• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

FISC Norfolk Assists Loading of MV-22

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS090818-16
Release Date: 8/18/2009 10:23:00 PM

By Robert Anderson, Fleet and Industrial Supply Center Norfolk

NORFOLK, Va (NNS) -- Fleet and Industrial Supply Center (FISC), Norfolk's Ocean Terminal division assisted during a load test on Aug. 11 at Pier 7 to determine the feasibility of transporting the V-22 Osprey aircraft aboard U.S. Maritime Administration Ships.

If successful, this option could offer a significantly lower cost option than the current avenue, using amphibious transport dock (LPD) and amphibious assault (LHA) ships.

The V-22, which costs $68.2 million, is the most flexible, capable and revolutionary combat troop transport aircraft in the world with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capability. Maritime Administration (MARAD) sent the Cape Race as the test vessel. The Cape Race is one of MARAD's 35 Roll-on/Roll-off (RO/RO) Ready Reserve Force ships. When these ships are activated, they come under the operational control of the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command. Cape Race is maintained in a high degree of readiness at Portsmouth, Va. Each RO/RO ship can carry about between 100,000 and 250,000 square feet of equipment and vehicles at a sustained speed of 15-27 knots.

The Cape Race has a fixed stern ramp and cargo side door that, technically, should be more than wide and tall enough for the V-22. However, no one in the exercise had ever actually loaded them, and there were a number of concerns. Would the weight of the aircraft, at 33,140 pounds empty, be an issue; would the V-22 actually clear the crest of the ramp; and could a full squadron of 12 aircraft fit inside the vessel. The analysis suggested that, if the RO/RO ship's ramp could handle the weight and if it were kept at nine degrees or less from horizontal, the V-22 could clear the crest of the ramp with three inches to spare on the aircraft's belly, and there was more than enough square feet of space, if the V-22 could be arranged correctly. However, no one had ever actually tried to do this.

Once the ship arrived at Pier 7, preparations of the quay wall by FISC Norfolk's Ocean Terminal stevedores allowed the ship to lower its roll-on/roll-off ramp to allow access to the ship's storage area. The ship also had to ballast the ship down three feet so the ramp would align properly to the quay wall. In 100-plus degree weather, the stevedores took great care in building the wooden approach to the ship's loading ramp to prevent a low hanging radar dome on the V-22 aircrafts from hitting the ramp. This was the first time a V-22 has been loaded on any cargo vessel, and by ever measurement this test was a resounding success.

On hand to conduct and witness the test were the V-22's crew, Marine Corps personnel, Cape Race's crew, aircraft handling personnel from Chamber's Field, Naval Air Systems Command, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command's Transportation Engineering Agency, Naval Station Norfolk Security, Naval Station Norfolk Port Operations, Cargo Handling Battalion 11, Maritime Administration Division of Atlantic Operations and FISC Norfolk's Ocean Terminal personnel.