Navy Ships: Turning Over Auxiliary Ship Operations to the Military SealiftCommand Could Save Millions

摘要

Navy auxiliary ships provide underway replenishment to Navy combatant shipsworldwide thereby allowing combatant ships to remain at sea for extended periods. These ships deliver cargo and provide services such as towing and salvage operations. Navy auxiliary ships are crewed either by active duty military personnel or civil service mariners. Those ships crewed by civil service mariners also have a small detachment of active duty Navy personnel aboard to provide communications, ordnance handling, supply support, and technical support. As of May 1997, the Navy's auxiliary fleet consisted of 42 ships-15 oilers, 6 stores ships, 7 ammunition ships, 7 tugs, and 7 multiproduct ships. One additional multiproduct ship of a new class is currently under construction. The Navy has delegated operational control of 27 of these ships to MSC, the military's single manager for sealift, to better support Navy fleet operations. MSC crews these 27 ships with civil service mariners. The Navy's remaining 15 auxiliary ships are crewed by military personnel. Under current policy, the Navy will not permit the use of commercial crews on any auxiliary ships because it considers their mission purely military in nature.