Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Connor Burns | Sailors assigned to USS Boxer (LHD 4) receive a pallet on the weather decks during a...... read more read more
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The U.S. Navy has long been charged with preserving the peace by protecting international law, and safeguarding all nations' inherent right to freedom of the seas. Supplies and equipment are required to fuel the nearly 100 Navy ships operating around the globe every day.
The founding fathers knew the importance of establishing a Navy capable of self-sustainment, as Alexander Hamilton said in The Federalist No. 11, “To the establishment of a Navy, it must be indispensable.”
One major modern component to this maritime capability of self-sustainment is the execution of an underway replenishment, known as an “UNREP.” The UNREP evolution is a true testament to the coordination and teamwork required to keep each ship sea worthy and mission-focused. From the bridge-to-bridge communication in the pilot house, to the boatswain’s mates manning the replenishment-at-sea station and logistics specialists processing the oncoming inventory, it requires a focused performance from all hands involved.
“It’s definitely a sought after skill that the U.S. Navy has really developed and mastered.” said Lt. Cassidy Lewis, a native of San Diego and a qualified Officer of the Deck aboard Boxer. “Being less than 200 feet away from another vessel for an extended period of time while managing the effects of the ocean – along with maintaining clear and concise communication is critical to making the evolution successful and safe.”
The first documented replenishment-at-sea was during the Quasi-War by the USS Constitution in the Caribbean Sea in 1799. In the many years to follow, including the Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II, this method of replenishment was consistently refined, providing new innovative techniques to foster a more streamlined process as technological advances in maritime capability were developed. This included incorporating a larger amount of ammunition, stores, fuel and personnel in a shorter period of time, allowing warships in a wide range of areas of operation around the globe to maintain mission readiness. Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz called replenishment the “U.S. Navy’s secret weapon of World War II.”
The modern performance of a replenishment-at-sea is conducted in a vertical (VERTREP) and connected (CONREP) fashion depending on the situation and amount of materials required to transfer during the evolution.
Communication between the guide ship, sending the supplies, and the approach ship, receiving them, requires a large amount of planning. The sea state, time, location, speed, quantities needed and course are all factors taken into account before the evolution occurs. Once alongside, both vessels’ crews must be prepared to execute decisively in order to ensure the replenishment is a success.
“It’s important for the ship and the crew to experience a full scale evolution like a replenishment-at-sea,” said Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Eric Wade, a native Benton Harbor, Michigan. “It builds confidence knowing that we can sustain ourselves out at sea and continue to execute the Boxer’s mission going forward.”
On Oct. 3, Boxer conducted a replenishment-at-sea with Fleet Replenishment Oiler USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187). Boxer can also serve as the guide ship, demonstrating this capability during a refueling-at-sea with USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) a few days later.
“What it means for us and the fleet is that we can supply our smaller sister ships with fuel while at sea,” said Chief Machinist Mate Brandon Reese, a native of Prattville, Alabama, and lead chief petty officer of the hydraulics division. “It’s essential for the operational readiness of ships far from home anywhere in the world.”
Self-sustainment is key for ships at sea, and the crew aboard America’s Golden Gator works together—and with other vessels—to execute mission-critical underway replenishments that keep Boxer underway and mission-ready.
| Date Taken: | 10.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2023 23:51 |
| Story ID: | 457335 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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USS Boxer (LHD 4)
