SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)


SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)
Career (United States)
Name: CV Export Lightning (MA-206)
Owner: United States Maritime Administration
Operator: American Export Isbrandtsen Line
Ordered: 30 November 1965
Builder: Bath Iron Works
Laid down: 14 February 1967
Launched: 11 May 1968
In service: 21 February 1969 to 1986
Fate: Acquired by the United States Navy in 1986
Career (United States)
Name: SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)
Namesake: The state of North Dakota, which is also known as the Flickertail State.
In service: 9 February 1988 to the present
Homeport: Newport News, VA
Notes: Five days required to activate for service.
General characteristics
Class and type: Keystone State-class crane ship
Displacement: 31,500 long tons
Length: 668 ft 7 in
Beam: 76 ft 1 in
Draft: 33 ft 6 in
Propulsion: Single propeller
Speed: 17 knots
Complement:
  • 9 civilian during Reduced Operating Status
  • 32 civilian during Full Operating Status

SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy. She is stationed at Newport News, Virginia and is in ready reserve under the Military Sealift Command. The ship was named for the state of North Dakota, which is also known as the Flickertail State.

The ship was built by the Bath Iron Works. Her keel was laid on 14 February 1967, launched on 11 May 1968, and delivered 21 February 1969 as CV Lightning (MA-206).

Lightning was acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Administration in 1986 and was converted throughout 1987. She re-entered service as Flickertail State on 9 February 1988, and has been in ready reserve since 1993.

Contents

Large vessel interface lift on/lift off

In 2009, a demonstrator crane was installed and integrated aboard the SS Flickertail State to evaluate the crane's performance in transporting containers between two moving ships in an operational environment using commercial and oil industry at-sea mooring techniques,at sea in the Gulf of Mexico.[1] Developed by the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department in the Office of Naval Research along with Oceaneering International, the crane has sensors and cameras as well as motion-sensing algorithms that let it automatically shift with the rolling and pitching of the sea, making it much easier for operators to center the crane over cargo and transfer it.[2] The LVI Lo/Lo, developed by the by the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department of the Office of Naval Research along with Oceaneering International.[3]

See also

References

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:SS_Flickertail_State_(T-ACS-5) SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)] at Wikimedia Commons