The People's Liberation Army (Navy) hospital ship Peace Ark (T-AH 866), the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7) and the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310) maneuver into formation for a photo exercise during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014. (U.S. Navy photo)
The U.S. Navy’s plan to retire one of its two hospital ships is drawing fire from lawmakers who say the vessels provide important services for overseas humanitarian missions and victims of domestic natural disasters.According to the lawmakers, the proposal to retire either the USNS Comfort or the USNS Mercy in 2020 is reflected in the Navy’s recently released fiscal year 2019 budget request. Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) called the proposed retirement a “strategic mistake,” especially since China recently sent its own hospital ship to…
Chandler Construction Services Inc., Ninety Six, South Carolina, was awarded a $16,471,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the furnishing, installing, and placing into successful operation of water main pipe. The amount of this action is $16,471,000. Bids were solicited via the internet…
M1 Support Services LP, Denton, Texas, was awarded a $68,822,271 modification (P00206) to contract W9124G-17-C-0104 for Army and Air Force aviation maintenance. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $5,522,349,151. Work will be performed at…
Lake Union Drydock Co.* (LUDC), Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $12,683,144 firm-fixed-price contract for the maintenance, repair and preservation of YTT-10 (YTT-9 Cape Flattery-class torpedo trials craft) service life extension program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring…
Innovative Professional Solutions Inc.,* Panama City Beach, Florida, is awarded a $13,631,598 firm-fixed price/cost-only contract for fabrication and installation of minesweeping winches. This contract includes supplies for the government of the Republic of Korea (100%) under the Foreign Military Sales…
The U.S. Navy’s plan to retire one of its two hospital ships is drawing fire from lawmakers who say the vessels provide important services for overseas humanitarian missions and victims of domestic natural disasters.
According to the lawmakers, the proposal to retire either the USNS Comfort or the USNS Mercy in 2020 is reflected in the Navy’s recently released fiscal year 2019 budget request.
The People’s Liberation Army (Navy) hospital ship Peace Ark (T-AH 866), the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Rainier (T-AOE 7) and the Royal Norwegian Navy frigate HNoMS Fridtjof Nansen (F310) maneuver into formation for a photo exercise during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2014. (U.S. Navy photo)
Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) called the proposed retirement a “strategic mistake,” especially since China recently sent its own hospital ship to Djibouti as part of an effort to expand its influence there. The United States has a key Navy-led base in that Horn of Africa nation.
“Soft power is extremely important,” Austin said at a March 8 hearing of the House Armed Services Committee’s (HASC) readiness and seapower panels. “As respectfully as I know how to, I want to criticize the decision to draw down that soft power. I would actually hope that we would be building more ships where we could deliver services to the citizens as they need it.”
Rep. Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) said the Comfort provided “sorely needed” medical treatment to Gulf Coast residents during Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“There’s a national security requirement for two ships to respond to mass casualties from a potential forcible-entry operation, and the Navy’s planning on retiring one of them,” Kelly said. “If the requirement is two, we have to have two or we have to be screaming loudly.”
At the HASC hearing, Air Force Gen. Darren McDew, head of U.S. Transportation Command, told the lawmakers that while such decisions are made by the Navy, he will urge the service to reconsider.
“I will try my best,” McDew testified. “I’m a big fan of hospital ships because I love the fact that we can help injured and ill” people.
The Navy had no immediate comment on the matter.
General Dynamics [GD] NASSCO built the Comfort and Mercy as oil tankers in the 1970s. Both ships became Navy vessels in the 1980s.
Chandler Construction Services Inc., Ninety Six, South Carolina, was awarded a $16,471,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the furnishing, installing, and placing into successful operation of water main pipe. The amount of this action is $16,471,000. Bids were solicited via the internet…
M1 Support Services LP, Denton, Texas, was awarded a $68,822,271 modification (P00206) to contract W9124G-17-C-0104 for Army and Air Force aviation maintenance. The modification brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $5,522,349,151. Work will be performed at…
Lake Union Drydock Co.* (LUDC), Seattle, Washington, is awarded a $12,683,144 firm-fixed-price contract for the maintenance, repair and preservation of YTT-10 (YTT-9 Cape Flattery-class torpedo trials craft) service life extension program. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring…
Innovative Professional Solutions Inc.,* Panama City Beach, Florida, is awarded a $13,631,598 firm-fixed price/cost-only contract for fabrication and installation of minesweeping winches. This contract includes supplies for the government of the Republic of Korea (100%) under the Foreign Military Sales…
By 
