103 Special Situation Transportation Requirements Flashcards
- 1 Discuss the mission of Special Assignment Airlift Missions (SAAM).
a. Who controls?
b. Capacity?
c. When used?
d. Capabilities?
SAAM is the highest cost method of transportation and must only be used in response to mission sensitive fleet readiness and logistics circumstances. A Special Airlift Assignment Mission (SAAM) is a mission performing and providing an exclusive service for a specific user at a desired movement time. SAAM are funded airlift missions that cannot be supported by channel missions due to:
• Unusual nature
• Sensitivity
• Urgency of the cargo
• Operational delivery to points other than the established channel structure
a. Who controls?
SAAM flights are requested from Air Mobility Command, via the Combatant Commander (INDOPACOM). NAVSUP Weapons System Support – Transportation and Distribution (WSS T&D) controls Navy-wide SAAM accounts. Fleet commanders may also request SAAMs directly from USTRANSCOM when those SAAMs are funded with their own funds. Fleets will send copies of echelon 2 validated and approved (echelon 2 funded) SAAM requests to USTRANSCOM, Operations and Plans (J3) with courtesy copy to NAVSUPSYSCOM WSS T&D. See: OPNAVINST 4630.26B, 2 July 2014.
b. Capacity?
Any and number type of aircraft can be obtained including C-5s and AN-124s.
c. When used?
SAAM are used when you can’t use channel missions due to:
• Unusual nature – oversize cargo such as submarine nose cone.
• Sensitivity – highly classified material
• Urgency of the cargo
• Operational delivery to points other than the established channel structure
d. Capabilities?
All types of aircraft including US military and cargo and passenger aircraft that can be chartered.
- 2 Explain the MSC role in contingencies with respect to the following in the PACFLT AOR.
a. Fast Sealift Ship (FSS)
b. Large Medium Speed Roll-On/Roll-Off (LMSR) vessels
c. Ready Reserve Fleet (RRF)
d. Drytime Contingency Contracts (DCC)
MSC is one of the three branches of US Transportation Command. MSC controls the replenishment, special purpose and military transport ships of the Navy. MSC has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US military services as well as for other government agencies. MSC has three major aspects: 1) Combat Logistics Force (CLF) ships that provide replacement to the Navy’s combatants; 2) Fleet Support and Special Mission ships, that provide a range of services including hospital ships, survey ships, and submarine support and includes prepositioned ships which provide forward at-sea storage and transportation of USMC, USAF and DLA equipment and supplies, and 3) Combatant Command Support that includes Sealift/Naval Transportation (NAVTRANS) that provides ocean transportation for the services and DLA. See: MSC 2018-2019 Handbook.
In addition to MSC, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) maintains sealift shipping that will be required to deploy forces. These ships are in the Ready Reserve Fleet. See: Maritime Admiration Ships Characteristics March 1, 2016 https://www.maritime.dot.gov/sites/marad.dot.gov/files/docs/national-defense/office-ship-operations/rrf/2691/maritime-administration-vessel-characterstics-pamphlet-32016.pdf.
a. Large Medium Speed Roll-On/Roll-Off (LMSR) (T-AKR) vessels
LMSR hold both containerized and palletized cargo and rolling stock. They are part of the Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) as well as are part Sealift force. There are four MPF LMSR, ten general Sealift LMSR and five Army Prepositioned Stocks LMSR. The ten general Sealift LMSR are maintained in reduced operating status. Each LMSR can move an Army Brigade Combat Team.
b. Container and Roll-on/Roll-Off (RO/RO) (T-AK) Ships
These ships are part of MPF (four), general Sealift (five), and two Army Container ships. The Army container ships provide 30-days of sustainment for a Brigade Combat Team.
c. Expeditionary Transfer Docks (T-ESD)
MSC has two T-ESD as part of the MPF. These ships serve as transfer stations to facilitate delivery of equipment from RO/ROs to areas with limited port access
d. High Speed Transports
MSC operates two types of high-speed vessels: nine Expeditionary Fast Transports (T-EPF) and two High-Speed Transports (HSTs). The HSTs are former Hawaii super-ferries. The T-EPFs can carry 312 passengers and 600 tons of cargo.
e. Long-term Charters
MSC has five petroleum product tankers (T-AOT) on charter as well as government owned T-AOT. These ships are used to distribute DoD fuel.
f. Ready Reserve Fleet (RRF)
The Maritime Administration manages and maintains the fleet of inactive, Government-owned vessels in the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) to serve as a reserve of ships for national defense and national emergencies. Consisting of approximately 100 ships, NDRF vessels are primarily militarily useful cargo and tanker ships.
A subset of the NDRF is the Ready Reserve Force (RRF) consisting of 46 vessels located strategically at ports throughout the country and managed in a stand-by status by MARAD. The RRF, when activated, is able within five-to-ten days, to transport equipment and supplies needed to support an initial military sealift of combat support equipment.
The program consists of 46 ships including: 35 roll-on/roll off (RO/RO) vessels (which includes 8 Fast Sealift Support vessels (FSS)), two heavy-lift or barge carrying ships, six auxiliary craneships, one tanker, and two aviation repair vessels. Two RRF ships are homeported in the NDRF anchorage in Beaumont, Texas. The balance are berthed at various U.S. ports. Layberth facilities are leased from commercial sources and by negotiating for government owned facilities. These outported locations are coordinated with military planners and chosen to minimize sailing time to strategic loadout ports. Outported RRF ships are also used as training platforms for cargo handling by Navy and Army units and for homeland security training by various law enforcement agencies. See: Maritime Administration Ships Characteristics, March 1, 2016.
When ships are activated from the RFF they are managed by MSC.
g. Fast Sealift Ship (FSS) (T-AKR)
MARAD has eight Fast Sealift Ships. These are RO/RO ships that can travel at 30 knots. They are all kept in reduced operating status. The eight FSS can carry al the equipment needed to outfit a full Army mechanized division. See: Maritime Administration Ships Characteristics, March 1, 2016.
