By Ed Baxter, MSCFE Public Affairs
Air Force Gen. William M. Fraser, III, commander, U.S. Transportation Command made his first-ever visit to one of Military Sealift Command’s dry cargo/ammunition ships, Jan. 23.
The following blog post was written by Ed Baxter, MSCFE Public Affairs.
Military Sealift Command offshore petroleum distribution system ship USNS Vice Adm. K.R. Wheeler (T-AG 5001), and its support vessel USNS Fast Tempo, pulled away from Singapore’s Sembawang Wharves this week after completing six weeks of repairs and upgrades.
Wheeler returned to prepositioning duties as the U.S. Navy’s only vessel capable of pumping diesel or aviation fuel to shore from up to eight miles off the coast. With flexible pipe stored on 35-foot-tall spools on its weather deck, Wheeler delivers vital fuel to U.S. forces ashore during contingency operations where port facilities may be either damaged, destroyed or non-existent. The 145 foot Fast Tempo sails with Wheeler and its primary support vessel.
The following blog post is the second part of a two-part series focused on USNS VADM K.R. Wheeler (T-AG 5001), a Military Sealift Command Offshore Petroleum Distribution System that belongs to MSC’s Prepositioning Program. Capable of delivering fuel from up to eight miles offshore, MSC officially purchased Wheeler in August 2012 in Pusan, South Korea, making the ship a permament member of the MSC Prepositioning fleet.
Wheeler has officially departed the dry dock at Singapore’s Sembawang commercial shipyard after undergoing routine repairs since Sept. 21.