Strategic sealift ships are part of the United States Military Sealift Command's (MSC) prepositioning program. There are currently 17[1][2] ships in the program, strategically positioned around the world to support the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Defense Logistics Agency. Most are named after Medal of Honor recipients from the service they support.[2][3][4] The ships are assigned to two[5] Military Prepositioning Ship (MPS) squadrons[6] located in the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and in the Western Pacific Ocean at Guam and Saipan.

The MPS ships in each squadron have sufficient equipment, supplies and ammunition to support a Marine Air-Ground Task Force for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, with cranes to unload at sea or pierside. MSC chartered the first two ship classes in the MPS role (the Corporal Louis J. Hauge Jr. and Sergeant Matej Kocak classes) from civilian shipping lines and converted them. Later ships were purpose-built.

Ships

Sergeant Matej Kocak class

USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon

The Sergeant Matej Kocak class, the second class of MPS ships chartered by MSC, also gained 157 feet (48 m) amidships and a helicopter deck after conversion. These ships, delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s, built at Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pennsylvania, and converted at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego. They were previously owned by Waterman Steamship Corporation but recently sold to MSC and now operated by Keystone Shipping Company. They were all part of the Waterman Line C7-S-133a Series.

Builder: Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, PA; General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts

Converted: National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California

Power Plant: 2 boilers; 2 GE turbines; 30,000 hp (22,371 kW); 1 shaft

Length: 821.0 ft (250.2 m)

Beam: 105.6 ft (32.2 m)

Displacement: 48,754 tons (49,536 metric tons) full load

Crew: 34 civilians, 10 technicians

Cargo capacity: Containers, 532; ro-ro, 152,236 sq ft (14,143 m2); JP-5 barrels, 20,290; DF-2 barrels, 12,355; Mogas barrels, 3,717; stable water, 2,189; cranes, two twin 50-ton and one 30-ton gantry

Helicopters: platform only

Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h)

Ships

USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK-3005) (formerly SS Sgt. Matej Kocak, SS John B. Waterman)

USNS PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK-3006) (formerly SS PFC Eugene A. Obregon, SS Thomas Heywood)

USNS Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK-3007) (formerly SS Maj. Stephen W. Pless, SS Charles Carroll)

2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo class

The 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo-class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts They were owned by American Overseas Marine (AMSEA) but have been recently sold to MSC and are now operated by Crowley Technical Management.

Builders: General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachusetts

Power Plant: 2 Stork-Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels; 27,000 hp (20,134 kW) sustained; 1 Omnithruster JT1000 bow thruster, 1,000 hp (746 kW)

Length: 675.2 ft (205.8 m)

Beam: 105.5 ft (32.2 m)

Displacement: 44,330 tons (45,041 metric tons) full load

Cargo capacity: Containers, 530; ro-ro, 152,185 sq ft (14,138 m2); JP-5 barrels, 20,776; DF-2 barrels, 13,334; Mogas barrels, 4,880; stable water, 2,357; cranes, one single and two twin 39-ton

Helicopters: platform only

Speed: 17.7 knots (33 km/h)

Crew: 38 civilians, 10 technicians

USNS 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK-3008) (formerly MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo)

USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009) (formerly MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams)

USNS 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK-3010) (formerly MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez)

USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011) (formerly MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus)

USNS Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK-3012) (formerly MV Sgt. William R. Button)

Capt Steven L. Bennett class

Length: 687 ft 0 in (209.4 m)

Beam: 100 ft 0 in (30.5 m)

Draft: 38 ft 1 in (11.6 m)

Displacement: 52,878 long tons (53,727 t)

Speed: 18.3 knots (33.9 km/h)

Civilian: 24 contract mariners

MV Capt. Steven L. Bennett (T-AK-4296)

Maj. Bernard F. Fisher class

Length: 652 ft (199 m)

Beam: 105 ft (32 m)

Draft: 34 ft (10 m)

Displacement: 48,000 long tons (48,770 t)

Speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)

Civilian: 24 contract mariners

MV Maj. Bernard F. Fisher (T-AK-4396)

1st Lt. Harry L. Martin class

Length: 754 ft 0 in (229.8 m)

Beam: 105 ft 10 in (32.3 m)

Draft: 35 ft 11 in (10.9 m)

Displacement: 51,531 long tons (52,358 t)

Speed: 17 knots (31 km/h)

Civilian: 25 contract mariners

USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin (T-AK-3015)

LCPL Roy M. Wheat class

Length: 863 ft 2 in (263.1 m)

Beam: 98 ft 5 in (30.0 m)

Draft: 35 ft 0 in (10.7 m)

Displacement: 50,570 long tons (51,381 t)

