The Military Sealift Command expeditionary sea base USNS Hershel 'Woody' Williams (ESB 4) is at anchor in the Chesapeake Bay, Sept. 15, 2019 during mine countermeasure equipment testing. (U.S. Navy photo by Bill Mesta/Released)
The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) is drafting a plan to sideline as many as 17 support ships due to a shortage of qualified mariners, according to a new report from USNI News.
The proposed “force generation reset” would place the ships in “extended maintenance” and reassign their crews to other vessels, potentially reducing the demand for civilian mariners by up to 700 positions.
The plan reportedly involves two Lewis and Clark-class replenishment ships, one fleet oiler, twelve Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transports (EPFs), and two expeditionary sea bases.
A defense official has reportedly confirmed the outline of the plan, and sources identified the forward-deployed sea bases as USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), based in Bahrain, and USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4), based in Greece, USNI News reported. Both ships support U.S. Central Command, European, and Africa Command operations.
The Navy acknowledged efforts to retask civilian mariners but did not provide specifics. The initiative is reportedly awaiting approval from Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti, according to USNI News.
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