Oklahoma City Conducts Mobile Logistics Demonstration with T-AKE

Photo By Lt. Meagan Morrison | APRA HARBOR, Guam (March 11, 2019) – USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723), a Los Angeles-class submarine, moors next to USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE 14) during an exercise in Apra Harbor, March 11. The exercise aims to assess the capabilities of USNS vessels to service submarines while in port and underway. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jordyn Diomede/Released)  

APRA HARBOR, GUAM

03.11.2019

Story by Lt.j.g. Meagan Morrison 

Commander, Submarine Squadron 15

APRA HARBOR, Guam (March 11, 2019) – USS Oklahoma City (SSN 723) conducted a mobile logistics demonstration with the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship USNS Cesar Chavez (T-AKE-14) in Apra Harbor, Guam March 11 in the first of many evolutions designed to evaluate supply ships’ ability to sustain submarine operations in an expeditionary setting.

The demonstration, which involved Oklahoma City mooring alongside Cesar Chavez was a first between a U.S. submarine and a dry cargo class ship. Dry cargo class ships routinely provide logistic lifts to deliver cargo (ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts and ship store items) to U.S. and allied ships at sea. The demonstration was completed to show that a submarine could safely go alongside a dry cargo class ship, which could facilitate the transfer of weapons, stores, critical repair parts, and provide the ability to support crew rest.

“Eventually we hope to expand on the demonstration to include large equipment transfers and parts,” said Lt. Cmdr. Andy Valerius, the logistics demo planner. “The ability to moor alongside a supply ship is a critical capability. If we could get parts and food stores from a dry cargo ship, it would reduce our dependence on our two submarine tenders, create significant cost savings and greatly enhance our ability to operate for a longer period of time away from major ports.”

“We frequently have to sacrifice opportunities for engagement with our allies and partners because of our inability to pull into a nearby port,” said Cmdr. Steven Lawrence, commanding officer of Oklahoma City. “I am hopeful that this demonstration, which in the years to come will prove that submarines can be replenished at sea just like any other warship, will lead to more bilateral engagements with regional allies and partners and facilitate the ability of submarines to complete war and peace time missions.”

Oklahoma City is one of four Los Angeles-class attack submarines assigned to Commander, Submarine Squadron Fifteen, which is located at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam in Apra Harbor, Guam. Also based out of Naval Base Guam are submarine tenders USS Frank Cable (AS 40) and USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are readily capable of meeting global operational requirements.

For more news from Commander, Submarine Squadron 15, visit our official CSS-15 website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/css15 and our official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SubmarineSquadron15/.

Are you interested in taking orders to Guam? Want to learn more about the duty station and life on our island? For more information, check out the ‘Go Guam!’ website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/go-guam/ and download the ‘1st Fifteen’ checklist.

• Date Taken: 03.11.2019
• Date Posted: 03.10.2019 23:42
• Story ID: 313731
• Location: APRA HARBOR, GU