Military Sealift Command

Military Sealift Command
Name	Military Sealift Command
Formed	09 July 1949
Jurisdiction	United States Department of Defense
Headquarters	Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
Chief1 name	RDML Philip A. Sobeck
Chief1 position	Commander
Parent agency	United States Navy
Website	https://www.msc.navy.mil/

Military Sealift Command. It is the premier provider of ocean transportation for the United States Department of Defense, operating globally to deliver critical supplies, fuel, and equipment to deployed U.S. forces. The command's fleet of government-owned and chartered vessels supports a wide range of missions, from logistics and special operations to scientific research and strategic sealift. As a key component of United States Transportation Command, it ensures the United States can project and sustain military power anywhere in the world.

History

The command traces its origins to the United States Army Transport Service and the Naval Transportation Service, which were consolidated in 1949 to form the Military Sea Transportation Service (MSTS). This reorganization, following lessons from World War II, centralized control of defense sea transport under the United States Navy. During the Korean War and the Vietnam War, MSTS vessels were crucial for moving vast quantities of personnel and materiel to theater. It was renamed in 1970 to reflect its broader, command-level responsibilities. Key historical operations include the massive sealift for Operation Desert Storm and the ongoing support for Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve.

Organization

Headquartered at the Washington Navy Yard, the command is organized into several program offices and area commands to manage its global operations. The primary divisions include Sealift, Special Mission, and Prepositioning programs. Operational control is exercised through area commands: Military Sealift Command Europe and Africa in Naples, Military Sealift Command Pacific in Singapore, and Military Sealift Command Central in Manama. These area commands work closely with regional United States Navy fleets like the United States Sixth Fleet and United States Seventh Fleet, as well as with United States Marine Corps forces.

Fleet composition

The fleet is diverse, comprising approximately 125 civilian-crewed ships. Major categories include Underway Replenishment oilers and dry cargo ships like the Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship. The Prepositioning fleet includes vessels such as the Bob Hope-class vehicle cargo ship stationed in strategic locations like Diego Garcia. The Special Mission program operates submarine and missile range support ships, oceanographic survey vessels, and hospital ships like the USNS Mercy (T-AH-19). The command also charters commercial roll-on/roll-off and tanker ships from companies like Maersk Line, Limited to augment its core capability.

Operations and missions

Primary missions involve the daily Underway Replenishment of United States Navy carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups, enabling extended forward deployment. The Prepositioning program maintains stocks of United States Army and United States Marine Corps equipment at sea, ready for rapid crisis response, as seen during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Special Mission ships conduct oceanographic surveys for the Naval Oceanographic Office and provide support for NASA recovery operations. The command also executes Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, deploying assets like the USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) following events such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

Command and control

The commander, a Rear Admiral, reports to the Commander, United States Transportation Command for force assignment and to the Chief of Naval Operations for resource management. Operational tasking flows from United States Transportation Command through the Joint Staff and the Combatant Commands, such as United States Central Command. At sea, ships are tactically controlled by the numbered fleet commanders, like the Commander, United States Fifth Fleet, while the command retains administrative and life-cycle management responsibility for its government-owned vessels.

Civil service mariners

The fleet is primarily crewed by federal civil service mariners, who are employees of the United States Navy but are not uniformed Navy personnel. These licensed mariners and unlicensed personnel operate and maintain the vessels, ensuring a constant state of readiness. They are unionized, represented by organizations like the American Maritime Officers and the Seafarers International Union. A small number of ships in the Special Mission program also carry uniformed technical specialists from organizations like the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command or the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

Category:United States Navy Category:Logistics organizations Category:1949 establishments in the United States