UPDATE: Damaged Navy Oiler USNS Big Horn Towed Dead Stick To Oman

New photos reveal the Military Sealift Command oiler USNS Big Horn, crippled and unable to steer,  being towed dead-stick into Duqm, Oman on Wednesday, September 25, following a grounding this week. “Dead stick” refers to an ship operating without engine power, relying solely on tugboats or drift to maintain control and navigate.

The Big Horn’s ordeal began when it broke its rudder and partially flooded in a grounding after refueling warships in the Middle East. An investigation has been launched by the US Navy, but questions hang in the air like storm clouds over a battered ship.

Maritime expert Sal Mercogliano captured the gravity of the situation on X, stating, “The ship is light on cargo, with the bow high and stern low – a clear sign it grounded aft.” His words paint a grim picture of a vessel in distress.

The crisis unfolded on Monday after the Big Horn resupplied warships – likely the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group – off the coast of Oman. The carrier group remains stationed in the region due to ongoing Houthi rebels targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Israel-Hamas conflict and Israel’s strikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A U.S. Navy official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the crew’s safety and emphasized that no oil spilled from the ship. Another source revealed that private tugboats raced to the scene, battling to bring the vessel to port for a full damage assessment

The world learned of this disaster when gCaptain broke the story by published images and video first posted to the gCaptain maritime forum showing flooding on the Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler. gCaptain initially reported that the Big Horn had “ran aground … and partially flooded off the coast of Oman.” US Naval Institute first confirmed the lack of harm to sailors and the environment.

Despite this crippling blow, U.S. officials vow that the mission continues. They claim the USS Abraham Lincoln stands ready, and the Navy assures us that other support vessels will step in – likely two Dry Cargo/Ammunition Ships T-AKE which have more limited refuel capacity – refueling at ports and ferrying crucial aviation fuel to the carrier.

This is the second time in recent months that a Navy logistics ship has run aground in the Middle East. Just two months ago, the T-AKE USNS Alan Shepard, ran aground near Bahrain in July. The Alan Shepard incident highlighted concerns over navigation and operational safety in the region’s congested waters and if the US Merchant Marine manning crisis is putting undue stress on the Military Sealift Command crews.

In both cases, the vessels were conducting crucial support missions for warships in an area rife with geopolitical tensions and heightened conflict risk. These recurring groundings raise questions about the challenges facing the Navy’s support fleet and the strain of ongoing operations near the Red Sea—which the US Navy has designated an active naval combat zone.

Related Video – USNS Big Horn Damaged

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