Speed: 20.5 knots (38 km/h)

Civilian: 29 contract mariners

USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat (T-AK-3016)

LTC John U. D. Page class

Length: 949.8 ft (289.5 m)

Beam: 105.9 ft (32.3 m)

Draft: 35.0 ft (10.7 m)

Displacement: 74,500 long tons (75,695 t)

Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h)

Civilian: 20 contract mariners

MV LTC John U.D. Page (T-AK-4496)

MV SSG Edward A. Carter (T-AK-4544)

High-speed vessels

HSV 2 class

Length: 331 ft 4 in (101.0 m)

Beam: 87 ft 5 in (26.6 m)

Draft: 11 ft 0 in (3.4 m)

Displacement: 1,463.6 short tons (1,328 t)

Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)

Civilian: 17 contract mariners

Military: as required by mission

HSV-2 Swift

Large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships

Watson class

The Watson class of LMSR built at National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego

Length: 950 ft (290 m)

Beam: 106 ft (32 m)

Draft: 34 ft (10 m)

Displacement: 62,644 long tons (63,649 t)

Power Plant: 2 GE Marine LM 2500 gas turbines; 64,000 hp (47,725 kW); 2 shafts, cp props

Speed: 24 knots (44 km/h)

Civilian: 30 contract mariners

Military: 5

Ships

USNS Watson (T-AKR-310)

USNS Sisler (T-AKR-311)

USNS Dahl (T-AKR-312)

USNS Red Cloud (T-AKR-313)

USNS Charlton (T-AKR-314)

USNS Watkins (T-AKR-315)

USNS Pomeroy (T-AKR-316)

USNS Soderman (T-AKR-317)

Tankers

Length: 615 ft (187 m)

Beam: 90 ft (27 m)

Draft: 36 ft (11 m)

Displacement: 39,624 long tons (40,260 t)

Speed: 16.0 knots (30 km/h)

Civilian: 24 contract mariners

USNS Lawrence H. Gianella (T-AOT-1125)

Offshore petroleum distribution system

Length: 348.5 ft (106.2 m)

Beam: 70 ft (21.3 m)

Draft: 26.0 ft (7.9 m)

Displacement:

Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h)

Civilian: 26 contract mariners

USNS VADM K.R. Wheeler (T-AG-5001)

Activated Ready Reserve Force ships

The following are part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet but have been activated and are pre-positioned.

Modular cargo delivery system ship

Length: 565 ft (172 m)

Beam: 76 ft (23 m)

Draft: 31 ft (9 m)

Displacement: 22,929 long tons (23,297 t)

Speed: 17.0 knots (31 km/h)

Civilian: 38 contract mariners

SS Cape Jacob (T-AK 5029)

Wright class

Dedicated to USMC aviation logistics support

Length: 602 ft 0 in (183 m)

Beam: 90 ft 2 in (27 m)

Draft: 32 ft 10 in (10 m)

Displacement: 23,800 long tons (24,182 t)

Speed: 19 knots (35 km/h)

Civilian: 41 contract mariners

Ships

SS Wright (T-AVB-3)

SS Curtiss (T-AVB-4)

Former ships

Buffalo Soldier class

Length: 670 ft 0 in (204.2 m)

Beam: 87 ft 0 in (26.5 m)

Draft: 34 ft 6 in (10.5 m)

Displacement: 26,378 long tons (26,801 t)

Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h)

Civilian: 21 contract mariners

Ships

MV Buffalo Soldier (T-AK-9301)

MV TSgt John A. Chapman (T-AK 323)

Corporal Louis J. Hauge Jr. class

Named for Medal of Honor recipient Louis J. Hauge Jr. USMC, 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. They have since been returned to Maersk for commercial use and are no longer part of the MPS program.

Builder: Odense Staalskibsvaerft A/S, Lindo

Power Plant: 1 Sulzer 7RND76M diesel; 16,800 hp (12,528 kW); 1 shaft; bow thruster

Length: 755 ft (230 m)

Beam: 90 ft (27 m)

Displacement: 46,552 long tons (47,299 t) full load

Speed: 17.5 knots (32 km/h)

Ships

MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge Jr. (T-AK 3000) (formerly MV Estelle Maersk)

MV PFC William B. Baugh (T-AK-3001) (formerly MV Eleo Maersk)

MV PFC James Anderson Jr. (T-AK 3002) (formerly MV Emma Maersk)

MV 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman (T-AK-3003) (formerly MV Emilie Maersk)

MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips (T-AK-3004) (formerly Pvt. Harry Fisher, MV Evelyn Maersk)

Crew: 32 civilians, 10 technicians