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MILITARY SEALIFT COMMAND SHIPS
PM3: PREPOSITIONING PROGRAM
MARITIME PREPOSITIONING
FORCE (ENHANCED) (MPF(E))
BRIEFING: The MPF(E) program, funded through the National
Defense Sealift Fund, supports the U.S. military’s prepositioning requirements using three lengthened roll-on/
roll-off-container ships. MPF(E) ships carry Navy Mobile
Construction Battalion equipment, fleet hospital equipment,
expeditionary airfield materials and a headquarters support
unit. In October 2012, USNS 1ST LT Harry L. Martin and USNS
LCPL Roy M. Wheat were transferred to the Sealift Program.
Stockham Conversion Container and RO/RO Ship
DISPLACEMENT: . . . . . . . . . 55, 123 long tons full load
LENGTH: ................906.9 feet
BEAM:................... 105. 6 feet
SPEED: .................. 24 knots
POWER PLAN T: . . . . . . . . . . slow-speed diesel
ENDURANCE:. . . . . . . . . . . . 12,000 nautical miles
CREW: ..................30civilians
CONVERSION YARD: . . . . . General Dynamics NASSCO
Deployment Location
T-AK 3017 GYSG T Fred W. Stockham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diego Garcia/MPSRON 2
EXPEDITIONARY TRANSFER
DOCK SHIPS (T-ESD)
BRIEFING: The T-ESD, formerly known as the mobile landing
platform, is a new design entering service to function as a
transfer station for prepositioning ships to offload and transfer cargo to ship-to-shore connector craft such as Landing
Craft Air Cushions. It features add-on modules to support a
vehicle staging area, side-port ramp, large mooring fenders
and parking lanes for three landing craft.
Montford Point was delivered on May 14, 2013, from General
Dynamics NASSCO, outfitted with its mission package at Vigor,
Astoria, Ore., and deployed to MPSRON 3 in spring 2015. John
Glenn was delivered on March 12, 2014, and was supporting Pacific Fleet requirements with a planned deployment to
MPSRON 3 in summer 2016.
Montford Point Class
DISPLACEMENT: . . . . . . . . . 81,406 metric tons
LENGTH: ................784 feet
BEAM:................... 164 feet
SPEED: .................. 15 knots
POWER PLANT: . . . . . . . . . . 2 General Electric Marine LM2500 gas turbines,
64,000 hp, 2 shafts, 2 controllable-pitch propellers
RANGE: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,500 nautical miles
CREW: .................. 34
BUILDER: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Dynamics NASSCO
Deployment Location
T-ESD 1 Montford Point ..............................FOS Korea/MPSRON 3
T-ESD 2 John Glenn ..................................FOS Korea/MPSRON 3
ARMY PREPOSITIONED
STOCKS AFLOAT (APS- 3)
BRIEFING: By 2007, seven of the eight Watson-class LMSRs
had discharged their prepositioned cargo overseas and were
placed in ROS near potential load ports in the United States to
be on standby for transportation missions and reactivation.
In 2008 and 2009, two of the eight LMSRs began their conversion for use by the Marine Corps to support MPS mission
requirements. The remaining six LMSRs returned to FOS and
deployed to MPSRONs 2 and 3 to support Army requirements.
Chartered container ships MV LTC John U.D. Page and MV
SSG Edward A. Carter Jr. continued their support of the Army,
returning to the United States every two and a half years to
support cargo refurbishment requirements.
Army Container Ships
T-AK 4496 MV LTC John U.D. Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diego Garcia/MPSRON 2
T-AK 4544 MV SSG Edward A. Carter Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diego Garcia/MPSRON 2
LARGE, MEDIUM-SPEED, ROLL-ON/
ROLL-OFF SHIPS (T-AKR)
BRIEFING: In 2008, the LMSR USNS Sisler began operating
as an MPS, followed by USNS Dahl in 2009. The Army’s six
LMSRs returned to MPSRON 2 and MPSRON 3 by 2012. In late
2014, the Army decided to decrease the amount of cargo prepositioned afloat and placed one of its six LMSRs in ROS.
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MONTFORD POINT MONTFORD POINT CLASS, FRONT, WITH USNS GYSG T
FRED W. S TOCKHAM
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SODERMAN WATSON CLASS DELIVERING A RIVERINE COMMAND BOAT
