USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8)

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Sirius (T-AFS-8) enroute to Norfolk, VA. after her AFS conversion, 1983.
Career (UK) Royal Fleet Auxiliary Ensign
Name: RFA Lyness (A339)
Namesake: Lyness, Scotland
Builder: Swan, Hunter and Wingham
Laid down: 1 April 1965
Launched: 1 April 1966
Fate: Purchased by US, 1 January 1981
Career (USA) United States Navy Ensign
Name: USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8)
Namesake: Sirius
Acquired: 1 January 1981
In service: 18 January 1981
Out of service: 1 July 2005
Struck: 1 July 2005
Career Flag of Texas
Name: TS Texas Clipper III
Namesake: Texas Clipper
Acquired: 2005
General characteristics
Displacement: 16,680 t. (full load)
10,205 t. (light)
Length: 523 ft (159 m) (overall)
Beam: 72 ft (22 m)
Draft: 26 ft (7.9 m)
Propulsion: one diesel engine,
11,520 brake horsepower (8.6 MW),
single propeller
Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement: 123 Civilian, 30-47 Navy (USN service)
Sensors and
processing systems:
Raytheon SHF navigation radar
Armament: 8 pintle mounts, variable numbers of .50 BMG or 7.62x51mm machine guns (USN service)
Aircraft carried: Two CH-46 Sea Knight, MH-60 Seahawk or Aerospatiale Super Puma helicopters (USN service)

USNS Sirius (T-AFS 8) was a Sirius-class combat stores ship of the United States Navy, named for Sirius Can. Maj.), the brightest visible star.

Sirius was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson for the Royal Navy. Laid down in 1965, she was launched in 1966 from Wallsend as RFA Lyness (A339). She was transferred from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command in 1981.

Sirius was deactivated and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2005 and transferred to Texas A&M University at Galveston's Texas Maritime Academy to serve as a training ship where she was renamed TS Texas Clipper III.

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