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USNS John Ericsson Conducts Replenishment Training with Singapore Navy

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS080111-07
Release Date: 1/11/2008 3:55:00 PM

By Edward Baxter, Sealift Logistics Command Far East Public Affairs

USNS ERICSSON, At Sea (NNS) -- Military Sealift Command's (MSC) fleet replenishment oiler USNS John Ericsson (T-AO 194) is conducting a replenishment training exercise with the Singapore Navy, Jan. 10-12.

The first part of the exercise was conducted pier side at the Republic of Singapore's Changi Naval Base. Ericsson was positioned directly across from the frigate RSN Stalwart (72) in a series of "dry runs" before attempting to conduct a refueling operation at sea. Singapore's navy does not have a fleet replenishment oiler in its fleet.

On Jan. 12, Ericsson, along with another Singapore frigate, RSN Steadfast (70), will get underway to conduct an at-sea replenishment operation off the Singapore coast. Steadfast is expected to conduct at least five training sessions at sea.

Neither frigate has attempted an underway replenishment operation before. But, this summer, Singapore will participate in the Rim of the Pacific multi-national naval exercise off the Hawaiian Islands. In order to complete their mission in the exercise, the Singaporean frigate will remain at sea for an extended period and will be required to take on fuel from a U.S. naval replenishment vessel while underway.

During the training crewmembers practiced rigging lines and attaching fuel probes and then reversing the process just as they would at sea. In total, four training sessions were conducted.

"The Singapore naval personnel showed superb seamanship and learned very quickly," said cargo mate Art Davis, a civilian-mariner assigned aboard Ericsson. Davis, along with two other civilian mariners from Ericsson, were aboard Stalwart and carefully instructed their Singapore counterparts on safety procedures, communications, line handling, and signaling.

Ericsson is one of MSC's 14 fleet replenishment oilers. The ship is more than 677 feet in length and has a crew of 82 civil-service mariners and four U.S. Navy personnel.

MSC operates the U.S. Navy's fleet of more than 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that deliver combat equipment to troops, re-supply Navy ships at sea, chart the ocean floor and perform a variety of other missions for the Department of Defense.

For more news from Commander Task Force 73, visit www.navy.mil/local/clwp/.