View source for USNS Alan Shepard

{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=USNS Alan Shepard (from MSC).jpg
|Ship image size=300px
|image alt=
|Ship caption=USNS ''Alan Shepard'' sails out of San Diego harbor.
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship country=United States
|Ship flag=  {{USN flag}}
|Ship name=USNS ''Alan Shepard''
|Ship namesake= [[Alan Shepard]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=  16 July 2002
|Ship builder=[[National Steel and Shipbuilding]]
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=  14 February 2006
|Ship launched=  6 December 2006
|Ship sponsor=
|Ship christened=
|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship in service=  26 June 2007<ref name="nvr">{{cite web
 | url= {{Naval Vessel Register URL|id=AKE3}}
 | title= USNS ''Alan Shepard'' (T-AKE 3)
 |date= 29 June 2007 | work= [[Naval Vessel Register]] | publisher= [[United States Navy]]
 | access-date= 2008-05-13 }}</ref>
|Ship out of service=
|Ship renamed=
|Ship reclassified=
|Ship refit=
|Ship struck=
|Ship reinstated=
|Ship homeport=
|Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|9284350}}
*{{MMSI Number|369498000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NSHE
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honors=
|Ship captured=
|Ship status={{Ship in active service}}
|Ship fate=
|Ship notes=
|Ship badge=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=[[Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship|''Lewis and Clark''-class cargo ship]]
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement=*23,852&nbsp;tons light,
*40,298&nbsp;tons full,
*16,446&nbsp;tons dead
|Ship length=*{{convert|210|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} overall,
*{{convert|199.3|m|ft|abbr=on}} waterline
|Ship beam=*{{convert|32.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} extreme,
*{{convert|32.3|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} waterline
|Ship height=
|Ship draft=*{{convert|9.1|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} maximum,
*{{convert|9.4|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} limit
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=Integrated propulsion and ship service electrical system, with generation at 6.6 kV by FM/MAN B&W diesel generators; one fixed pitch propeller; bow thruster
|Ship speed={{convert|20|kn|km/h|0}}
|Ship range=*14,000&nbsp;nautical miles at 20&nbsp;kt
*(26,000&nbsp;km at 37&nbsp;km/h)
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=*Max dry cargo weight:
*&nbsp; 5,910&nbsp;long tons (6,005&nbsp;t)
*Max dry cargo volume:
*&nbsp; 783,000 cubic feet (22,000&nbsp;m³)
*Max cargo fuel weight:
*&nbsp; 2,350&nbsp;long tons (2,390&nbsp;t)
*Cargo fuel volume:
*&nbsp; 18,000 barrels (2,900&nbsp;m³)
*&nbsp; (DFM: 10,500) (JP5:7,500)
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=49 military, 123 civilian
|Ship crew=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=[[Nulka]] decoy launchers
|Ship armament=*2–6 × [[M2 Browning|{{convert|0.5|in|mm|abbr=on|1}}]] machine guns
*or 7.62&nbsp;mm medium machine guns
|Ship aircraft=two helicopters, either Sikorsky [[MH-60S Knighthawk]] or Aerospatiale [[Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma|Puma]]
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''USNS ''Alan Shepard'' (T-AKE-3)''' is a [[Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship|''Lewis and Clark''-class dry cargo ship]] in the [[United States Navy]]. She is named after the [[astronaut]] and [[Rear Admiral]], [[Alan Shepard]] (1923–1998), the first American in space and the fifth person to walk on the Moon.

==Service history==
The contract to build her was awarded to [[National Steel and Shipbuilding Company]] (NASSCO) of San Diego, on 16 July 2002. Construction began on 13 September 2005.  She was launched on 6 December 2006, sponsored by Laura Churchley, daughter of RAdm. Shepard.<ref>{{cite web
 |url         = http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/pms325/alanshepard.htm
 |title       = Navy to Christen USNS ''Alan Shepard''
 |date        = 6 December 2006
 |publisher   = Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs), [[United States Department of Defense|U.S. Dept. of Defense]]
 |access-date  = 2008-05-13
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20070614150720/http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/pms325/alanshepard.htm
 |archive-date = 14 June 2007
}}</ref>

''Alan Shepard'' entered active service in 2007.<ref name=t&p>{{cite web|url=https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-cargo-ship-runs-aground-bahrain/|website=taskandpurpose.com|publisher=Task & Purpose|date=16 July 2023|access-date=17 July 2023|title=Navy Cargo Ship Runs Aground in Bahrain|last=Slayton|first=Nicholas}}</ref> She was initially part of the [[United States Pacific Fleet|Pacific Fleet]].

During Exercise Pacific Vanguard in August 2022, ''Alan Shepard'' launched a [[BQM-177A]] [[target drone]] during live-fire practice with the [[guided-missile destroyer]] {{USS|Barry|DDG-52|6}} and the Australian [[frigate]] {{HMAS|Perth|FFH 157|6}}; this was the first time the drone was used in a training exercise. Both vessels launched missiles at the BWM-177A and successfully intercepted it.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cpf.navy.mil/Newsroom/News/Article/3148531/us-navy-completes-first-bqm-177a-target-intercept-during-missile-launch/|title=U.S. Navy Completes First BQM-177A Target Intercept during Missile Launch|website=cpf.navy.mil|last=Gonzales|first=Deanna|date=2 September 2022|access-date=18 July 2023}}</ref>

By 2023, ''Alan Shepard'' was assigned to the [[United States Fifth Fleet]]. In July 2023, ''Alan Shepard'' entered a shipyard in [[Al Hidd]], Bahrain, and on 15 July, while leaving the shipyard, she [[ship grounding|ran aground]]. None of the approximately 85&nbsp;individuals on the ship were injured in the accident. The next day, tugboats refloated ''Alan Shepard''.<ref name=t&p/> An inspection after the accident revealed that ''Alan Shepard'' was not significantly damaged.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-navy/2023/07/17/navy-investigating-grounding-of-cargo-ship-in-bahrain/|title=Navy Investigating Grounding of Cargo Ship in Bahrain|website=navytimes.com|date=17 July 2023|access-date=18 July 2023|first=Diana Stancy|last=Correll}}</ref>

== References ==
[[File:USNS Alan Shepard launching.jpg|thumb|left|''Alan Shepard'' launching, San Diego, 6 December 2006]]{{Naval Vessel Register}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|IMO 9284350}}
* {{cite web
 | url= http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/75/7503.htm
 | title=  USNS ''Alan Shepard'' (T-AKE-3)
 | last= Priolo | first= Gary P. | date= 22 February 2008
 | work= Service Ship Photo Archive | publisher=  NavSource Online
 | access-date= 2008-05-13 }}

{{Lewis and Clark class dry cargo ship}}
{{2023 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alan Shepard (T-AKE-3)}}
[[Category:Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in San Diego]]
[[Category:2006 ships]]
[[Category:Alan Shepard]]
[[Category:Bulk carriers of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2023]]