USNS Lewis and Clark
{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}
{{Other ships|USS Lewis and Clark}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=USNS Lewis and Clark T-AKE-1.jpg |Ship caption=USNS Lewis and Clark in the Atlantic Ocean, December 2006 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|2007}} |Ship name=USNS Lewis and Clark |Ship namesake=Meriwether Lewis and William Clark |Ship ordered=18 October 2001 |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=National Steel and Shipbuilding |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down=23 March 2004 |Ship launched=21 May 2005 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship in service=20 June 2006 |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|9271418}}
|Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship status={{Ship in active service}} |Ship fate= |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Lewis and Clark-class cargo ship |Ship type= |Ship tonnage= |Ship displacement={{convert|41,000|long ton|t|lk=on}} |Ship length={{convert|689|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|105.6|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draft={{convert|29.9|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=Integrated propulsion and ship service electrical system, with generation at 6.6 kV by FM/MAN B&W diesel generators; one fixed pitch propeller; bow thruster |Ship speed={{convert|20|kn|km/h|0}} |Ship range=*14,000 nautical miles at 20 knots
|Ship boats= |Ship capacity=*Max dry cargo weight:
|Ship troops= |Ship complement=13 military, 123 civilian |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft=two helicopters |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1) is an American dry cargo ship, the lead ship of her namesake class. It was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. The contract to build her was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on 18 October 2001 and her keel was laid down on 22 April 2004. She was launched on 21 May 2005, co-sponsored by Jane Lewis Sale Henley and Lisa Clark, descendants of the ship's namesakes. She was delivered to the Navy on 20 June 2006.
Description
{{more citations needed section|date=March 2016}}
{{stack|File:USNS Lewis and Clark;09750116.jpg}}
The T-AKE is a replenishment naval vessel operated by Military Sealift Command with civilian mariner crews (53 personnel) augmented by a military department (5 personnel). In 2012, Lewis and Clark became one of 14 ships that comprise the United States Marine Corps (USMC) Maritime Prepositioning Program (MPP).
Replenishment ships help allow the Marine Corps maintain a forward presence. Her primary mission is the delivery of supplies to enable the arrival and assembly of a Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB). The T-AKE transfers cargo – ammunition, food, fuel, repair parts, ship store items and expendable supplies to Marine and joint forces ashore.
The Navy awarded National Steel and Shipbuilding Company of San Diego, Calif., a $406.9 million competitive contract 18 October 2001, to build the first ship of the class, USNS Lewis and Clark. The Navy also exercised a $301.6 million option in the contract for the construction of the second ship of the class, {{USNS|Sacagawea|T-AKE-2|6}}.
The U.S. Navy had previously fielded a ballistic missile submarine named {{USS|Lewis and Clark|SSBN-644}}.
Antipiracy
File:US Navy 100831-N-4378P-036 USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1) is underway in the Arabian Sea.jpg
In February 2009, the ship was deployed off the coast of Somalia as part of Operation Enduring Freedom - Horn of Africa. The vessel was fitted out to be used as a prison ship for captured pirates.
{{cite web |url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-12-voa45.cfm |title=US Navy Captures More Pirates, May Take Them to Kenya |last=Pessin |first=Al |date=12 February 2009 |website=VOA News |access-date=13 February 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090215160935/http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-02-12-voa45.cfm |archive-date=15 February 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/africa/05/07/somalia.pirates.foiled/index.html |title=Navy ship outruns pirates, officials say |date=7 May 2009 |website=CNN World |access-date=12 February 2019}}{{cite web |url=http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/l755771-us-somalia-piracy/ |title=Somali pirates take Dutch boat, chase US supply ship |last=Cawthorne |first=Andrew |date=7 May 2009 |website=NewsDaily.com |access-date=12 February 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509010412/http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/l755771-us-somalia-piracy/ |archive-date=9 May 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.navy.mil/Search/display.asp?story_id=45081 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212211002/http://www.navy.mil/Search/display.asp?story_id=45081 |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 December 2012 |title=USNS Lewis and Clark Prevents Suspected Piracy Attack |date=7 May 2009 |work=Navy News |publisher=United States Navy |access-date=20 February 2010}}
On 20 November 2010, the Lewis and Clark responded to a distress call by the Chinese-flagged cargo ship M/V Tai An Kou which was under attack by Somalian pirates. Upon sighting the US naval vessel, the pirates opened fire and the Lewis and Clark returned fire in a brief engagement that drove the pirates off without causing any casualties. The destroyer {{USS|Winston S. Churchill}} then also arrived on the scene 10 hours later and launched a helicopter to provide additional assistance until the PLAN frigate Xuzhou arrived.{{cite web |url=http://www.dvidshub.net/news/60605/combined-maritime-forces-responds-suspected-pirate-attack |title=Combined Maritime Forces Responds To Suspected Pirate Attack |date=20 November 2010 |website=Defense Visual Information Distribution Service |access-date=12 February 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}
- {{Naval Vessel Register|https://www.nvr.navy.mil/SHIPDETAILS/SHIPSDETAIL_AKE_1.HTML}}
External links
{{commons category|IMO 9271418}}
- [http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=116&type=DryCargoAmmunitionShip msc.navy.mil: USNS Lewis and Clark] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815122642/http://www.msc.navy.mil/inventory/ships.asp?ship=116&type=DryCargoAmmunitionShip |date=15 August 2007 }}
- [https://www.msc.usff.navy.mil/Ships/Ship-Inventory/Dry-Cargo-Ammunition-Ships/ navy.mil]
{{Lewis and Clark class dry cargo ship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1)}}
Category:Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ships