Description
The 16 Maritime Prepositioning Ships are part of Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. They preposition U.S. Marine Corps vehicles, equipment and ammunition throughout the world.

Features
The MPS ships are assigned to three Maritime Prepositioning Ship squadrons located in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and the Western Pacific at Guam and Saipan. The MPS ships in each squadron have sufficient equipment, supplies and ammunition to support a Marine Expeditionary Brigade of about 17,000 personnel for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, having cranes which enable them to unload their own cargo. Beginning in 2000 with the delivery of USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin, three additional ships were added to the Maritime Prepositioning Force, adding the capacity to carry expeditionary airfields, Seabee construction equipment and field hospital cargo.

Background
The Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class is the original class of MPS ships chartered by Military Sealift Command. The five ships are Maersk Line ships converted by Bethlehem Steel. During conversion, the ships gained an additional 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing pad, among other things.

The Sgt. Matej Kocak Class, the second class of MPS ships chartered by MSC, also gained 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing platform after conversion. These ships, delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s, are National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, conversion ships owned and operated by Waterman Steamship Corp.

The 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo Class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass. They are owned and operated by American Overseas Marine.

USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin was modified in 1999 and delivered to MSC in 2000. USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham (ex-Soderman) was modified in 2000 and delivered to MSC in 2001. USNS Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat began modifications in 1999, included a 118-foot mid-body insertion plug and was delivered to MSC in 2003.

General Characteristics, Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class

Builder: Odense Staalskibsvaerft A/S, Lindo.
Propulsion: 1 Sulzer 7RND76M diesel; 16,800hp; 1 shaft; bow thruster.
Length: 755 feet (230.28 meters).
Beam: 90 feet (27.45 meters).
Displacement: 46,552 tons (47,296.07 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 17.5 knots (20.14 mph).
Crew: 32 civilians, 10 technicians.
Ships:
MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. (T-AK 3000) - formerly the MV Estelle Maersk
MV PFC William B. Baugh (T-AK 3001) - formerly the MV Eleo Maersk
MV PFC James Anderson, Jr. (T-AK 3002) - formerly the MV Emma Maersk
MV 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman (T-AK 3003) - formerly the MV Emilie Maersk
MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips (T-AK 3004) - formerly the MV Pvt. Harry Fisher, formerly the MV Evelyn Maersk

General Characteristics, Sgt. Matej Kocak Class

Builder: Pennsylvania SB Company, Chester, PA.
Propulsion: 2 boilers; 2 GE turbines; 30,000 hp; 1 shaft.
Length: 821 feet (250.41 meters).
Beam: 105.6 feet (32.21 meters).
Displacement: 48,754 tons(49,534.06 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 20 knots (23.02 mph).
Crew: 34 civilians, 10 technicians.
Load: Containers, 532; ro-ro, 152,236 square feet; JP-5 bbls, 20,290; DF-2 bbls, 12,355; Mogas bbls, 3,717; stable water, 2,189; cranes, 2 twin 50 ton and 1-30 ton gantry.
Aircraft: Helicopter platform only.
Ships:
MV Sgt. Matej Kocak (T-AK 3005) - formerly the SS John B. Waterman
MV PFC Eugene A. Obregon (T-AK 3006) - formerly the SS Thomas Heywood
MV Maj. Stephen W. Pless (T-AK 3007) - formerly the SS Charles Carroll

General Characteristics, 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo Class

Builder: General Dynamics, Quincy.
Propulsion: 2 Stork-Wartsilia Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels; 27,000 hp sustained; 1 shaft, bow thruster; 1,000 hp.
Length: 675.2 feet (205.94 meters).
Beam: 105.5 feet (32.18 meters).
Displacement: 44,330 tons (45,039.28 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 18 knots (20.71 mph).
Crew: 38 civilians, 10 technicians.
Load: Containers, 530; ro-ro, 152,185 square feet; JP-5 bbles, 20,776; DF-2 bbls, 13,334; Mogas bbls, 4,880; stable water, 2,357; cranes, 1 single and 2 twin 39 ton.
Aircraft: Helicopter platform only.
Ships:
MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008)
MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK 3009)
MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK 3010)
MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011)
MV Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012)

General Characteristics, 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin Class

Builder: Bremer Vulkan shipyard, Bremen, Germany.
Propulsion: 1 two-stroke Burmeister & Wain type K7SZ90/160 BL; Max 21,000 hp; 1 shaft; bow and stern thrusters.
Length: 754 feet (229.97 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (32.33 meters).
Displacement: 33,600 long tons (34,137.6 metric tons) on 36'0" summer salt water draft.
Speed: 18 knots (20.71 mph).
Crew: 27 civilians, 12 military technicians.
Ships:
USNS 1st Lt. Harry L. Martin (T-AK 3015) - formerly the MV Tarago

General Characteristics, Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham Class

Builder: Odsene Shipyard, Denmark.
Propulsion: 1 two-stroke Burmeister & Wain low-speed Diesel; 12L90GFCA; 12 cylinder; 46,653 bhp @ 97 rpm; 1 shaft; bow thruster.
Length: 907 feet (276.64 meters).
Beam: 106 feet (32.33 meters).
Displacement: 55,123 long tons (56,004.97 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 24 knots (27.62 mph).
Crew: 28 civilians, 12 military technicians.
Ships:
USNS Gunnery Sgt. Fred W. Stockham (T-AK 3017) - formerly the USNS Soderman (T-AKR 299) formerly the MV Lica Maersk

General Characteristics, Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat Class

Builder: Chernomorskiy Sudostroitelniy Zavol; Nikolayev, Ukraine.
Propulsion: COGAS (turbines), 2GTE DT59 Zorya, 2 shafts; bow and stern thrusters.
Length: 864 feet (263.52 meters).
Beam: 99 feet (30.20 meters).
Displacement: 50,570 long tons (51,379.12 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 20 knots (23.02 mph).
Crew: 31 civilians, 12 military technicians.
Ships:
USNS Lance Cpl. Roy M. Wheat (T-AK 3016) - formerly the GTS Bazaliya