (32.3 m)
Draft29.9 ft (9.12 m)
Installed power Integrated electric propulsion, two Fairbanks-Morse/MAN Diesel 8L48/60A and two 9L48/60A diesel engines; 6.6 kV HV system, generators, motors and drives by GE Power Conversion
Propulsion1 shaft, 2 Tandem propulsion electric motors, 33,000 shp, with fixed pitch propeller; 1 bow thruster
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Capacity
  • 1,388,000 cubic feet (39,300 m3) of cargo
  • Fuel cargo: 23,450 barrels
Complement
  • 124 civilian mariners
  • 11 Naval personnel
Sensors and
processing systems
  • I/J-band surface search radar
  • I-band navigational radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys		 AN/SLQ-25 Nixie torpedo countermeasures [1]
Armament
Aviation facilitiesTwo VREP/support helicopters

The Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo ship is a class of 14 underway replenishment vessels operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. The ships in the class are named after famous American explorers and pioneers.

Contents

Development

Amelia Earhart conducting underway replenishment with USS Hopper (DDG-70), November 2009 Hopper-Earhart UNREP 2009 crop.jpg
Amelia Earhart conducting underway replenishment with USS Hopper (DDG-70), November 2009

Lewis and Clark-class ships replaced the existing eighteen Mars- and Sirius-class combat store ships and the Kilauea-class ammunition ships. When operating in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler the Lewis and Clarks have replaced the Sacramento-class fast combat support ships. [2] The first of the fourteen ships, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was placed in service with the Military Sealift Command (MSC) in June 2006. The ships were built to commercial rather than military standards. This was done to minimize costs and to demonstrate the ability to competitively build ships on the civilian market. [3] Though the ships are built to commercial standards they are equipped with various features to increase survivability in a hostile environment, including degaussing, shock hardening in certain equipment, emergency power and communication systems, and increased damage control capability in areas such as firefighting and stability. [4] [5] The ships are equipped with passive defenses to protect against mines and torpedoes and have ABC (atomic, biological, and chemical) countermeasures; the ships also have space and weight reservations for additional self-defense armament. [6] The ships in the class are named after famous American explorers and pioneers. NASSCO was awarded a detailed design and construction contract in October 2001. The fourteenth ship of the class was delivered on 24 October 2012. As the class entered serial production, NASSCO has increased learning and production efficiencies to make substantial reductions in labor hours, from hull to hull. For example, T-AKE-7 was produced with fewer than 50 percent of the worker-hours it took to produce T-AKE-1, and had a 37 percent reduction in total construction time.

Mission

As part of Military Sealift Command’s (MSC) Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF), the ship's mission is to deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to carrier battle groups and other naval forces, serving as a shuttle ship or station ship. T-AKE-1 and -2 were assigned to one of the two active Maritime Prepositioning Ship squadrons, which are permanently forward deployed to the Western Pacific Ocean and Indian Ocean. While identical in configuration to T-AKE-3 to -14, their mission is to provide selective offload of cargo for resupply and sustainment of U.S. Marine Corps forces ashore. [7] In their primary mission role, the T-AKEs provide logistic lift to deliver cargo (ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts and ship store items) to U.S. and allied ships at sea. In their secondary mission, the T-AKEs may be required to operate in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class (T-AO 187) fleet replenishment oiler as a substitute station ship to provide direct logistics support to the ships within a carrier strike group.

History

On 8 February 2008, dry cargo/ammunition ship USNS Lewis and Clark, the first ship in Military Sealift Command's newest class of ships, returned to Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia, after its first deployment.

The ship successfully completed a six-month tour to the U.S. Central Command area of operations to resupply U.S. Navy ships, providing logistics support in the Persian Gulf, around the Horn of Africa, along the length of Somalia and beyond the equator. [8]

USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2) got underway for its first deployment 11 December 2008 in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of operations. [9]

USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4) entered the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet area of operations 24 July 2008, marking the arrival of the first Lewis and Clark-class combat logistics support ship in service to the 52,000,000-square-mile (130,000,000 km2) region. [10]

Ships

ShipHull. No.LaunchedIn serviceStatusNVR PageMSC Page
Lewis and Clark T-AKE-12005-05-212006-06-20In service
Sacagawea T-AKE-22006-06-242007-02-27In service
Alan Shepard T-AKE-32006-12-062007-06-26In service
Richard E. Byrd T-AKE-42007-05-152008-01-08In service
Robert E. Peary T-AKE-52007-10-272008-06-05In service
Amelia Earhart T-AKE-62008-04-062008-10-30In service
Carl Brashear T-AKE-72008-09-182009-03-04In service
Wally Schirra T-AKE-82009-03-082009-09-01In service
Matthew Perry T-AKE-92009-08-162010-02-24In service
Charles Drew T-AKE-102010-02-272010-07-14In service
Washington Chambers T-AKE-112010-09-112011-02-23In service
William McLean T-AKE-122011-04-162011-09-29In service
Medgar Evers T-AKE-132011-10-292012-04-24In service
Cesar Chavez T-AKE-142012-05-052012-10-24In service

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fast combat support ship</span> Combat logistics ship

The fast combat support ship is a type of replenishment auxiliary ship. Different from traditional logistic ships, the fast combat support ship is designed with high speed to keep up with the carrier battle group/carrier strike group, while the multi-product station is capable of supplying all types of necessities for the fleet.

