Strategic sealift ships or Maritime prepositioning ships are part of the United States Military Sealift Command's (MSC) prepositioning program. There are currently 17 ships in the program, strategically positioned around the world to support the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency. Most are named after Medal of Honor recipients from the service they support. The ships are assigned to two Maritime Prepositioning Ship (MPS) squadrons located in the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and in the Western Pacific Ocean at Guam and Saipan. The MPS ships in each squadron have sufficient equipment, supplies and ammunition to support a Marine Air-Ground Task Force for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, with cranes to unload at sea or pierside. MSC chartered the first two ship classes in the MPS role (the Corporal Louis J. Hauge Jr. and Sergeant Matej Kocak classes) from civilian shipping lines and converted them. Later ships were purpose-built. Afloat prepositioning by US military began in the early 1980s to improve the response time for the delivery of equipment and supplies to a potential theater of operation.
Ships
Sergeant Matej Kocak class
The Sergeant Matej Kocak class, the second class of MPS ships chartered by MSC, also gained 157 feet (48 m) amidships and a helicopter deck after conversion. These ships, delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s, built at Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania, and converted at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego. They were previously owned by Waterman Steamship Corporation but recently sold to MSC and now operated by Keystone Shipping Company. They were all part of the Waterman Line C7-S-133a Series.
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, PA; General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts Converted: National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California Power Plant: 2 boilers; 2 GE turbines; 30,000 hp (22,371 kW); 1 shaft Length: 821.0 ft (250.2 m) Beam: 105.6 ft (32.2 m) Displacement: 48,754 tons (49,536 metric tons) full load Crew: 34 civilians, 10 technicians Cargo capacity: Containers, 532; ro-ro, 152,236 ft2 (14,143 m2); JP-5 barrels, 20,290; DF-2 barrels, 12,355; Mogas barrels, 3,717; stable water, 2,189; cranes, two twin 50-ton and one 30-ton gantry Helicopters: platform only Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h) Ships
USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005) (formerly SS Sgt. Matej Kocak, SS John B. Waterman) USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006) (formerly SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon, SS Thomas Heywood) USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007) (formerly SS Maj. Stephen W. Pless, SS Charles Carroll)
2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo class The 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo-class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts They were owned by American Overseas Marine (AMSEA) but have been recently sold to MSC and are now operated by Crowley Technical Management.
Builders: General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts Power Plant: 2 Stork-Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels; 27,000 hp (20,134 kW) sustained; 1 Omnithruster JT1000 bow thruster, 1,000 hp (746 kW) Length: 675.2 ft (205.8 m) Beam: 105.5 ft (32.2 m) Displacement: 44,330 tons (45,041 metric tons) full load Cargo capacity: Containers, 530; ro-ro, 152,185 ft2 (14,138 m2); JP-5 barrels, 20,776; DF-2 barrels, 13,334; Mogas barrels, 4,880; stable water, 2,357; cranes, one single and two twin 39-ton Helicopters: platform only Speed: 17.7 knots (33 km/h) Crew: 38 civilians, 10 technicians USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK-3008) (formerly MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo) USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009) (formerly MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams) USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010) (formerly MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez) USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011) (formerly MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus) USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK-3012) (formerly MV Sgt. William R. Button)
Capt Steven L. Bennett class Length: 687 ft 0 in (209.4 m) Beam: 100 ft 0 in (30.5 m) Draft: 38 ft 1 in (11.6 m) Displacement: 52,878 long tons (53,727 t) Speed: 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h) Civilian: 24 contract mariners MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett (T-AK-4296)
Maj. Bernard F. Fisher class Length: 652 ft (199 m) Beam: 105 ft (32 m) Draft: 34 ft (10 m) Displacement: 48,000 long tons (48,770 t) Speed: 19 knots (35 km/h) Civilian: 24 contract mariners MV Maj. Bernard F. Fisher (T-AK-4396)
