Report on Results of the Conventional Breakbulk Ship Pretest of the Joint Logistics-Over-the-Shore (LOTS) Test and Evaluation Program.

摘要

The primary objective of this Pretest was to determine the capability of the Services to use such a vessel for deploying selected heavy, outsized LOTS equipment to a site where fixed port facilities do not exist. This test, conducted during April 1976, was the first of five planned preliminary tests. The principal test items were the Army's two newly acquired container handling cranes (140-ton and 300-ton capacities), and Army LCM8 landing craft and Navy 3 x 15 floating causeway. The cranes were disassembled so that the weight of each major component was less than 60 long tons, the maximum capacity of heavy-lift booms on the majority of cargo ships. The causeway weight exceeded this capacity by only 0.3 long tons. The risk of making that lift would normally be acceptable under emergency conditions. All major test objectives were successfully achieved. One difficulty, a sling design problem that prevented the outloading of the P&H 9125 crane, was considered solvable (and has since been accomplished in another pretest). The P&H 9125 was landed by LCU (the boom sections were loaded aboard ship), fully assembled on the beach, and used to assist in the assembly of the larger crane. Both cranes suffered minor boom damage primarily from swaying into hatch comings during discharge. Training deficiencies were noted as well as the effects of off-shore sandbars and currents on the ability of boat crews to land equipment on the beach.