Navy, Army and Marines conduct logistics exercise.
USS CARTER HALL, At Sea-Marines from 26 Marine Expeditionary Unit
transfer a 7-ton truck from amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall
(LSD 50) onto U.S. Army logistics support vessel USAV SP/4 James A.
Loux (LSV-6) during a stern gate transfer. During a stern gate transfer,
two ships at sea connect to transport supplies, equipment and
personnel. Carter Hall is part of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group,
supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation
efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo
by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristin L. Grover/Released), PO3 Kristin L. Grover, 12/23/2010 8:06 AM
USS CARTER HALL, At Sea-U.S. Army logistics support vessel USAV SP/4
James A. Loux (LSV-6) prepares to conduct a stern gate transfer with
amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50). During a stern
gate transfer, two ships at sea connect to transport supplies, equipment
and personnel. Carter Hall is part of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group,
supporting maritime security operations and theater security
cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S.
Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristin L.
Grover/Released), PO3 Kristin L. Grover, 12/23/2010 7:31 AM
USS CARTER HALL, At Sea-Amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall
(LSD 50) performs a stern gate transfer with U.S. Army logistics support
vessel USAV SP/4 James A. Loux (LSV-6). During a stern gate transfer,
two ships at sea connect to transport supplies, equipment and
personnel.Carter Hall is part of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group,
supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation
efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo
by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristin L. Grover/Released), PO3 Kristin L. Grover, 12/23/2010 8:02 AM
USS CARTER HALL, At Sea-U.S. Army landing craft utility USAV Molino Del
Rey (LCU 2029) prepares to perform a stern gate transfer with amphibious
dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50). During a stern gate
transfer, two ships at sea connect to transport supplies, equipment and
personnel. Carter Hall is part of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group,
supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation
efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo
by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kristin L. Grover/Released), PO3 Class Kristin L. Grover, 12/23/2010 10:03 AM
Awesome. I'm personally happy to see this. While this may seem like a non-event, its much more than that. This is another step in the Sea-Basing Concept. If they could only get the JHSV (and maybe an LHA/LHD) into the act next time then all the basic pieces will be in place. But even more importantly, the US Army is finally getting into the act. If that service buys in then the concept is assured of further funding.
Hi Sol,
ReplyDeleteI tend to think the logistics element of ship to shore operations are more relevant, more useful in a wider spectrum of operations and unfortunately, attract much less funding than the sexy fighty stuff!
Interesting to see that the US Army has its own ships. There are many anomalies like that, UK mexeflotes (pontoons/lighters) are operated by the Army but the ships they operate from are Royal Fleet Auxiliary (part of the Navy) and the landing craft operated by Royal Marines.
I wonder how much things like the Army operating its own ships will survive the looming budget cuts?
of all the barbs that i can throw at the US Navy, logistics isn't one of them.
ReplyDeletethey (and the Marine Corps) have been pretty innovative when it comes to solving the expeditionary problem of this issue. years ago with the Maritime Prepositioned Ships and now with the Sea Base Concept, they've been ahead of the curve.
as far as the Army losing its ships? doubt it. with attention swinging toward the Pacific away from the Middle East i really see them getting more not less.
as far as the looming budget cuts...i see it more about cutting at the edges not at the muscle...by that i see downsized forces meaning personnel cuts but not weapon systems. i think the EFV decision is more about politics than anything else, but i see the Marine Corps getting the same capability just years later and perhaps in a different form.
First off let me relate what a US Army Transportation Corps officer told me a long tine ago. "Its ALL about Throughput". The equaton includes ALL assets from origin to destination in sufficient quantities to matter at the front.
ReplyDeleteThese type stern marriages have been done before but all too infrequently. The pictured evolution shold be viewed in regard the Defense News article about the Army possibly turning some of its logistics vessels over to the Navy. Its real possiblity. See COMSC Sealift news.
The other technical aspect of the photo which should be noted is that the LSD has NO good means to Lo/Lo its non-rolling stock cargo over the side (the B&A cranes suck). UNTIL USN amphibs get redesigned so that the can go skin to skin with sealift ships, there will always be a kink in the throughput equation.
Finally there has ALREADY been an evolution off Africa wherein USNS Bobo, an LSD, the HSV2 and LCUs cross-decked cargo using an INLS RRDF at sea.
As a forner LST driver, I bemoan the fact that NO US ship sideloads INLS pontoons like the RFA does your MEXIFLOTEs. Another design feature to be re-introduced to the USN and MSC. Modern cranes make something easy.