1st Lt. Harry L. Martin class Length: 754 ft 0 in (229.8 m) Beam: 105 ft 10 in (32.3 m) Draft: 35 ft 11 in (10.9 m) Displacement: 51,531 long tons (52,358 t) Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h) Civilian: 25 contract mariners USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin (T-AK-3015)
LCPL Roy M. Wheat class Length: 863 ft 2 in (263.1 m) Beam: 98 ft 5 in (30.0 m) Draft: 35 ft 0 in (10.7 m) Displacement: 50,570 long tons (51,381 t) Speed: 20.5 knots (38 km/h) Civilian: 29 contract mariners USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016)
LTC John U. D. Page class Length: 949.8 ft (289.5 m) Beam: 105.9 ft (32.3 m) Draft: 35.0 ft (10.7 m) Displacement: 74,500 long tons (75,695 t) Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h) Civilian: 20 contract mariners MV LTC John U.D. Page (T-AK-4496) MV SSG Edward A. Carter (T-AK-4544)
High-speed vessels
HSV 2 class Length: 331 ft 4 in (101.0 m) Beam: 87 ft 5 in (26.6 m) Draft: 11 ft 0 in (3.4 m) Displacement: 1,463.6 short tons (1,328 t) Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h) Civilian: 17 contract mariners Military: as required by mission HSV-2 Swift
Large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships
Watson class The Watson class of LMSR built at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego
Length: 950 ft (290 m) Beam: 106 ft (32 m) Draft: 34 ft (10 m) Displacement: 62,644 long tons (63,649 t) Power Plant: 2 GE Marine LM 2500 gas turbines; 64,000 hp (47,725 kW); 2 shafts, cp props Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h) Civilian: 30 contract mariners Military: 5 Ships
USNS Watson (T-AKR-310) USNS Sisler (T-AKR-311) USNS Dahl (T-AKR-312) USNS Red Cloud (T-AKR-313) USNS Charlton (T-AKR-314) USNS Watkins (T-AKR-315) USNS Pomeroy (T-AKR-316) USNS Soderman (T-AKR-317)
Tankers Length: 615 ft (187 m) Beam: 90 ft (27 m) Draft: 36 ft (11 m) Displacement: 39,624 long tons (40,260 t) Speed: 16.0 knots (30 km/h) Civilian: 24 contract mariners USNS Lawrence H. Gianella (T-AOT-1125)
Offshore petroleum distribution system Length: 348.5 ft (106.2 m) Beam: 70 ft (21.3 m) Draft: 26.0 ft (7.9 m) Displacement: Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h) Civilian: 26 contract mariners USNS VADM K.R. Wheeler (T-AG-5001)
Activated Ready Reserve Force ships The following are part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet but have been activated and are pre-positioned.
Modular cargo delivery system ship Length: 565 ft (172 m) Beam: 76 ft (23 m) Draft: 31 ft (9 m) Displacement: 22,929 long tons (23,297 t) Speed: 17.0 knots (31 km/h) Civilian: 38 contract mariners SS Cape Jacob (T-AK 5029)
Wright class Dedicated to USMC aviation logistics support
Length: 602 ft 0 in (183 m) Beam: 90 ft 2 in (27 m) Draft: 32 ft 10 in (10 m) Displacement: 23,800 long tons (24,182 t) Speed: 19 knots (35 km/h) Civilian: 41 contract mariners Ships
SS Wright (T-AVB-3) SS Curtiss (T-AVB-4)
Former ships
Buffalo Soldier class Length: 670 ft 0 in (204.2 m) Beam: 87 ft 0 in (26.5 m) Draft: 34 ft 6 in (10.5 m) Displacement: 26,378 long tons (26,801 t) Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h) Civilian: 21 contract mariners Ships
MV Buffalo Soldier (T-AK-9301) MV TSgt John A. Chapman (T-AK 323)
Corporal Louis J. Hauge Jr. class
Named for Medal of Honor recipient Louis J. Hauge Jr. USMC, the Corporal Louis J. Hauge Jr. class is the original class of MPS ships chartered by Military Sealift Command. The five ships are Maersk Line ships converted by Bethlehem Steel. During conversion, the ships gained an additional 157 feet (48 m) amidships and a helicopter landing pad, among other things. They have since been returned to Maersk for commercial use and are no longer part of the MPS program.
Builder: Odense Staalskibsvaerft A/S, Lindo Power Plant: 1 Sulzer 7RND76M diesel; 16,800 hp (12,528 kW); 1 shaft; bow thruster Length: 755 ft (230 m) Beam: 90 ft (27 m) Displacement: 46,552 long tons (47,299 t) full load Speed: 17.5 knots (32 km/h) Ships
MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. (T-AK 3000) (formerly MV Estelle Maersk) MV PFC William B. Baugh (T-AK-3001) (formerly MV Eleo Maersk) MV PFC James Anderson Jr. (T-AK 3002) (formerly MV Emma Maersk) MV 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman (T-AK-3003) (formerly MV Emilie Maersk) MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips (T-AK-3004) (formerly Pvt. Harry Fisher, MV Evelyn Maersk) Crew: 32 civilians, 10 technicians
See also MV Virginian (T-AK 9205) Robert McNamara as Secretary of Defense § Sealift and amphibious warfare
Further reading 'The Maritime Prepositioning Force and the U.S. Marines,' Asia-Pacific Defense Forum, Spring 1999 Military Sealift Command. "Maritime Prepositioning Ship Squadron Two". Archived from the original on 2 May 2001. Retrieved 17 January 2010. MPS Squadron Two ships operate out of Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.
References