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USNS Spearhead Arrives in Rota, Spain

Navy News Service

Story Number: NNS150107-09
Release Date: 1/7/2015 11:54:00 AM

From U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet Public Affairs

ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- The Military Sealift Command's joint high-speed vessel USNS Spearhead (JHSV 1) pulled in to Rota, Spain, for a scheduled port visit Jan. 6.

The ship is on a scheduled deployment to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations to support the international collaborative capacity-building program Africa Partnership Station (APS).

Quotes:
'The military and civil service mariners aboard USNS Spearhead look forward to training and operating with African partner nations during Africa Partnership Station 2015. We are excited to participate in the important deployment and collaborative mission.'
- Cmdr. Matthew Flemming,
Africa Partnership Station Detachment commander

'The joint high-speed vessel is a tremendously capable platform for the collaborative exercises planned for Africa Partnership Station 2015. We look forward to the team's engagement with our African partners to increase interoperability and maritime security in the region.'
- Capt. John Rinko, commodore,
Military Sealift Command Europe & Africa/
Commander Task Force 63

Quick Facts:
*The Spearhead will serve under the international capacity building program APS, working with African partner nations to enhance maritime security off the coast of West Africa and in the Gulf of Guinea.

*APS works to develop the maritime capacity of countries under the four pillars of the maritime capacity building continuum: Maritime Professionals, Maritime Domain Awareness, Infrastructure, and Response Capabilities.

*Started in 2007, APS is a spectrum of activities that develops skill sets and interoperability among regional partners. As part of APS, Spearhead will participate in U.S. Naval Forces Africa-facilitated maritime exercises Obangame Express and Saharan Express which take place in the Gulf of Guinea and off West Africa, respectively.

*Spearhead is scheduled to visit and interact with more than 20 nations and sail more than 15,000 miles, highlighting U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet's commitment to partnerships.

*Spearhead, the first ship in the Navy's planned class of 10 joint high-speed vessels (JHSV), provides a forward-presence for emergent intra-theater transport needs, and a platform to work with partner nations in maritime security.

*Spearhead's shallow draft allows it to use ports and harbors inaccessible to larger ships.

*The 338-foot-long aluminum catamaran is capable of carrying 600 tons of military troops, vehicles, supplies, and equipment, and can transit 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots in a Sea State three.

*Spearhead has a 20,000-square-foot mission bay area that can be reconfigured to adapt to whatever mission the ship is tasked with - from carrying a containerized portable hospital to supporting disaster relief or transporting tanks and troops.

*This is Spearhead's first port visit since it began a scheduled deployment from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia, Dec. 28, 2014.

*U.S. 6th Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied, joint, and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.