Our Aviation (N412B) team provides aviation supply support for Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS) and
Vertical Replenishment (VERTREP) helicopter detachments afloat.
Meanwhile, the helicopter deck can accommodate up to three Boeing UH-46E Sea Knight helicopters for
vertical replenishment operations.
Secondary missions include search and rescue, medical evacuation,
vertical replenishment, naval surface fire support and communications relay.
Aviation ordnancemen aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) attach a cargo pendant to an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to HSC-23 during a
vertical replenishment with USNS Bridge (T-AOE-10).
Later production MH-60S Knight Hawks may convert from
vertical replenishment to airborne mine countermeasures, and then to armed helicopter missions.
Both the Marine's F-35B and Navy's F-35C variants use the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine, but its power module--at 9,350 pounds when inside a storage container, it is the engine's heaviest and bulkiest component--is both too heavy for smaller
vertical replenishment (VERTREP) platforms such as the MH-60 helicopter, and too large to fit inside the C-2, leaving the only options being a heavy VERTREP with a H-53 or V-22.
However, that day we were tasked to support the ship and provide
vertical replenishment (VERTREP) services.
Requiring about 60 percent more space than the CH-46 and with no
vertical replenishment capability, the Osprey initially appeared to present more problems than solutions.
Sailors hook-up a pole pendant to a Military Sealift Command-contracted SA-330J Puma helicopter assigned to USNS Amelia Earhart (T-AKE 6) during
vertical replenishment aboard USS Tortuga (LSD 46) during exercise Talisman Saber 2009.
In addition to
vertical replenishment capability, it will have full underway replenishment capability and will capitalize on automated and modular technologies for all at-sea and inport commodity handling.
MH-60R aircraft carry out various missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare,
vertical replenishment, search and rescue, humanitarian relief and medical evacuation.