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NAVSUP Yokosuka Supports Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group

US Navy

From Brandon Taylor, Director Of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center Yokosuka
10 November 2020

Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Yokosuka performed a barge-loading operation onboard Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) in support of the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group.

The operation required the delivery of mail, general stock items, medical supplies and food to be consolidated and staged on a pier onboard CFAY, barge loaded and subsequently delivered to USNS Alan Shepherd (T-AKE 3) anchored in Tokyo Bay, about five miles away. From there, Alan Shepherd will transfer supplies to the Carrier Strike Group via replenishment-at-sea (RAS) operations.

"To make this happen, under suboptimal weather conditions, our skilled logisticians were lockstep with fleet and regional mission partners," said Capt. Edward Pidgeon, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka commanding officer. "This cross-unit coordination and adaptability of our teams ensures the optimal readiness of our mission partners in the region."

A total of three barge loads were delivered to Alan Shepherd on Oct. 29 and Oct. 30, requiring synchronization between NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Far East, Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Yokosuka, CFAY Security and Port Operations, a husbanding service provider, Military Sealift Command, Commander Task Force 73 and personnel aboard Alan Shepherd.

During the operation, a small craft advisory in Tokyo Bay threatened to halt barge movement, but a break in the weather permitted favorable conditions long enough to get all cargo successfully transferred aboard Alan Shepherd. With Alan Shepherd's distance, the time it usually takes to transit is 45 minutes, but due to the choppy conditions in Tokyo Bay, it took one hour each way for the three full barge loads to get delivered.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the frequency of port visits from U.S. warships has been limited. A cancellation or delay of this operation would've had significant impacts on the logistical support for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group and Keen Edge 2021, a joint exercise between the U.S. Navy, Royal Canadian Navy, the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force and more. RAS operations in the age of COVID-19 have become essential to keep ships supplied at sea, to allow for operations and exercises with the lack of in-port support.

Approximately 1,000 pallets were ultimately delivered to Alan Shepherd, a quantity three times larger than the average carrier strike group RAS.

"Complex planning and challenging environments are the nature of our work," said Operations Department Assistant Director, Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Peters, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka. "It takes a trusted and dedicated team to coordinate the delivery of this large quantity of supplies in a small time frame."

Following the delivery of supplies, Alan Shepherd returned to sea to support the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group with a RAS, allowing Keen Sword 21 to continue will all required cargo.

NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka is one of eight FLCs under Commander, NAVSUP. Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP's mission is to provide supplies, services, and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighter.