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Maritime Prepositioning Ships - T-AK, T-AKR and T-AOT

Last updated: 13 Oct 2021

Description
The Navy's 14 Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) are part of Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. These ships preposition U.S. Marine Corps vehicles, equipment and ammunition throughout the world.
 
Features
The MPS are assigned to three Maritime Prepositioning Ship squadrons located in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and the Western Pacific at Guam and Saipan. The MPS ships in each squadron have sufficient equipment, supplies and ammunition to support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade of about 17,000 personnel for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, having cranes which enable them to unload their own cargo. Beginning in 2000 with the delivery of USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin, three additional ships were added to the Maritime Prepositioning Force, adding the capacity to carry expeditionary airfields, Seabee construction equipment and field hospital cargo.
 
Background
The Sgt. Matej Kocak-class was converted before entering service with MSC. The ships gained 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing platform after conversion. These ships, delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s, are National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, conversion ships owned and operated by Waterman Steamship Corp.

USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo-class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass. In January 2006, MSC purchased MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus, MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez and MV Pfc. Dewayne T. Williams. MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo was purchased in January 2007. SS Sgt. Matej Kocak, SS Maj. Stephen W. Pless and MC Sgt. William R. Button were purchased in January 2009.

USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin was modified in 1999 and delivered to MSC in 2000.

USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham (ex-Soderman) was modified in 2000 and delivered to MSC in 2001.

USNS Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat began modifications in 1999, including a 118-foot mid-body insertion plug and was delivered to MSC in 2003.

USNS Dahl, a large, medium, speed, roll-on/roll-off ship, moved into the Maritime Prepositioning Ships fleet April 1, 2009, from another part of the Prepositioning Program.

Government-owned tanker USNS Lawrence H. Gianella began serving the Prepositioning Program July 1, 2009. It was formerly in Military Sealift Command's Sealift Program.
 
General Characteristics, Sgt. Matej Kocak Class
Builder: Pennsylvania SB Company, Chester, Pennsylvania
Propulsion: Two boilers; two GE turbines; 30,000 horsepower; 1 shaft
Length: 821 feet (250.41 meters)
Beam: 105.6 feet (32.21 meters)
Displacement: 48,754 tons(49,534.06 metric tons) full load
Speed: 20 knots (23.02 mph)
Crew: 34 civilians, 10 technicians
Load: Containers, 532; ro-ro, 152,236 SF; JP-5 bbls, 20,290; DF-2 bbls, 12,355; Mogas bbls, 3,717; stable water, 2,189; cranes, 2 twin 50 ton and 1-30 ton gantry
Aircraft: Helicopter platform only 
Homeport: No homeport assigned
Ships: 
USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK 3005), formerly the SS John B. Waterman
SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006), formerly the SS Thomas Heywood
USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK 3007), formerly the SS Charles Carroll
 
General Characteristics, 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo Class
Builder: General Dynamics, Quincy
Propulsion: 2 Stork-Wartsilia Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels; 27,000 horsepower sustained; 1 shaft, bow thruster; 1,000 horsepower
Length: 675.2 feet (205.94 meters)
Beam: 105.5 feet (32.18 meters)
Displacement: 44,330 tons (45,039.28 metric tons) full load
Speed: 18 knots (20.71 mph)
Crew: 38 civilians, 10 technicians
Load: Containers, 530; ro-ro, 152,185 SF; JP-5 bbles, 20,776; DF-2 bbls, 13,334; Mogas bbls, 4,880; stable water, 2,357; cranes, one single and two twin 39 ton
Aircraft: Helicopter platform only
Homeport: No homeport assigned
Ships: 
USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008)
USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK 3009)
USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK 3010)
USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011)
USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012)
 

General Characteristics, 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin Class
Builder: Bremer Vulkan shipyard, Bremen, Germany
Propulsion: One two-stroke Burmeister & Wain type K7SZ90/160 BL; Max 21,000 horsepower; one shaft; bow and stern thrusters
Length: 754 feet (229.97 meters)
Beam: 106 feet (32.33 meters)
Displacement: 33,600 long tons (34,137.6 metric tons) on 36'0" summer salt water draft
Speed: 18 knots (20.71 mph)
Crew: 27 civilians, 12 military technicians
Homeport: No homeport assigned
Ships: 
USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin (T-AK 3015), formerly the MV Tarago 

General Characteristics, Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham Class 
Builder: Odsene Shipyard, Denmark 
Propulsion: One two-stroke Burmeister & Wain low-speed Diesel; 12L90GFCA; 12 cylinder; 46,653 bhp @ 97 rpm; one shaft; bow thruster 
Length: 907 feet (276.64 meters) 
Beam: 106 feet (32.33 meters) 
Displacement: 55,123 long tons (56,004.97 metric tons) full load 
Speed: 24 knots (27.62 mph) 
Crew: 28 civilians, 12 military technicians
Homeport: No homeport assigned
Ships:  
USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham (T-AK 3017), formerly the USNS Soderman 
(T-AKR 299) formerly the MV Lica Maersk 

General Characteristics, Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat Class 
Builder: Chernomorskiy Sudostroitelniy Zavol; Nikolayev, Ukraine 
Propulsion: COGAS (turbines), 2GTE DT59 Zorya, 2 shafts; bow and stern thrusters 
Length: 864 feet (263.52 meters) 
Beam: 99 feet (30.20 meters) 
Displacement: 50,570 long tons (51,379.12 metric tons) full load 
Speed: 20 knots (23.02 mph) 
Crew: 31 civilians, 12 military technicians
Homeport: No homeport assigned
Ships:  
USNS Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat (T-AK 3016), formerly the GTS Bazaliya 

General Characteristics, Watson Class 
Builder: National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. 
Propulsion: 2GE Marine LM gas turbines; 64,000 hp (7.7MW); 2 shafts, cp props 
Length: 289.6 meters (950.1 ft) 
Beam: 106 feet (32.33 meters) 
Displacement: 63,649 tons (62643.8 (uk) t) (70,161.0 t (short)) (63,649,000 kg) 
Speed: 24 knots (27.62 mph) 
Range: 12000 n miles (22224.0 km) (13809.4 miles) at 24 kt (44.4 km/h) (27.6 mph) 
Crew: 30 
Load: 394,673 SF 13,000 tons 
Armament: Machinery: Two GE Marine LM gas turbines; 64,000 hp (47.7 MW); two shafts; cp props 
Homeport: No homeport assigned 
Ships:  
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) 

General Characteristics, Government-owned tanker 
Primary Function: Carrying bunker fuel 
Length: 615 feet 
Beam: 90 feet 
Displacement: 39,624 tons
Draft: 36 feet 
Speed: 16 knots 
Crew: 24 contract mariners

Point of Contact
Military Sealift Command
Public Affairs

471 East C St.
Norfolk, VA 23511-2419

(757) 443-2839

 

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