T-AVB Introduction Brief to

NAVAIR PMA-260

(RT-CASS Test Team)

By Paul S. Cerkez

DCS Corporation

What is the T-AVB?

The Aviation Logistics Ship A ‘task’ loaded container ship that allows

embarked aviation support Marines to perform limited Intermediate Level Aircraft Maintenance

MARAD owned, MSC operated, dedicated USMC asset

History

Mission:

The mission of the T-AVB is to provide rapid

and dedicated sealift for employment of a

tailored aviation Intermediate Maintenance

Activity (IMA) to support deployment of U.S.

Marine Corps fixed and rotary wing aircraft. The

majority of the IMA equipment and supplies

required to sustain forward deployed Fixed

Wing (FW) and Rotary Wing (RW) Aircraft will

be delivered via the T-AVB.

History

Without the T-AVB, it would require approximately 140 C-141 lifts to deploy an equivalent I-level capability to a crisis area.

In the mid-1980s, the Navy purchased two ships to become the T-AVBs and solve the transportation problem.

History

These modified ships belong to the RRF and are the SS WRIGHT (T-AVB 3) and the SS CURTISS (T-AVB 4), now known as the WRIGHT Class.

The ships are maintained in a five day Reduced

Operating Status (ROS-5)

The ROS-5 status allows for a transition to full operating status within 120 hours.

• Three basic modes of operation exist for these T-AVB ships:– Operational Mode

• up to 300 mobile facilities and 42 access modules can be loaded on the T-AVB; 186 of which may be fully powered and operational.

• Operational mode is the primary mode of operation for the T-AVB.

– Transport Mode • More than 660 mobile facilities or TEUs can be loaded

aboard the T-AVB.

– Combination Mode• Anything in-between fully operational and fully

transport.

Ship Familiarization

Aviation Logistics Support Organizational

Support

FISP

MPS

TAVBPCSPCCSP

FOSP

D-10 D-5D-day

D+7 D+30 D+60 D+90 D+120

TAC A/CDepart POE

TAC A/Cin AOR

MPS Sails MPS in AOR

TAVB Sails

TAVBActivated

TAVB at SPOE

TAVB In AOR

FOSP at POE

FOSPin AOR

Background

The T-AVBs will be around until about 2015 or 2020 for use by Marine Aviation

We (DCS) provide “corporate knowledge” and long term stability of TAVB experiences

“Due to the dynamic nature of personnel movement and assignments in the Marine Corps, ‘corporate knowledge’ of T-AVB related events, activities, and capabilities is fleeting. “ (FY-03 SOW)

TAVB Hierarchy “Players”

MSC: Military Sealift Command MSC is a U.S. Navy command and is one of three component commands

reporting to the joint service U.S. Transportation Command, known as USTRANSCOM

MARAD: Maritime Administration:

USMC Area CINC

Quotes from MSC web pages:

“SS Wright is part of the Ready Reserve Force, but is dedicated to Prepositioning duties for the USMC.”

“SS Curtiss is part of the Ready Reserve Force, but is dedicated to Prepositioning duties for the USMC”

Quotes from MSC web Pages

Two aviation logistics support ships, SS Curtiss and SS

Wright, support United States Marine Corps fixed and

rotor wing aircraft. The two ships are maintained by the

Maritime Administration. They are part of MSC’s

LOGISTICS Prepositioning Force. ( They used to be part of the

MPF until recently.)

The [MSC] Logistics Prepositioning Force staff work

hand-in-hand with commercial operating companies and

vessel owners who provide the vessels to MSC under

contract.

Doctrine

Ship Activation: The TAVB is either made available to CINCs for use in their OPLANs, or it is requested by the

MAGTF commander while determining his embarkation requirements. In either case, the TAVB becomes activated by MARAD. MARAD uses the ships retention crew … to reactivate the ship systems and prepare vessel to get under way.

