USNS Spica, a combat stores ship

The combat stores ship is a class of U.S. Navy ship. They provide supplies, including frozen, chilled and dry provisions, and propulsion and aviation fuel to U.S. Navy combatant ships that are at sea for extended periods of time. USNS Spica photo from www. ... USNS Spica photo from www. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ...

Description: Six combat stores ships operated by Military Sealift Command provide supplies, including frozen, chilled and dry provisions, and propulsion and aviation fuel to U.S. Navy combatant ships that are at sea for extended periods of time.

Features: Combat stores ships provide underway replenishment of all types of supplies, ranging from repair parts to fresh food, clothing and mail via tensioned cargo rigs and UH-60 Seahawk helicopters or their commercial equivalents.

Background:USNS Concord (T-AFS 5) became the first of five Navy Mars-class ships to be transferred to Military Sealift Command on October 15, 1992. Mars followed on February 1, 1993, USNS San Diego on August 11, 1993, USNS San Jose on November 2, 1993, and USNS Niagara Falls on September 23, 1994. San Diego was deactivated on December 10, 1997, and Mars was deactivated on February 12, 1998. USNS Sirius (T-AFS 8) was transferred from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary to MSC on January 18, 1981; USNS Spica (T-AFS 9) on November 5, 1981; and USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) on December 13, 1983. October 15 is the 288th day of the year (289th in Leap years). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... August 11 is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... January 18 is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... December 13 is the 347th day of the year (348th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

General Characteristics, Mars Class

• Builders: National Steel and Shipbuilding Co, San Diego, Calif.
• Power Plant: 3 Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 580 psi (3.7 MPa); 8250 °F (4400 °C); 1 De Laval turbine; 22,000 hp (16.4 MW) sustained; 1 shaft
• Length: 581 feet (177.1 meters)
• Beam: 79 feet (24.1 meters)
• Displacement: 9,200 tons (9,350 metric tons) light ; 15,900–18,663 tons (16,160–18,960 metric tons) full load
• Speed: 21 knots (24 mph, 39 km/h)
• Aircraft: Two embarked MH-60S Knighthawk helicopters (normally embarked)
• Ships: No homeports assigned
• USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS 3)
• USNS Concord (T-AFS 5)
• USNS San Jose (T-AFS 7)
• Crew: 26 Navy personnel, 118 civilians
• Armament: 4 M240G 7.62x51mm medium machine guns or M249 5.56x45mm light MG, and 1 M2 12.7x99mm heavy machine gun when security detachment is embarked.

General Characteristics, Sirius Class The megapascal, symbol MPa is an SI unit of pressure. ... The M240 is a 7. ... Caliber: 5. ... M2 may refer to: m², the basic SI unit of area M2 machine gun, a type of weapon. ...

• Builder: Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne, UK
• Power Plant: 1 Wallsend-Sulzer 8RD76 diesel, 11,520 hp (8.59 MW); 1 shaft
• Length: 524 feet (159.7 meters)
• Beam: 72 feet (22 meters)
• Displacement: 9,010 tons (9,150 metric tons) light ; 16,792 tons (17,061 metric tons) full load
• Speed: 19 knots (22 mph, 35 km/h)
• Aircraft: Two helicopters (normally embarked) can be UH-46E Sea Knight, MH-60S Knighthawks or their commercial equivalents (typically Aerospatiale Super Puma).
• Ships: No homeports assigned
• USNS Sirius (T-AFS 8)
• USNS Spica (T-AFS 9)
• USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10)
• Crew: 27 Navy personnel (MILDEPT), 30 Navy or 7 civilian aviation detachment, 25 Navy or Marine security detachment, 115 civilians (CIVMAR)
• Armament: 4 M240G 7.62x51mm medium machine guns or M249 5.56x45mm light MG, and 1 M2 12.7x99mm heavy machine gun when security detachment is embarked. Mounts exist for two 25mm Mk. 38 VHMG, but the guns are not typically carried.