USNS Watson
{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}
{{Distinguish|USS Watson (DD-482)}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=Watson (T-AKR-310).jpg |Ship image size=300px |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|2008}} |Ship name=USNS Watson |Ship namesake=George Watson (Medal of Honor) (1914–1943) |Ship ordered=15 September 1993 |Ship builder=National Steel and Shipbuilding Company |Ship laid down=23 May 1996 |Ship launched=26 July 1997 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service=23 June 1998 |Ship out of service= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship identification=*{{IMO Number|9112727}}
|Ship fate= |Ship status=in service |Ship honours= |Ship notes= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass|Watson|vehicle cargo ship}} |Ship displacement=29,000 tons |Ship length=950 ft |Ship beam=106 ft |Ship draught= |Ship draft=34 ft |Ship propulsion=Gas turbine |Ship speed= |Ship range= |Ship complement= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship notes= }} |
USNS Watson (T-AKR-310) is one of Military Sealift Command's nineteen Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off Ships and is part of the 33 ships in the Prepositioning Program. She is the lead ship of her class of vehicle cargo ships.
She was named for Private George Watson, a Medal of Honor recipient.
Laid down on 23 May 1996 and launched on 26 July 1997, Watson was put into service in the Pacific Ocean on 23 June 1998.{{Cite web|url=https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/docs/980630-press27.htm|title=MSC takes delivery of USNS Watson|access-date=3 June 2019}}
Notable deployments
{{stack|File:USNS Watson 2022-11-29 Honolulu Hawaii dvids.jpg}}
In November 2022, Watson took onboard part of an Army Prepositioned Stock and then went to Hawaii, there delivering more than 500 pieces of equipment, vehicles and containers, in support of its Operation Pathways exercise to be held in Australia in 2023. Unloading was done by soldiers of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, 25th Infantry Division, 599th Transportation Brigade, and 402nd Army Field Support Brigade. It was the first time Watson had visited Hawaii. The equipment will be inspected to ensure they're not carrying any pollen, animals or other organisms or material that could threaten ecosystems in Australia, before moving there.[https://www.military.com/daily-news/2022/12/05/army-moving-equipment-across-pacific-training.html Army Moving Equipment Across Pacific for Training], Military.com, 2022-12-05
References
External links
- {{Commons category-inline}}
- [http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/54/540310.htm USNS Watson (T-AKR-310) at navsource.org]
- [https://www.navysite.de/akr/akr310.htm USNS Watson (T-AKR 310) at navysite.de]
- [https://www.marinevesseltraffic.com/vessels/USNS-Watson-(T-AKR-310)/CURRENT-POSITION/9112727/368707000 USNS Watson (T-AKR-310) Current Position NATO WARSHIP at marinevesseltraffic.com]
- [https://www.vesselfinder.com/vessels/details/9112727 GT WATSON Naval/Naval Auxiliary, IMO 9112727 at vesselfinder.com]
{{Watson class vehicle cargo ship}}
{{Naval Vessel Register}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson}}
Category:Watson-class vehicle cargo ships