Military Sealift Command

1
Military Sealift Command

• Purpose to provide ocean transportation of fuel,
  equipment, supplies, ammunition, and troops to
  sustain U.S. forces worldwide
• Component of US TRANSCOM
• Most ships operated and maintained by civilians
• 4 distinct groups
• Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF)
• Special Mission Ships
• Prepositioning Force
• Sealift Force

2
History

• After WWII, 4 govt agencies controlled ocean
  transportation and were consolidated under
  Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS) in
  1949.
• Renamed Military Sealift Command (MSC) in 1970
• 1972 Navy manned these ships with civilians.
  This saved money, while allowing military
  personnel to be better utilized on combatants.
• OPERATION Desert Storm MSC moved over 95 of the
  total ammo, cargo, and equipment used by U.S.
  forces in the Middle east.
• MSC still plays vital role in supporting military
  services overseas and keeping Navy ships
  refueled/replenished at sea.

3
Workforce

• Today, Military Sealift Command has more than
  10,800 employees worldwide, approximately 80
  percent of which serve at sea.
• MSC is the largest employer of merchant mariners
  in the United States.
• Approximately 5,100 employees are federal civil
  service
• 660 are military personnel
• 4,600 are employed by MSC contractors.

4
Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force (NFAF)

• 34 civilian-manned vessels supporting the combat
  elements of the Navy
• Vessels are designed and manned to provide UNREPS
  to Navy ships at sea
• Fleet Tugs, Ammo Ships, Replenishment Oilers,
  Hospital Ships, Stores Ships, Fast Combatant
  Support Ships
• CIVMARS - federal govt employees who are
  civilian mariners on MSC ships.
• Designated USNS
• Help with Navy missions of Power Projection, Sea
  Control, and Forward Presence
• Letter T precedes civilian-manned ships (i.e.
  T-AOE 8)

5
MSC Ship Inventory

• Military Sealift Command currently daily operates
  an average of 110 non-combatant, civilian-crewed
  ships worldwide. In addition, the command has
  access to other ships that are kept in reduced
  operating status, ready to be activated if needed.

6
Ammunition Ships

• 7 ammo ships in operation
• T-AE is designator. C
• Can also carry dry cargo and fuel for CSGs
  ESGs
• Can resupply up to 3 ships at the same time. (Two
  alongside, One via vertrep)
• Can carry up to 2 helicopters

7
Fleet Tugs

• 5 tugs in operation with designator T-ATF
• Towing, diving support, salvage and other
  services to the Navy
• One tug assigned to each fleet commander at any
  time

8
Oilers

• 13 oilers in operation with designator T-AO
• Carry jet fuel (JP-5) fuel for surface ships
  (DFM)
• Can refuel 2 ships simultaneously
• Carriers on the port side

9
Combat Stores Ships

• 6 ships in operation with designator T-AFS
• Provide dry cargo and fresh/frozen foods to
  strike groups at sea
• Like Ammo ships, they can deliver provisions to
  multiple ships at the same time via CONREP
  VERTREP

10
Fast Combatant Support Ships

• Most capable logistics ships in the world. Can go
  up to 30 knots. Designator T-AOE
• Deploy with CSGs
• Carry fuel, food, ammo, dry cargo. Can also
  carry up to 2 helicopters.
• Navy began transforming USS to USNS in 2001

11
Hospital Ships

• 2 ships in operation with designator T-AH
• 300 hospital beds and 12 operating rooms on each

12
Special Mission Ships

• 29 ships in operation around the world
• Duties include oceanographic hydrographic
  surveying, cable-laying, missile range, ocean
  surveillance, counter drug ops, rescue missions,
  and Navy submarine testing support

13
Afloat Prepositioning Program

• Operates 35 ships at sea in 3 theatres of
  operation
• 15 USMC (maritime prepositioning),
• 13 USA (combat prepositioning),
• 7 logistics prepositioning (USAF, other
  services ammunition equipment)
• Form the backbone of the Navys strategic sealift
  mission

14
Maritime Prepositioning Force(MPF)

• Support the USMC overseas.
• Hold tanks, food, fuel, parts, engine oil, ammo,
  etc
• 3 squadrons
• MPS Squadron One 5 ships located in Atlantic
  Ocean or the Med
• MPS Squadron Two 6 ships located in Diego
  Garcia
• MPS Squadron Three 4 ships located in
  Guam/Saipan area
• Each Squadron carries enough equipment/supplies
  to sustain up to 17,000 USMC Air Ground Task
  Force personnel for up to 30 days

15
Combat Prepositioning Force

• 15 ships that support the Army overseas
• 8 large roll on/roll off ships located in the
  Persian Gulf
• 4 contain equipment and 4 contain vehicles and
  cargo

16
Logistics Prepositioning Force

• As of 2001, 7 ships were operating for the USMC
  (2), USAF (3), USN (1) and Defense Logistics
  Agency (DLA) (1)
• Provide basic logistics to forward deployed units
  for each branch of service

17
Sealift

• Logistical support on behalf of the DODs global
  operations
• 3 groups of ships 15 tankers support the NFAF, 8
  surge ships support MSC, and 16 ships support the
  DODs cargo transportation needs

18
Summary

• Overall, MSC is the largest and most capable
  shipping organization in the world.
• Its ability to support the US Navy at sea in 5
  operating areas while supporting the USA, USAF,
  and USMC allows MSC to stand alone in the
  logistics world