USNS Roy M. Wheat
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USNS LCPL Roy M. Wheat |
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| Ship data | ||
| Ship type : | Prepositioning ship | |
| Displacement : | 50,570 t | |
| Loading area: | 200,000 m² | |
| Length over all: | 263.10 m | |
| Width over everything: | 30 m | |
| Max. Draft : | 10.70 m | |
| Top speed: | 22 kn | |
| Crew: | 28–31 civil seamen | |
The USNS Roy M. Wheat is a United States Navy support ship . It can take on board equipment and accessories that are sufficient to supply 15,000 members of the US Marine Corps for a period of approximately 30 days. Depending on the application, tanks, ammunition, food, spare parts, operating materials and other equipment can be transported. The ConRo ship unloads its cargo both in ports and at anchor with barges. It is in use worldwide.
history
The Roy M. Wheat was named after a Lance Corporal who sacrificed his life in the Vietnam War in 1967 and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor . Wheat threw himself on a mine triggered by him and thus saved the lives of two comrades.
The ship was built in Ukraine and served as an auxiliary ship for the Soviet armed forces. At that time its length was 225.60 meters; after the US Navy bought the ship in 1997, a middle section extended it to its current size.
Like all United States Naval Ships, the Roy M. Wheat is government owned but unarmed and operated by a private company. The manning is low compared to auxiliary ships of the German Navy.
tasks
This ship and fifteen others make up the “Maritime Prepositioning Force”. This consists of three squadrons, each stationed in the Mediterranean , the East Atlantic , the Indian Ocean and the Pacific in the Guam / Saipan region . Your job is to ensure supplies to the US Marine Corps around the world. Typical loads are tanks, weapons, ammunition, fuel, medical equipment and consumer goods for the soldier.
This type of ship can carry soldiers and equipment directly to shore. This can be done using both cranes and a ramp system. Amphibious vehicles can be lowered directly onto the water via this ramp located at the stern of the ship . There is also the option of using a coupling system to extend the ramp up to 180 meters. Troops can be supplied or landed on unpaved coasts even without a port.
