1/Your moment of #sealift comes courtsey of the @USMC.
Latest word is USNS GySgt Fred W. Stockham of Maritime Prepositioning Squadron 2 based in Diego Garcia, which has just completed an extensive shipyard availablity, along with its cargo, has been told not to backload.
2/The ship arrived at the Marine Corps Depot at Blount Island on Feb 14 and was scheduled to commence backload as part of the routine maintenance cycle. @MSCSealift & the crew were told that is was cancelled. The ship will be shifted into a reduced operating status.
3/ The ship is one of three LMSRs assigned to MPSRON 2. Sisler is currently up in Norway conducting an exercise and USNS Seay is in the shipyard in Boston scheduled to backload next.
There are questions about some of the other ships.
4/Each MPSRON has an expeditionary support dock (ESD) assigned to it to allow ships to offload at anchor and transfer the cargo ashore by LCAC - part of a modified sea basing program.
Of the two ships, John Glenn has been in reduced operating status all last year.
5/Montford Point may join the vessel in lay up with talk of selling off the ships since the concept of Sea Basing has fallen out of use.
These ships are similar to ESBs, and should be considered for conversion into such ships, or command vessels, tenders, of hospital ships.
6/This may all stem from the @USMC Commandants Planning Guide that contains one single paragraph on the issue of Maritime Prepositioning.
So, is the Marine Corps following with what they did in 2012 when they deactivated MPSRON 1 in the Med, and preparing to do so again?
7/Why are they willing to lose the capability to preposition a Marine Expeditionary Brigade of 16,000 personnel, with equipment and sustainment for 30 days?
MPS demonstrated its concept in Saudi Arabia 1990, Somalia 1992, Iraq 2003 & 2004; along with a host of many other ops.
8/Please...Do not tell me that you are trading a proven concept that can support a MEB, for a light amphibious warship (LAW) that carries 75 Marines, cruises at 14 knots & load 4 to 8k ft2 of cargo.
Compared to one MPS that can carry 100 Marines, 24 knots and carry 300k ft2.
9/If you want the longer history of the Marine Corps prepositioning program, check out my article from @NavalInstitute Proceedings, Semper Sealift.
1/It is time to discuss a Tale of Two Carriers, @usnavy @CENTCOM Edition.
The @DeptofDefense just showcased the return of the @TheCVN69 strike group and the award of the Combat Action Ribbon to the ships (although they omitted the ships of the @MSCSealift.)
2/At the time of the #Houthi attacks on shipping, USS Ford Carrier Strike Group was in Med and IKE was in the Persian Gulf, with the destroyer USS Carney making its dramatic appearance by shooting down missiles and drones heading to Israel.
3/With the #Houthi seizure of MV Galaxy Leader (they still hold the ship and crew hostage), @CMF_Bahrain allocated reinforcements to plus up CTF 153 in the Red Sea and initiated Operation Prosperity Guardian.
1/I have been receiving a great deal of info on the #GazaPier and this is what I have been able to put together
1️⃣Weather was a major factor. A Sea State 5 storm necessitated the crews to evacuate to Benavidez and locally hired tugs. The offshore pier broke loose.
It took 5 hours to chase down the RRDF platform after it drifted 2 miles off.
2️⃣ Much of the equipment had not been fixed or refurbished from Exercise Talisman Saber 23. There was a dry run before the execution of Gaza and took 3 days. The test found deficiencies in the LSVs.
3️⃣ Most of the NCOs had little hands-on experience with the system beyond ops to resupply McMurdo Station since the cutback in the Army Watercraft program. Additionally, the Army Causeway Company lacks Warrant Officers. Many mid & junior officers lack similar knowledge.
1/The latest is that a portion of the Trident pier - the section that is grounded in #Gaza - broke loose while being towed to Israel due to high sea states.
2/ As I discussed in my video yesterday, if the US wanted to deliver aid to Gaza The best way to accomplish this 3was to use existing ports in Israel and Egypt and ship it overland into Gaza.
The least efficient is airdrops and then over the shore.
3/If the administration directed the @DeptofDefense @SecDef to conduct aid shipments by sea, there were several options available instead of a Joint Logistics Over the Shore (JLOTS) using the assets currently in place.
1/The @Heritage has released Project 2025 which is entitled Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise. Basically it would be the next Trump administration policy guide. In it is a section on Maritime Policy (p.637-638). Let's take a moment and digest it.
2/A little short on history as MARAD came from the US Shipping Board created in 1916 and then via the US Maritime Commission.
What is also omitted is that MARAD was originally under the Commerce Dept and included @FMC_gov it is purview.
3/This statement is 💯% the wrong choice. While they are correct that MARAD does not regulate its industry, it makes no argument to transfer it to @DHSgov.
MARAD should be reorganized into an entity that has oversight of all maritime aspects, akin to the FAA over aviation.
A temporary jetty was constructed from concrete and landfill to extend out from the shore.
It was done under the supervision of the IDF.
2/The Spanish-flagged tug Echo 1 Open Arms delivered the barge of 200 tons of food from @WCKitchen via Cyprus.
Due to the shallow draft off the jetty the tug could not push the barge alongside.
This is why the US Army Trident pier will extend approximately 1800 feet out.
3/The barge was maneuvered by the use of two small RHIBs.
This is extremely difficult and danger due to the mass of the barge and the power of the RHIBs. Any current or wind would have precluded this operation.