USNS Choctaw County in Mayport on 7 October 2014 | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | USNS Choctaw County |
Namesake | |
Operator | Military Sealift Command |
Awarded | 28 January 2010 [1] |
Builder | Austal USA |
Laid down | 8 November 2011 [1] |
Launched | 1 October 2012 [1] |
In service | 6 June 2013 [1] [2] |
Renamed | from Vigilant |
Reclassified | T-EPF-2, 2015 |
Identification |
|
Motto | Harvet Peace, Prepare For War |
Status | Active |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport |
Length | 103.0 m (337 ft 11 in) |
Beam | 28.5 m (93 ft 6 in) |
Draft | 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 43 knots (80 km/h; 49 mph) |
Troops | 312 |
Crew | 41 |
Aircraft carried | Medium helicopter |
Aviation facilities | Helipad |
USNS Choctaw County (JHSV-2/T-EPF-2), (ex-Vigilant) is the second Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, [1] which is operated by the United States Navy 's Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama. [3] [4]
The EPF can transport US Army and US Marine Corps company-sized units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion. [3]
It has a flight deck for helicopter operations and a loading ramp that allows vehicles to quickly drive on and off the ship. The ramp is suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. EPF has a shallow draft (under 15 feet (4.6 m)). [3]
On 6 October 2011, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced in Ackerman, Mississippi that the second Expeditionary Fast Transport, previously having been named Vigilant by the United States Army before the transfer of the EPF program to the Navy, [1] would be named USNS Choctaw County. [5] Since the ship will be operated by the Military Sealift Command and not the United States Navy itself, it will carry the USNS designation and not USS. The ship is named for three U.S. counties, located in Alabama, Mississippi, and Oklahoma, [6] all three of which are named for the Choctaw tribe of American Indians.
The ship is laid down on 8 November 2011 and launched on 1 October 2012 by Austal USA. She was commissioned on 6 June 2013.
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.
Vigilant can refer to:
Austal USA is an American shipbuilder based on Blakeley Island in Mobile, Alabama. It is a subsidiary of the Australian shipbuilder Austal, operating under a Special Security Arrangement which allows it to work independently and separately on some of the most sensitive United States defense programs despite its foreign ownership.
Dublin Swift is a high-speed catamaran built in 2001 by Austal as a passenger and vehicle catamaran ferry. After conversion to a Maritime Prepositioning ship the vessel was chartered by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command until January 2018 as WestPac Express. It was then converted for civilian use as a passenger ferry by Irish Ferries and renamed Dublin Swift.
Austal Limited is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels. Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed ferries, and supply or crew transfer vessels for offshore windfarms and oil and gas platforms.
The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) is a United States Navy–led shipbuilding program to provide a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The EPFs can reach speeds of 35–45 knots, and allow the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces, equipment and supplies.
USNS Fall River (JHSV-4/T-EPF-4) is the fourth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC). Fall River was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.
USS Vigilant may refer to several ships of the United States Navy:
USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1/T-EPF-1) is the lead ship of the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport to be operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. USNS Spearhead was christened on 17 September 2011.
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.
USNS John Glenn (T-ESD-2), is a United States Navy Expeditionary Transfer Dock ship named in honor of John Glenn, a Naval Aviator, retired United States Marine Corps colonel, veteran of World War II and the Korean War, astronaut, and United States senator.
USNS Millinocket (JHSV-3/T-EPF-3)(ex-Fortitude) is the third Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama.
USNS Trenton (JHSV-5/T-EPF-5), (ex-Resolute) is the fifth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. Spearhead-class ships are used to support overseas operations, conduct humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and support special operations forces. This type of vessel also has an aviation flight deck and can operate in shallow waters.
USNS Brunswick (JHVS-6/T-EPF-6), is the sixth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, currently in service with the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Brunswick, Georgia. Brunswick is one of three expeditionary fast transport ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to continue its mission of providing rapid intra-theater transport of troops and military equipment. Like other EPFs of its class, the Brunswick is capable of carrying up to 600 short tons of equipment for distances of 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots.
USNS Carson City (JHSV-7/T-EPF-7), (ex-Courageous) is the seventh Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, currently in service with the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. She is the second ship in naval service named after Carson City, Nevada.
USNS Yuma (T-EPF-8) is the eighth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Yuma, Arizona.
USNS City of Bismarck (JHSV-9/T-EPF-9), (ex-Sacrifice) is the ninth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the first ship in naval service named after Bismarck, North Dakota’s capital city.
USNS Newport (T-EPF-12) is the twelfth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Newport, Rhode Island.
USNS Cody (T-EPF-14) will be the fourteenth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and will be operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. She will be the first ship in naval service named after Cody, Wyoming, and the first of the Flight II variant designed to have enhanced medical capabilities.
USNS Point Loma (T-EPF-15) will be the fifteenth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. On 16 July 2021, acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker announced that she would be named after Point Loma, San Diego. This is the second ship named after Point Loma, with the first being USS Point Loma (AGDS-2), a Deep Submergence Support Ship
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