Program Summary
The Support Ships, Boats and Craft Program Office (PMS 325) within PEO Ships
is responsible for procuring Lewis and Clark (T-AKE 1) class dry
cargo/ammunition ships, Special Mission Ships, service craft, seaborne targets,
and small boats and combatant craft for U.S. agencies and allied nations.
As an auxiliary support ship operated by the Military Sealift Command, T-AKEs
directly contribute to the ability of the Navy to maintain a forward presence.
In its primary mission role, the T-AKE provides logistic lift to deliver cargo
(ammunition, food, limited quantities of fuel, repair parts, ship store items,
and expendable supplies and material) to U.S. and allied Navy ships at sea. In
its secondary mission, T-AKEs may operate in concert with a Henry J.
Kaiser-class (T-AO 187) oiler as a substitute station ship to provide direct
logistics support to the ships within a Carrier Strike Group.
There are three programs under the category of Special Mission Ships being
managed by PMS 325. The newest missile range instrumentation Ship, USNS Howard
O. Lorenzen (T-AGM 25), will monitor missile launches and collect data to
improve missile efficiency and accuracy, monitor compliance with strategic arms
treaties and support U.S. military weapons test programs. The ship will replace
the USNS Observation Island (T-AGM 23), a 50-year-old ship nearing the end of
its service life. Oceanographic survey ships (T-AGS 66) are survey ships used to
study the world's oceans. The Navy's fleet of oceanographic survey ships
conducting oceanographic studies, mapping the ocean floor to update nautical
charts. The third type of special mission ship being designed by PMS 325 is the
Ocean-class AGOR. The Ocean class ships will be a general-purpose oceanographic
research vessels operating in coastal and deep ocean areas as part of the
nation's University National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS). Two new
Ocean Class AGORs are planned for development over the next 6 years.
Successful execution of the maritime strategy requires not only front line
surface combatants, but also the acquisition and construction of numerous high
performance boats and craft. In 2009, PMS 325 delivered more than 85 boats and
combatant craft to Navy commands and domestic agencies, including the newly
established Navy Expeditionary Combat Command. They have also delivered 186 high
performance boats and combatant craft to allied nations.
These craft are often built to existing commercial standards, resulting in
significant savings in cost and schedule.
Current domestic acquisitions include Riverine Assault Boats, Riverine
Command Boats, and Riverine Patrol Boats which are already deployed in-theater
with recently reformed Navy riverine squadrons; Force Protection Boats, barrier
tenders, Fleet Harbor Security Boats and service craft for U.S. Navy
installations worldwide; as well as more unique items like the Sail Training
Craft being procured for the U.S. Naval Academy or the passenger boats being
built to ferry tourists to the site of the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii.
The Navy’s foreign partners also rely on PMS 325 expertise in boat design and
acquisition. This assistance represents a commitment for continued cooperation
between the United States and our partners. The program office is aiding more
than 50 allied nations in boat and combatant craft procurements through Foreign
Military Sales, including the Middle East nations of Egypt,
Kuwait, Yemen, Oman; and Asian countries such as Malaysia and the Philippines
The program is also assisting South and Central American countries like Colombia
and El Salvador with the procurement of high-speed counternarcotics craft for
critical drug interdiction missions.
The program office is currently managing an aggressive effort to reconstitute
the Iraqi Navy with a fleet of 35 meter patrol craft and offshore support
vessels for use in guarding their critical offshore petroleum discharge
platforms. This procurement will provide Iraq the capability to enforce their
maritime sovereignty and security.