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USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1)
Encyclopedia
USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1) is an American dry cargo ship, the lead ship of her namesake class
. It was the second ship of the United States Navy
to be named for the explorers
Meriwether Lewis
and William Clark. The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
(NASSCO) of San Diego, California
, on 18 October 2001 and her keel was laid down on 22 April 2004. She was launched
on 21 May 2005, co-sponsored by Jane Lewis Sale Henley and Lisa Clark, descendants of the ship's namesakes. She was delivered to the Navy on 20 June 2006.
ammunition ship, Mars-class
and Sirius-class combat stores ships, and when operating in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class
oiler, the T-AKE replaces the Sacramento-class fast combat support ship. The T-AKE Program consists of 14 ships with a budget of approximately $4 billion.
The primary goal of the T-AKE program is to provide effective fleet underway replenishment
capability at the lowest life cycle cost. To meet that goal, the ship was built to commercial specifications and standards and was certified/classed by the American Bureau of Shipping
, the United States Coast Guard
and other regulatory bodies. The ships are operated by Military Sealift Command
with civilian mariners crews (123 personnel) augmented by a military department (13 personnel).
This ship was featured in the History Channel
's Modern Marvels
episode on copper
.
.
The U.S. Navy had previously fielded a ballistic missile submarine
named (SSBN-644).
. The vessel was fitted out to be used as a prison ship
for captured pirates until they could be extradited to Kenya for trials. Sixteen pirates have so far been sent to Lewis and Clark after being captured in two different actions by the .
On May 6, 2009 USNS Lewis and Clark was approached by suspected pirates off the eastern coast of Somalia and took evasive action to prevent a successful attack. Suspected pirates then fired small arms
weapons from approximately two nautical miles toward Lewis and Clark, which fell one nautical mile short of the ship's stern. Lewis and Clark continued to increase speed and the skiffs ceased their pursuit of the U.S. ship.
On November 20, 2010 the Lewis and Clark responded to a distress call by the Chinese-flagged cargo ship M/V Tai An Kou which was under attack by Somalian pirates in a dhow and two skiffs. The crew on the Chinese vessel had secured themself in a safe room by the time the Lewis and Clark arrived on the scene. Upon sighting the US naval vessel, the pirates opened fire on her and the Lewis and Clark returned fire in a brief engagement that drove the pirates off without causing any casualties. The destroyer USS Winston Churchill then also arrived on the scene and launched a helicopter to provide additional assistance until the PLAN frigate Xuzhou arrived.
Lewis and Clark class dry cargo ship
The Lewis and Clark class of dry cargo ship is the next class of Combat Logistics Force underway replenishment vessels to be constructed for the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. Lewis and Clark-class ships will replace the existing fifteen Mars- and Sirius-class combat store ships...
. It was the second ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to be named for the explorers
Lewis and Clark Expedition
The Lewis and Clark Expedition, or ″Corps of Discovery Expedition" was the first transcontinental expedition to the Pacific Coast by the United States. Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson and led by two Virginia-born veterans of Indian wars in the Ohio Valley, Meriwether Lewis and William...
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis
Meriwether Lewis was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark...
and William Clark. The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, commonly referred to as NASSCO, is a shipyard in San Diego, California and Norfolk, Virginia and a division of General Dynamics. The shipyard specializes in constructing commercial cargo ships and auxiliary vessels for the US Navy and Military Sealift...
(NASSCO) of San Diego, California
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
, on 18 October 2001 and her keel was laid down on 22 April 2004. She was launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
on 21 May 2005, co-sponsored by Jane Lewis Sale Henley and Lisa Clark, descendants of the ship's namesakes. She was delivered to the Navy on 20 June 2006.
Description
The T-AKE is a new Combat Logistics Force (CLF) Underway Replenishment Naval vessel that replaces the current capability of the Kilauea-classKilauea class ammunition ship
The Kilauea class ammunition ship is a class of eight United States Navy cargo vessels designed for underway replenishment of naval warships. The ships were constructed 1968–72 and were initially commissioned naval ships, carrying a crew of naval personnel...
ammunition ship, Mars-class
Mars class combat stores ship
The Mars-class combat stores ships are a class of seven auxiliary vessels of the United States Navy. They are designed for underway replenishment, in support of carrier task force groups, carrying miscellaneous stores and munitions. Initially they carried no fuel oil or liquid cargo, but by the...
and Sirius-class combat stores ships, and when operating in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class
Henry J. Kaiser class oiler
The Henry J. Kaiser class is an American class of eighteen fleet replenishment oilers which began construction in August 1984. The class comprises fifteen oilers which are operated by Military Sealift Command to provide underway replenishment of fuel to United States Navy combat ships and jet fuel...
oiler, the T-AKE replaces the Sacramento-class fast combat support ship. The T-AKE Program consists of 14 ships with a budget of approximately $4 billion.
