T-AOE-10 USNS Bridge alongside replenishment of CVN-68 USS Nimitz
In a world where the number of nuclear powered surface combatants that can circumnavigate the globe is dropping every month, fleet replenishment ships, such as oilers, ammunition ships, and stores ships, are the vital lifeline of the fleet while at sea. Simply put, if there are no replenishment ships, there can be no blue water Navy.
One of the most special and perfect of all ‘beans and bullets’ ships are the AOEs. These are combination ships that carry just about anything you can think of from petroleum, oil and lubricant products to foodstuffs, to ordnance. One stop shopping for the carrier battle group or amphibious ready group on the move.
And, in the interest of saving a few bucks, the DoD is inactivating USNS Bridge, the youngest AOE in the fleet.
But dont worry, she will be kept in 45-day Reserve Operating Status (ROS) at Bremerton, Washington. Surely the Navy always gets at least that much warning before a crisis.
Right?
