U.S. MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND RECEIVES EX-NAVY FAST SUPPLY SHIP
The U.S. Military Sealift Command has received the second of four fast combat support ships scheduled for transfer from the Navy.
The Navy’s 'USS Artic,' now called the 'USNS Artic,' will join 30 other civilian-crewed Military Sealift Command ships that provide at-sea logistics support to the Navy fleet.
The first of the four combat support ships, the 'USNS Supply,' joined the Military Sealift Command last year. This class of ship provides fuel, ammunition and food to Navy ships underway. Each vessel is 754 feet long and has a beam of 107 feet. The top speed of each ship is 25 knots.
Two more ships, 'USS Rainier' and 'USS Bridge,' are scheduled for transfer to the Military Sealift Command during the next two years. The Navy expects to save $75 million a year in operating costs by placing these ships under the management of the Military Sealift Command.
The Military Sealift Command is the ocean transportation provider to the Defense Department. The agency operates about 110 ships around the world. These vessels provide logistics support to Navy vessels underway, preposition of military equipment and supplies near hotspots, and perform special Defense Department missions, including counter drug operations.