Features
As an auxiliary support ship, the T-AKE helps allow the Navy to maintain a forward presence. The T-AKE's primary mission is the delivery of supplies to Navy ships from sources of supply like friendly ports, or from sea using specially equipped merchant ships. The T-AKE transfers cargo — ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items and expendable supplies — at sea to station ships and other naval warfare forces. In its secondary mission, the T-AKE may be required to operate in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class (T-AO-187) oiler as a substitute on-station ship, providing direct logistic support to ships within a single carrier strike group.The primary goal of the T-AKE program is to provide effective fleet underway replenishment
Underway replenishment
Underway replenishment or replenishment at sea is a method of transferring fuel, munitions, and stores from one ship to another while under way.-History:...
capability at the lowest life cycle cost. To meet that goal, the ship was built to commercial specifications and standards and was certified/classed by the American Bureau of Shipping
American Bureau of Shipping
The American Bureau of Shipping is a classification society, with a mission to promote the security of life, property and the natural environment, primarily through the development and verification of standards for the design, construction and operational maintenance of marine-related facilities...
, the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and other regulatory bodies. The ships are operated by Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
with civilian mariners crews (123 personnel) augmented by a military department (13 personnel).
This ship was featured in the History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
's Modern Marvels
Modern Marvels
Modern Marvels is a documentary television series that premiered on January 1, 1995 on History. The program focuses on how technologies affect and are used in today's society....
episode on copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
.
Background
The Navy awarded National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, Calif., a $406.9 million competitive contract October 18, 2001, to build the first ship of the class, USNS Lewis and Clark. The Navy also exercised a $301.6 million dollar option in the contract for the construction of the second ship of the class, USNS SacagaweaUSNS Sacagawea (T-AKE-2)
USNS Sacagawea , a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship, was the third ship operated by the United States Navy to be named for Sacagawea, the Shoshone woman who acted as guide and interpreter for the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and one of the few United States Navy ships named for women.The...
.
The U.S. Navy had previously fielded a ballistic missile submarine
Ballistic missile submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles .-Description:Ballistic missile submarines are larger than any other type of submarine, in order to accommodate SLBMs such as the Russian R-29 or the American Trident...
named (SSBN-644).
Deployment
In February 2009 the ship was deployed off the coast of Somalia as part of Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of AfricaOperation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa
Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa is a joint task force of United States Africa Command . It originated under Operation Enduring Freedom-Horn of Africa as part of the United States response to the September 11, 2001 attacks...
. The vessel was fitted out to be used as a prison ship
Prison ship
A prison ship, historically sometimes called a prison hulk, is a vessel used as a prison, often to hold convicts awaiting transportation to penal colonies. This practice was popular with the British government in the 18th and 19th centuries....
for captured pirates until they could be extradited to Kenya for trials. Sixteen pirates have so far been sent to Lewis and Clark after being captured in two different actions by the .
On May 6, 2009 USNS Lewis and Clark was approached by suspected pirates off the eastern coast of Somalia and took evasive action to prevent a successful attack. Suspected pirates then fired small arms
Small arms
Small arms is a term of art used by armed forces to denote infantry weapons an individual soldier may carry. The description is usually limited to revolvers, pistols, submachine guns, carbines, assault rifles, battle rifles, multiple barrel firearms, sniper rifles, squad automatic weapons, light...
weapons from approximately two nautical miles toward Lewis and Clark, which fell one nautical mile short of the ship's stern. Lewis and Clark continued to increase speed and the skiffs ceased their pursuit of the U.S. ship.
On November 20, 2010 the Lewis and Clark responded to a distress call by the Chinese-flagged cargo ship M/V Tai An Kou which was under attack by Somalian pirates in a dhow and two skiffs. The crew on the Chinese vessel had secured themself in a safe room by the time the Lewis and Clark arrived on the scene. Upon sighting the US naval vessel, the pirates opened fire on her and the Lewis and Clark returned fire in a brief engagement that drove the pirates off without causing any casualties. The destroyer USS Winston Churchill then also arrived on the scene and launched a helicopter to provide additional assistance until the PLAN frigate Xuzhou arrived.
External links
- nvr.navy.mil: USNS Lewis and Clark
- msc.navy.mil: USNS Lewis and Clark
- navsource.org: USNS Lewis and Clark
- navysite.de: USNS Lewis and Clark