  Command Relationships: 1.      Specific decisions regarding the activation of the T-AVB to support deployment of MALS assets

will be issued based upon NCA direction and guidance. CJCS, as principal military advisor to the NCA, will provide specific option and identify forces available from the appropriate unified CINC. The unified CINC plans contingency deployment and employment of forces in their AOR, while the FLTCINC naval component commander has OPCON of the TAVB.

2.      COMSC is the type commander for the TAVB. When the TAVB activation order is received from NCA, COMSC will order MARAD to activate the vessel. [MARAD activates the ship]. CHOP from MARAD to MSC occurs following successful completion of sea trials. MARAD continues to man and operate the TAVB and will receive orders from the MSC area commander.

3.      The MSC area commander retains OPCON and ADCON of the TAVB during the embarkation phase.

4.      After the embarkation phase and during transit, OPCON shifts to the appropriate numbered fleet commander. ADCON is retained by the supporting MSC area commander/sub area commander.

5.      The TAVB reports to the COMNAVFOR, CATF, MAGTF commander or CMPF, as applicable, upon arrival in the AOR. 

Doctrine

The TAVBs are national assets. The ‘controlling’ CINC requests from the NCA activation from MSC

When ships are activated the do not become USNS, they remain MARAD “SS” vessels.

TAVB ships are under ADCON to MSC and operated/maintained by civilian crews under contract to MARAD.

When activated, they are under are ADCON/OPCON to MSC until embarkation is complete. Once in transit, they fall under the commander of the operating forces in the area. In transit, what will typically happen is the CINC tells MSC where to send

the ship, MSC then tells the ship. Once in the AOR the lines are more direct

Doctrine

Once in the AOR, if it is determined that the TAVB is no longer require as a ‘tactically necessary’, the CINC can release it to MSC at which time it reverts to its secondary role as a MSC re-supply ship (still under OPCON to the CINC, but can be CHOP’d to another CINC by NCA if conditions dictate).

Home

IMA Electrical Power (60 Hz)

Steam is the primary power source and diesel is the backup.

There are two 1500 KW, 450 VAC 60 Hz 3-phase steam-driven

generators.

The generators supply power to all electrical zones via a series of 300

KVA, 440/208 - 120VAC, 60 Hz Delta/Wye connected transformers.

Backup power is provided by the 1500 KW, 450 VAC, 60 Hz, 3-

phase, ship service diesel generator permanently installed in the ship

(commonly referred to as the Electric Motor Division or "EMD").

The EMD is located in the Auxiliary Machine Room (AMR ). The

EMD is part of the ship's total electrical power plant and not

designated for the exclusive use of the deployed IMA

IMA Electrical Power (400 Hz)

400 Hz power is provided by 13 MMG-1As. These sets may be embarked as RO/RO or LO/LO

cargo to the second deck and secured on the second deck in Hold 2, port and starboard, near the IMA power distribution rooms between Frames 48 and 57.

The motor side of each generator is connected to a 200 amp 60 Hz receptacle provided.

The output (400 Hz) cable of each MMG-1A is connected to the provided 400 Hz input receptacle which feeds up to six other service receptacles within a designated distribution zone.

TAVB Alt in process to replace all MMGs with two dedicated 400hz permanent static converters.

LP Air

A motor driven air compressor rated at 200 CFM at 125 PSI provides all the compressed air required by the MFs while in the T‑AVB.

Each air outlet is fitted with a moisture separator and a hose valve.

The valve is a Powell type gate valve catalog 502H, 200 PSI, ½ inch hose thread, with cap and chain.

A ½ x 3/8 adapter is required for Mobile Facility connection.

There are 5 compressed air outlets on the main deck, starboard side located along the hatch coamings from Hold 2 through Hold 6

Water

Fresh water can be supplied directly to MFs via "garden hose" type outlets along the ship's bulkheads. Potable water tank capacity is 161,837 gallons.

WATER USAGE MUST BE COORDINATED WITH SHIP’S CREW.

This is NOT a “chilled” water supply

Ventilation

Ventilation inlets and outlets, located throughout the INTERIOR CARGO AREAS, allow a fume-free working area below the main deck.

Open Dialog Session

Questions?