USNS <i>Lewis and Clark</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1) is an American dry cargo ship, the lead ship of her namesake class. It was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on 18 October 2001 and her keel was laid down on 22 April 2004. She was launched on 21 May 2005, co-sponsored by Jane Lewis Sale Henley and Lisa Clark, descendants of the ship's namesakes. She was delivered to the Navy on 20 June 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military Sealift Command</span> United States Navy command for logistics

The Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US military services as well as for other government agencies. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's ocean transport needs. The MSTS was renamed the Military Sealift Command in 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Combat stores ship</span> Ships that provide supplies and propulsion and aviation fuel to combatant ships

Combat stores ships, or storeships, are ships used to store naval supplies. They are used to deliver supplies such as provisions and fuel to combat ships on extended deployments. The United States Navy operated the Sirius and Mars classes and the Royal Navy operated the Fort Rosalie class and continues to operate one Fort Victoria class ship, having scrapped the other. They carried or carry the fleets's refrigerated stores, dry provisions, technical spares, general stores, fleet freight, mail and replacement personnel or specialists. Storeships should not be confused with fast combat support ships which are high speed auxiliary ships or tenders which provide maintenance support to flotillas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Replenishment oiler</span> Naval auxiliary ship

A replenishment oiler or replenishment tanker is a naval auxiliary ship with fuel tanks and dry cargo holds which can supply both fuel and dry stores during underway replenishment (UNREP) at sea. Many countries have used replenishment oilers.

USNS <i>Richard E. Byrd</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy. She is the second United States Navy ship to be named after polar explorer Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd (1888–1957). Built by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company at San Diego, California, the ship was launched on 15 May 2007. Richard E. Byrd was delivered to Military Sealift Command on 8 January 2008.

USNS <i>Robert E. Peary</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE-5) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship in the United States Navy. She is the fourth Navy ship named for Arctic explorer, Rear Admiral Robert E. Peary (1856–1920).

USNS <i>Carl Brashear</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Master Chief Boatswain's Mate Carl Brashear (1931–2006), one of the first African-Americans to become a US Navy Master Diver, despite having lost a leg in the 1966 Palomares incident.

USNS <i>Wally Schirra</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE-8) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Captain Wally Schirra (1923–2007), one of the Mercury Seven astronauts, who flew three times in space, on Mercury 8, Gemini 6A, and Apollo 7.

USNS <i>Matthew Perry</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Commodore Matthew C. Perry (1794–1858), who led the effort to open Japan to trade with the West.

USNS <i>Charles Drew</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Dr. Charles R. Drew (1904–1950), who developed improved techniques for blood storage, and applied his expert knowledge in developing large-scale blood banks early in World War II, saving thousands of Allied lives.

USNS <i>Washington Chambers</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE-11) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Captain Washington Chambers (1856–1934), a pioneer in US naval aviation.

USNS <i>William McLean</i> US Navy cargo ship (built 2011)

USNS William McLean is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of William McLean, a United States Navy physicist, who conceived and developed the heat-seeking Sidewinder missile. The contract to build William McLean was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company on 12 December 2008. William McLean was launched on 16 April 2011, sponsored by Dr. McLean's niece, Margaret Taylor. The ship was delivered to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) on 28 September 2011.

USNS <i>Medgar Evers</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USNS Medgar Evers (T-AKE-13) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy. As part of the Navy's Combat Logistics Force, her mission is to deliver ammunition, provisions, dry stores, refrigerated food, spare parts, potable water, and diesel and jet fuel to U.S. Navy and allied ships while at sea. The ship is named for civil rights movement activist Medgar Evers, a World War II veteran who was assassinated in 1963. The Navy announced the naming on 9 October 2009.

Expeditionary Transfer Dock Class of cargo ship

An Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD), formerly the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP), is designed to be a semi-submersible, flexible, modular platform providing the US Navy with the capability to perform large-scale logistics movements such as the transfer of vehicles and equipment from sea to shore. These ships significantly reduce the dependency on foreign ports and provide support in the absence of port availability. The class also houses a sub-class variant called the Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB), formerly the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB).

The Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force is a division of the US Navy. The 42 ships of the Military Sealift Command's Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force are the supply lines to U.S. Navy ships at sea. These ships provide virtually everything that Navy ships need, including fuel, food, ordnance, spare parts, mail and other supplies. NFAF ships enable the Navy fleet to remain at sea, on station and combat ready for extended periods of time. NFAF ships also conduct towing, rescue and salvage operations or serve as floating medical facilities. All NFAF ships are government owned and crewed by civil service mariners. Some of the ships also have a small contingent of Navy personnel aboard for operations support, supply coordination and helicopter operations.

USNS <i>Montford Point</i> Ship built in 2013

USNS Montford Point (T-ESD-1),, the lead ship of her class of Expeditionary Transfer Docks (ESD), is a ship named in honor of African American Marine Corps recruits who trained at Montford Point Camp, North Carolina, from 1942 to 1949. After $115 million was allocated for long-lead time material and advanced design efforts, in late 2010 General Dynamics's National Steel and Shipbuilding Company was awarded the contract, worth approximately $500 million, to build the first of three planned vessels.

USS <i>Lewis B. Puller</i> (ESB-3) US Navy expeditionary mobile base vessel

USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), is the first purpose-built expeditionary mobile base vessel for the United States Navy, and the second ship to be named in honor of Chesty Puller. The lead ship in her class of expeditionary mobile bases, she is also a sub-variant of the Montford Point-class expeditionary transfer docks. Lewis B. Puller replaced USS Ponce with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf in late 2017.

<i>John Lewis</i>-class replenishment oiler Class of ship

The John Lewis class is a class of fleet replenishment oilers which began construction in September 2018. The class will comprise twenty oilers which will be operated by Military Sealift Command to provide underway replenishment of fuel and limited amounts of dry cargo to United States Navy carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups, and other surface forces, to allow them to operate worldwide.

The Next-Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) is a programme being undertaken by the United States Navy to construct a fleet of medium-sized auxiliary ships that will provide underway replenishment (UNREPS), disaster relief and logistics capabilities for combined land and sea operations. These new vessels are not intended to replace existing classes such as the John Lewis-class replenishment oilers (AO) and the Supply-class fast combat support ships (AOE) but to supplement their operations, especially in littoral waters and combat zones where larger vessels cannot be risked.

References

  1. ↑ "T-AKE Lewis & Clark Class of Auxiliary Dry Cargo Ships" (PDF). www.dote.osd.mil. US Navy. Retrieved 19 October 2017. T-AKE 4 successfully completed an acoustic trial off San Clemente Island and demonstrated that NIXIE was capable of masking the ships acoustic signature
  2. ↑ U.S. Navy (24 January 2015). "Fact File: Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships - T-AKE". fact file. United States Navy . Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  3. ↑ Defense Industry Daily staff (10 July 2013). "US Navy on the T-AKE As It Beefs Up Supply Ship Capacity". Article. defenseindustrydaily.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  4. ↑ "T-AKE Lewis & Clark Class of Auxiliary Dry Cargo Ships" (PDF). www.dote.osd.mil. Retrieved 16 October 2017. Constructed to commercial standards (American Bureau of Shipping) with some additional features to increase its survivability in hostile environments such as the Advanced Degaussing System to reduce the ship's magnetic signature against mines, shock resistance in selected equipment, and increased damage control measures in firefighting and stability
  5. ↑ "T-AKE Lewis & Clark Class of Auxiliary Dry Cargo Ships" (PDF). www.dote.osd.mil. US Navy. Retrieved 19 October 2017. The Navy is incorporating some additional survivability features, such as emergency power and communications, which exceed the American Bureau of Shipping standards
  6. ↑ "Lewis and Clark Class". www.forecastinternational.com. Retrieved 16 October 2017. Being manned by civilians, the ships have no active means of self-defense. They are provided with passive defenses against mines and torpedoes, and atomic, biological, and chemical (ABC) weapon countermeasures. However, they are designed with appropriate space and weight reservations "to allow future installations of self-defense systems as required."
  7. ↑ naval-technology.com (n.d.). "Lewis and Clark Class T-AKE Dry Cargo and Ammunition Ship, United States of America". Article. naval-technology.com. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  8. ↑ Bill Cook (March 2008). "USNS Lewis & Clark completes first deployment". Sealift. Military Sealift Command . Retrieved 2009-08-17.
  9. ↑ Gillian Brigham (April 2008). "T-AKE 2 working hard during first deployment". Sealift. MCS. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
  10. ↑ Rosemary Heiss (September 2008). "T-AKE begins logistics operations in 7th Fleet". Sealift. MCS. Retrieved 2009-08-17.

This article includes information collected from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Web site navsea.mil and that of the contractor NASSCO.

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