Navy to Christen USNS Robert E. Peary

[unhappycamper]

Navy to Christen USNS Robert E. Peary
Navy News | February 06, 2008

SAN DIEGO - The Navy will christen the USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE-5) at an 11 a.m. PST ceremony on Feb. 9.

The christening ceremony for the newest ship in the Lewis and Clark class of underway replenishment ships will be held at General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego.

The new ship honors Rear Adm. Robert Edwin Peary, (1856-1920), an American explorer born in Cresson, Pa., who is credited as the first person to reach the geographic North Pole. Peary was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy Oct. 26, 1881, and achieved the rank of rear admiral. He was recognized by Congress with a special act on March 30, 1911.

Vice Adm. Samuel J. Locklear III, commander, U.S. 3rd Fleet, will deliver the ceremony's principal address.

Peary S. Fowler, county circuit court judge for Monroe County, Fl., will serve as sponsor of the ship named for her great-grandfather. The launching ceremony will be highlighted in the time-honored Navy tradition when the sponsor breaks a bottle of champagne across the bow to formally christen the ship "Robert E. Peary.


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/features/0,15240,161575,00.html



uhc comment: Meet the $363,000,000 Combat Logistics Force (CLF) Underway Replenishment Naval vessel:



USNS Lewis and Clark (T-AKE-1)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USNS_Lewis_and_Clark_%28T-AKE-1%29

~snip~

Features

As an auxiliary support ship, the T-AKE will directly contribute to the ability of the Navy to maintain a forward presence. The T-AKE's primary mission will be delivering supplies to Navy ships from sources of supply like friendly ports, or from sea using specially equipped merchant ships. The T-AKE will transfer cargo — ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items and expendable supplies — at sea to station ships and other naval warfare forces. In its secondary mission, the T-AKE may be required to operate in concert with a Henry J. Kaiser-class (T-AO-187) oiler as a substitute on-station ship, providing direct logistic support to ships within a single carrier strike group.

The primary goal of the T-AKE program is to provide effective fleet underway replenishment capability at the lowest life cycle cost. To meet that goal, the ship is being built to commercial specifications and standards and will be certified/classed by the American Bureau of Shipping, the United States Coast Guard and other regulatory bodies. The ships will be operated by Military Sealift Command with civilian mariners crews (123 personnel) augmented by a military department (49 personnel).