View source for Nitro-class ammunition ship

{{One source|date=November 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image               = USS Nitro (AE-23) replenishing USS Intrepid (CVA-11), circa in 1961.jpg
| Ship caption             = USS ''Nitro'' (left) replenishing the USS ''Intrepid'' in the early 1960s
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Builders                 = 
| Operators                = 
| Class before             = {{sclass|Mount Hood|ammunition ship|4}}
| Class after              = {{sclass|Kilauea|ammunition ship|4}}
| Subclasses               = 
| Built range              = 
| In commission range      = 
| Total ships building     = 
| Total ships planned      = 4
| Total ships completed    = 3
| Total ships cancelled    = 1
| Total ships active       = 
| Total ships laid up      = 3
| Total ships lost         = 
| Total ships retired      = 1993-1995
| Total ships scrapped     = 
| Total ships preserved    = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header              = 
| Header caption           = 
| Ship type                = Ammunition carrier
| Ship displacement        = 9,050 tons (light), 15,489 tons (Full)
| Ship length              = 512 ft (Overall)
| Ship beam                = 72 ft
| Ship draught             = 29 ft
| Ship draft               = 
| Ship propulsion          = 1 shaft; geared steam turbine; 16,000 shp
| Ship speed               = 21 kn
| Ship range               = 
| Ship complement          = 
| Ship sensors             = 
| Ship EW                  = 
| Ship armament            = 
| Ship armour              = none
| Ship armor               = 
| Ship aircraft            = 
| Ship aircraft facilities = 
| Ship notes               = 
}}
|}
[[File:USS Haleakala (AE-25) Apr 1968.jpeg|300px|thumb|USS ''Haleakala'' (AE-25) in April 1968]]

The '''''Nitro''-class [[ammunition ship]]s''' are a class of three [[auxiliary vessel]]s of the [[United States Navy]]. Launched in 1958-1959, they were among the first specialized [[underway replenishment]] ships built after the Second World War, to carry munitions. These and the {{sclass|Suribachi|ammunition ship|2}}s are sometimes considered to form a single class. A fourth ship of the class was planned under the 1959 military construction program but was eventually cancelled before construction began. Soon after completion, all ships of the class were modified to stow surface to air missiles as large as the [[RIM-8 Talos]] in their holds. Initially ships of the ''Nitro'' class were armed with eight [[3"/50 caliber gun]]s in Mk 33 twin mounts. Two Mk 33 mounts were located on the forecastle and another two were located near the stern. During the mid-1960s all ships of the class had the two Mk 33 mounts near the stern replaced with a [[helicopter]] [[helipad|landing pad]]. This allowed each ship to utilize helicopters during replenishment operations.<ref>{{cite book |last=Jordan |first=John |title=Modern US Navy |url=https://archive.org/details/newillustratedgu0000jord/page/136 |year=1992 |publisher=Salamander Books |isbn=0-8317-5061-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newillustratedgu0000jord/page/136 136–7] |url-access=registration }}</ref>

The ''Nitro''s were decommissioned in 1993-1995 following the end of the [[Cold War]] and have been scrapped.

==Ships in class==
* {{USS|Nitro|AE-23}}
* {{USS|Pyro|AE-24}}
* {{USS|Haleakala|AE-25}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}
{{Nitro class ammunition ship}}

[[Category:Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States| Nitro class ammunition ship]]
[[Category:Nitro-class ammunition ships| ]]

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