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USNS Alan Shepard christened (12/7)

The U.S. Military Sealift Command has issued the following news release concerning the christening of the USNS Alan Shepard, part of the agency’s new T-AKE class of vessels. The Shepard will be crewed by members of the SIU Government Services Division. The release also is available on MSC’s web site HERE USNS Alan Shepard Christened USNS Alan Shepard, the U.S. Navy’s newest ship in the Lewis and Clark class of underway replenishment ships, was christened Dec. 6 during a ceremony at General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego, Calif. The ship is named after Navy Rear Adm. Alan B. Shepard Jr. Like the famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, for whom the first ship of the class was named, Shepard bravely volunteered to explore the unknown, and became the first American in space. “(This is) a good ship, named after a good man by a grateful nation,” said John H. Sununu, former governor of New Hampshire, as he delivered the ceremony’s principal address. Laura Churchley, Shepard’s eldest daughter, served as sponsor for the ship. The launching ceremony commenced in the time-honored Navy tradition when Churchley broke a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship “Alan Shepard.” About 600 people turned out for the ceremony. The USNS Alan Shepard is the third of the Navy’s T-AKE 1 class. These combat logistics force vessels are intended to replace the T-AE 26 Kilauea class ammunition ships, T-AFS 1 Mars class combat stores ships and, when operating with T-AO 187 Henry J. Kaiser-Class oiler ships, the AOE 1 Sacramento class fast combat support ships. Designed to operate independently for extended periods at sea, the ship will transfer ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items and expendable supplies and material to U.S., NATO and other allied ships while at sea. USNS Alan Shepard is 689 feet long, has an overall beam of 106 feet, a draft of 30 feet and displaces approximately 42,000 tons. Powered by a single-shaft diesel-electric propulsion system, the ship can reach a speed of 20 knots. It can also support two military logistics helicopters to conduct vertical replenishments. The ship is expected to be delivered to the Military Sealift Command in 2007 following a series of tests and sea trials. Military Sealift Command operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that replenish U.S. Navy ships, chart ocean bottoms, conduct undersea surveillance, strategically preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military equipment and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces. ###