Maritime Prepositioning ship

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The 16 Maritime Prepositioning Ships are part of the United States Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. They preposition U.S. Marine Corps vehicles, equipment and ammunition throughout the world.

The MPS ships 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 Corps Air Ground Task Force for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, having cranes which enable them to unload their own cargo at sea or pierside.

The Corporal Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class is the original class of MPS ships chartered by Military Sealift Command. The five ships are Maersk Line ships converted by Bethlehem Steel. During conversion, the ships gained an additional 157 feet (48 m) amidships and a helicopter landing pad, among other things.

The Sergeant Matej Kocak Class, the second class of MPS ships chartered by MSC, also gained 157 feet (48 m) 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 Corporation.

The 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo Class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass. They are owned and operated by American Overseas Marine.

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[edit] General characteristics: Corporal Louis J. Hauge, Jr. class

  • Builder: Odense Staalskibsvaerft A/S, Lindo
  • Power Plant: 1 Sulzer 7RND76M diesel; 16,800 hp (13 MW); 1 shaft; bow thruster
  • Length: 755 feet (230 m)
  • Beam: 90 feet (27.4 m)
  • Displacement: 46,552 tons (47,299 t) full load
  • Speed: 17.5 knots (32 km/h)
  • Ships:
    • MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. (ex-MV Estelle Maersk) (T-AK 3000)
    • MV PFC William B. Baugh (ex-MV Eleo Maersk) (T-AK 3001)
    • MV PFC James Anderson, Jr. (ex-MV Emma Maersk) (T-AK 3002)
    • MV 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman (ex-MV Emilie Maersk) (T-AK 3003)
    • MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips (ex-Pvt. Harry Fisher, ex-MV Evelyn Maersk) (T-AK 3004)
  • Crew: 32 civilians, 10 technicians

[edit] General characteristics: Sergeant Matej Kocak Class

  • Builder: Pennsylvania SB Company, Chester, Pa.
  • Power Plant: 2 boilers; 2 GE turbines; 30,000 hp (22 MW); 1 shaft
  • Length: 821 feet (250.2 m)
  • Beam: 105.6 feet (32.2 m)
  • Displacement: 48,754 tons (49,536 metric tons) full load
  • Cargo capacity: Containers, 532; ro-ro, 152,236 ft² (14,143 m²); JP-5 barrels, 20,290; DF-2 barrels, 12,355; Mogas barrels, 3,717; stable water, 2,189; cranes, 2 twin 50 ton and 1-30 ton gantry
  • Helicopters: platform only
  • Speed: 20 knots
  • Ships:
    • MV Sgt. Matej Kocak (Ex-SS John B. Waterman) (T-AK 3005)
    • MV PFC Eugene A. Obregon (ex-SS Thomas Heywood) (T-AK 3006)
    • MV Maj. Stephen W. Pless (ex-SS Charles Carroll) (T-AK 3007)
  • Crew: 34 civilians, 10 technicians

[edit] General characteristics: 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo Class

  • Builders: General Dynamics, Quincy
  • Power Plant: 2 Stork-Wartsilia Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels; 27,000 hp (20 MW) sustained; 1 shaft, bow *thruster; 1,000 hp (750 kW)
  • Length: 675.2 feet (205.8 m)
  • Beam: 105.5 feet (32.2 m)
  • Displacement: 44,330 tons (45,041 metric tons) full load
  • Cargo capacity: Containers, 530; ro-ro, 152,185 ft² (14,138 m²); JP-5 barrels, 20,776; DF-2 barrels, 13,334; Mogas barrels, 4,880; stable water, 2,357; cranes, 1 single and 2 twin 39 ton
  • Helicopters: platform only
  • Speed: 18 knots
  • Ships:
    • MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008)
    • MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK 3009)
    • MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK 3010)
    • MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011)
    • MV Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012)
  • Crew: 38 civilians, 10 technicians

[edit] See also

[edit] Further reading

  • 'The Maritime Prepositioning Force and the U.S. Marines,' Asia-Pacific Defense Forum, Spring 1999