The quote under the photograph on the opposite page is from the General Description in Specifications for Construction of an Ammunition Ship AE21-22, Department of the Navy, Bureau of Ships, 12 May 1953, marks the beginning of a fine class of auxiliaries. Contained in this brief paragraph is the mission and the very reason for existence of the AE. As an important member of the Underway Replenishment Group (URG), ammunition resupply ships took an impressive forward step when this new class came into being. With their addition to the Service Forces their improved capabilities were found to be operationally sound with the potential to fulfill any new requirements inherent in a technologically-changing combatant fleet.
Suribachi (AE-21) was the first of the class built by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard. Her keel was laid 31 January 1954, launched 2 November 1954, and commissioned 17 November 1956. The ship’s over-all length is 512 feet, with a beam of 72 feet. Maximum draft is 28 feet and loaded displacement is 17,400 tons. A single screw, driven by geared steam turbine with steam supplied from two Combustion Engineering, Inc., 675 psi boilers, which are two-drum, bent- tube, single-furnace, forced-draft type with economizer, superheater, and internal desuperheater featuring automatic combustion control. Electrical power is furnished by three General Electric impulse type Turbo-Generators. This plant produces a normal shaft horsepower of 12,500 with a resultant sustained sea speed of 18.5 knots for a cruising radius of approximately 10,000 miles.
A design feature worthy of note is the ship’s steering gear. It is of the electrohy-draulic, double ram, rapson slide operated type, complete with follow-up gear and controlled remotely from the pilot house by either a hydraulic telemotor or electric steering (hand or gyro). Control is also possible from the open bridge in electric steering, and the secondary conning station by electric steering or mechanical operating gear. The end result being an extremely reliable, versatile unit.
Berthing facilities amply provide for the 20 officers, 21 chief petty officers, and 309 crew members. The ship contains the Navy’s very latest features of habitability. For example, the crew’s mess hall provides comfortably installed seats grouped around four-man tables. Berthing compartments feature bunks with individual air conditioning, reading lights, foam-rubber mattresses, and attached personal lockers. Air conditioning is furnished throughout the ship, and lounges are comfortably situated for off-duty personnel.
The Suribachi-class of AE’s is considerably larger than previous ammunition ships. They are specifically configured to carry and transfer at sea the very latest in ammunition, weapons, missiles, and components. Modern design concepts are incorporated to facilitate the cargo handling for an increased over-all delivery rate while still adhering to the all important safety precautions. Foresight in planning has provided a spacious main deck area so arranged that adequate space is available to permit topside stockpiling in preparation for a replenishment. Fore-and-aft outboard passageways on the port and starboard side further facilitate cargo movement or relocation while utilizing power equipment.
When considering logistic support of naval forces an item of utmost import is the speed with which the necessary task may be completed. Prime concern centers on the packaging of the ammunition and components. The days of at-sea transfer in skip-box and cargo net are drawing to a close—today the unit load in palletized form represents the ultimate in safe and efficient resupply of ammunition. These unit loads are tailored for both ease in handling and the Fleet’s needs.
Although four 3-inch, 50-caliber rapid fire twin mounts are installed for the ship’s defense, it may be stated that under normal conditions her 12 ten-ton booms are indeed the main battery. Transfer stations are designed to utilize any type transfer rig, from the double-burton method for heavy loads inversely down to and including the manila high- line. Rather than the steam-type cargo winches found on the older replenishment ships, hydraulically controlled units are installed, and they have proven their worth in serviceability, reliability, and adaptability.
Wherever feasible, mechanical or power equipment is employed to expedite the handling of cargo. An excellent example is in the use of the 12 battery-powered fork lift trucks (with battery charging facilities installed in both stowage areas), six battery- powered pallet trucks, and ten hydraulic-lift hand transporters. All of the aforementioned are standard shipboard equipment and are used for cargo movements both topside and in the cargo holds—all of which tends toward greater flexibility in the replenishment rate.
The most impressive new-design item is found in conjunction with her main cargo holds. Each is serviced by a hinged, quick-acting, hydraulically operated, self-stowing type hatch. Once opened, the transfer stations adjacent to the hatch may be supplied with the various types of cargo from any level at a rapid rate of speed with two cargo elevators. The elevators are electromechanical and are unique since they may be operated independently for moderate-sized loads or, when mechanically coupled, in synchronous operation for heavy or bulky loads. And in the event of a material failure the cargo booms may be used to lift directly from the elevators at any level.
Safety, ease of maintenance, and rapid, secure stowage were paramount in the design of cargo ammunition stowage areas. A few pertinent examples: Telescoping roller doors of sheet steel, flanged for rigidity, and suspended on light gauge steel tracks overhead. The purpose of the doors is to fire-stop the opening and to provide for security of the cargo area adjacent to the elevator. Rugged spring-loaded hinged truck guards are furnished at elevator openings, all levels, mechanically actuated by the elevator to automatically raise the guards to a barrier position when the elevator is not at the landing. Magnesite-type deck covering between deck channels of aluminum in conjunction with a complete metal dunnage system. Finally, there is a high temperature alarm and flooding alarm complex coupled with an electro-hydraulic sprinkler system.
To protect the ammunition from the deteriorating effects of temperatures exceeding 85° F., a recirculating system is provided for each hold to maintain the correct temperature level. Heating is introduced in the same units for winter operations to maintain the spaces above 35° F. when the outside temperature is 10° F.
All of the above combine to enable ships of this class to replenish ships at sea on both sides simultaneously at a rate of transfer not heretofore attainable. With the many varied new installations in our combatant ships, particularly in weaponry, the requirements are ever changing, but thus far the challenge has been met.
Suribachi (AE-21) was the first of her class with Mauna Kea (AE-22) her sister ship. At that point a later transfer concept was incorporated—the counter-weight tension transfer rig. This improved system is found in Nitro (AE-23), Pyro (AE-24), and Haleakala (AE-25). As underway replenishment ships they act as a link between production and storage of ammunition ashore and its use by combatant ships on the high seas. The worldwide mobility of the U. S. Fleets depends on such underway replenishment ships and, as the development of ballistic missiles make fixed shore installations more and more vulnerable, the ability of our Fleets to stay at sea and keep moving becomes more and more important.