Lewis and Clark class dry cargo ship
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The Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo ship is the next class of Combat Logistics Force (CLF) underway replenishment vessels to be constructed for the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. Lewis and Clark-class ships will replace the existing fifteen Mars- and Sirius-class combat store ships and the Kilauea-class ammunition ships. When operating in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class oiler the Lewis and Clarks will also replace Sacramento-class fast combat support ships. The first of the planned twelve ships, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was placed in service with the MSC in June 2006, and is being designed for a forty-year service life. The ships will be named for famous American explorers and pioneers.
The primary role of the Lewis and Clarks is to provide logistic lift from supply sources such as friendly ports, or while at sea, from specially equipped merchant ships by consolidation. Lewis and Clarks will transfer cargo (ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items, and expendable supplies and material) to station ships and other naval warfare forces. As auxiliary support ships, Lewis and Clarks will directly contribute to the Navy's ability to maintain a forward presence. When operating together with Henry J. Kaiser-class oilers Lewis and Clarks will provide the carrier battle group and/or amphibious readiness group with product lift equivalent to a Supply-class fast combat support ship.
Construction of the lead ship, USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1), was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on 18 October 2001. The contract contains options for eleven follow ships. The option for the first follow ship, USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2), was exercised simultaneously with award of Lewis and Clark. The option for an additional ship was exercised in 2002, another one in 2003, two more in 2004 and another two more ships were ordered in 2005. As of 2007[update], a total of nine ships had been ordered.
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[edit] Ships
- USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1) — Launched 21 May 2005
- USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2) — Launched 24 June 2006
- USNS Alan Shepard (T-AKE-3) — Launched 6 December 2006
- USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE-4) — Launched 15 May 2007
- USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE-5) — Launched 27 October 2007
- USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE-6) — Launched 8 April 2008
- USNS Carl Brashear (T-AKE-7) — Launched 18 September 2008
- USNS Wally Schirra (T-AKE-8) — Launched 8 March 2009
- USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9) — Keel laid 3 October 2008
- USNS Charles Drew (T-AKE-10) — Keel laid 17 March 2009
- USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE-11)
- USNS William McLean (T-AKE-12)
- USNS Unnamed (T-AKE-13)
- USNS Unnamed (T-AKE-14)
[edit] Missions
On Feb. 8, 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, Va., 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.[1]
USNS Sacagawea (T-AKE 2) got underway for its first deployment 11 December in the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet area of operations.[2]
USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) entered the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet area of operations July 24, marking the arrival of the first Lewis and Clark-class combat logistics support ship in service to the 52 million-square-mile region.[3]
[edit] References
This article includes information collected from the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Web site navsea.mil and that of the contractor NASSCO.
[edit] External links
- Military Sealift Command
- NASSCO/General Dynamics Corporation
- Military Sealift Command Fact Sheet, Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships - T-AKE
- US Navy on the T-AKE As It Beefs Up Supply Ship Capacity (updated) at Defense Industry Daily
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