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Swift Delivery Showcases Versatility

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS060716-05
Release Date: 7/16/2006 9:50:00 PM

By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Bobby Northnagle, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- High Speed Vessel Swift (HSV 2) used her quickness, capacity and maneuverability to deliver repair parts and replenishment items from Manama, Bahrain, to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, in less than 12 hours.

Departing the afternoon of July 11, Swift left Bahrain’s Mina Salman pier with a shipload of cargo destined for USNS Supply (T-AOE 6) moored at Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. Twelve hours later, the Navy-leased catamaran arrived alongside Supply, ready to offload.

According to Swift’s Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Rob Morrison, this is just another example of the unique versatility that Swift offers the U.S. Navy.

“The cargo was only touched twice,” said Morrison, a native of Annapolis, Md., who commands Swift’s Little Creek, Va.-based Gold Crew. “[Normally] we’d have to load a truck with the cargo, offload it at the airport, load it back onto an aircraft, fly it to its destination, offload it, and move it by truck to the ship, where it's delivered to the ship and finally loaded aboard.”

“Instead of all that, [Swift] can do the same job, without stressing our intra-theater aircraft,” said Morrison.

Upon arrival, Swift’s crew had the cargo loaded onto the flight deck, thus allowing Supply’s crane immediate access to the palleted goods. Within an hour, the transfer was complete.

“That’s one of the things a vessel like Swift can do - rapid delivery of intra-theater cargo,” said Morrison. “Supply received its shipment much faster than usual, using less manpower. Now it can get underway and deliver cargo to its customers in the the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet area of operations.”

Streamlining intra-theater deliveries has the potential to save the Navy money, man-hours, and aircraft wear-and-tear. It could also make this 321-foot workhorse very popular in the region.

With its enormous 28,000-square-foot mission deck, the ability to traverse littoral waters, the capability of handling speeds in excess of 40 knots, and maneuverability that doesn’t require tugboat assistance when arriving or departing the pier, Swift is definitely a multi-tasker.

“The vessel has the cargo space of approximately 17 C-17 aircraft and the access of a Cyclone-class patrol boat,” said Lt. Cdr. Phillip Pournelle, executive officer of Swift’s Gold Crew and a native of Fairfax, Md. “None of these technologies are new, but combining them gives the Navy new capabilities to employ.”

For related news, visit the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.