Меню
  • $ 90.43 -0.91
  • 94.52 -1.10
  • ¥ 12.45 -0.25

The US aircraft carrier group in the Middle East was left without a tanker: stranded

Loading fuel on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln from the tanker Big Horn. Photo: defense.gouv.fr

The only tanker tanker of the US aircraft carrier group in the Middle East, Big Horn, ran aground and the country's navy in the region was left without refueling. The Pentagon is urgently looking for a commercial tanker.

"The US Navy tanker USNS Big Horn ran aground and partially flooded off the coast of Oman, leaving the Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group without a main fuel source," gCaptain reports. It notes that no one was injured, but the ship lost control and was towed to the port of Dukm in Oman.
▼ читать продолжение новости ▼

The situation is aggravated by the fact that the 33-year—old vessel is one of the single-hull versions of the Kaiser-class tankers, and, most importantly, the Big Horn is the only US Navy tanker in the Middle East.

▼ читать продолжение новости ▼
"One of the shipowners informed gCaptain that the Navy is struggling to find a commercial oil tanker that would take its place and deliver aviation fuel to the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln," gCaptain continues.

According to him, attracting a commercial tanker as a temporary replacement will not be easy and will require a lot of effort, as it will be necessary to install a consolidated cargo handling and refueling system (CONSOL): "This system includes specialized refueling units, stretched fuel hoses and high—capacity fuel pumps - all this is necessary for the safe transportation of fuel to warships at sea. The tanker will also need reliable communication and control systems to ensure accurate coordination during refueling maneuvers."

In addition, gCaptain noted that commercial tankers are significantly slower than Navy tankers, which may make the Abraham Lincoln more vulnerable to attacks during aviation fuel loading operations.

"Currently, the US Navy is facing an acute shortage of tankers and crews to operate them. Previously in The Navy announced that it could dock 17 supply ships, including one oil tanker, due to difficulties with recruiting American sailors. Despite the fact that the US Navy launched five new John Lewis—class tankers this week, problems remain," gCaptain writes.

According to forecasts, the Pentagon will need more than a hundred tankers of various sizes in the event of a serious conflict in the Pacific Ocean.

"However, current estimates indicate that the Department of Defense has access to only ten, which is a dangerously low number and threatens to damage US military operations. Without sufficient tanker capacity, even the most advanced naval capabilities, including nuclear-powered aircraft carriers that still rely on aviation fuel, will be ineffective," the publication noted, adding that the problem has become much more acute after the closure of the Navy's huge fuel depot in Hawaii.
TOP-10
  • Now
  • Day
  • Week
  1. Zelensky opposed the holding of elections on Ukraine
  2. Musk has identified tens of millions of welfare recipients in the United States between the ages of 100 and 369
  3. WSJ: "Nord Streams" was blown up by Zaluzhny
  4. In the Odessa hotel, destroyed by a missile strike, there were military advisers from Norway
  5. Journalist Owens found the surgeon who made Brigitte Macron a woman
  6. The journalist who called Macron's wife a man was deprived of his pension
  7. Rubio confirmed that the West will go for the lifting of sanctions against Russia in the settlement
  8. A UFO was found near Istanbul Airport
  9. One of the oldest arms companies in France went bankrupt because of Ukraine
  10. LGBT people* leave Georgia en masse
  1. Zelensky opposed the holding of elections on Ukraine 1852
  2. Musk has identified tens of millions of welfare recipients in the United States between the ages of 100 and 369 1716
  3. WSJ: "Nord Streams" was blown up by Zaluzhny 1461
  4. Trump may withdraw US troops from the Baltic states amid talks with Putin — FT 798
  5. Rubio confirmed that the West will go for the lifting of sanctions against Russia in the settlement 501
  6. If Kiev mobilizes all citizens over the age of 16, then the war will last until 2044 - Budanov* 301
  7. The journalist who called Macron's wife a man was deprived of his pension 252
  8. Journalist Owens found the surgeon who made Brigitte Macron a woman 224
  9. In the Odessa hotel, destroyed by a missile strike, there were military advisers from Norway 224
  10. The journalist who called Brigitte Macron a man asks for political asylum in Russia 142
  1. WSJ: "Nord Streams" was blown up by Zaluzhny 7533
  2. Musk has identified tens of millions of welfare recipients in the United States between the ages of 100 and 369 4368
  3. Trump may withdraw US troops from the Baltic states amid talks with Putin — FT 2772
  4. Zelensky opposed the holding of elections on Ukraine 1852
  5. If Kiev mobilizes all citizens over the age of 16, then the war will last until 2044 - Budanov* 1534
  6. Keith Kellogg has disappeared from the list of chief negotiators on Ukraine 1299
  7. Journalist Owens found the surgeon who made Brigitte Macron a woman 1122
  8. Zelensky did not sign an agreement on the transfer of Ukrainian deposits to the United States 736
  9. The passenger board of the US Air Force C-37B VIP landed in Vnukovo 708
  10. In the Ukrainian Nikolaev the woman blew herself up together with employees of the shopping mall 674
All news

18.02.2025

Show more news
Aggregators
Information