“USNS Lewis and Clark” joins Military Sealift Command
“USNS Lewis and Clark” joins Military Sealift Command
The U.S. Military Sealift Command has taken delivery of the new dry cargo/ammunition ship “USNS Lewis and Clark” this week.
The vessel, designated T-AKE, is the first in a new class of combat logistics force ships and is able to deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, potable water and petroleum products to the Navy’s carrier strike groups.
The T-AKE replaces the aging, single-mission ships such as the T-AE ammunition ships and T-AFS combat stores ships that are on average 40 years old and near the end of their service lives, the command said.
The “USNS Lewis and Clark” is the first of nine ships of its class on order by the Navy. General Dynamics/NASSCO built the vessel in San Diego and is under contract to build five more with a total value of $2.8 billion. The “USNS Lewis and Clark” will operate from the U.S. East Coast.
The Military Sealift Command operates about 120 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that provide various cargo logistics services to the Navy.