TSV-1X at sea in 2003 |
|
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Incat Ltd. |
| Operators: | United States Army |
| In commission: | 2002–present |
| Planned: | 1 |
| Completed: | 1 |
| Active: | 1 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Theater Support Vessel |
| Displacement: | 1,875 long tons (1,905 t) |
| Length: | 315 ft (96 m) |
| Beam: | 88.5 ft (27.0 m) |
| Draft: | 12 ft (3.7 m) |
| Speed: | 37 knots (69 km/h; 43 mph) cruising speed 50 knots (93 km/h; 58 mph) top speed |
| Complement: | 30 |
USAV Spearhead (TSV-X1) is the first ship of the US Army's theater support vessel program (TSV). The Army leased Spearhead from Australian fast ferry builder Incat in October 2002. Modifications included helicopter pads suitable for large military helicopters and a two-part, hydraulic vehicle ramp that allows rapid loading and discharge of vehicles from the stern or alongside. With its 1,250-ton capacity and shallow draft, Spearhead is the first of what is expected to become a fleet of as many as 17 TSVs. [1]
The Spearhead was deployed in January 2003 to support Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.[2]