The fast combat support ship (AOE) is the United States Navy's largest combat logistics ship, designed as oiler, ammunition and supply ship. The AOE has the speed and armament to keep up with the carrier battle groups. It rapidly replenishes Navy task forces and can carry more than 177,000 barrels of oil (28,000 m³), 2,150 tons of ammunition, 500 tons of dry stores and 250 tons of refrigerated stores. It receives petroleum products, ammunition and stores from shuttle ships and redistributes these items simultaneously to carrier battle group ships. This reduces the vulnerability of serviced ships by reducing alongside time. Congress appropriated the funds for the lead ship of the AOE 6 (Supply class) in 1987.

General Characteristics, Supply Class

• Builders: National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego, California.
• Power Plant: four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines; two shafts; 105,000 hp (78 MW)
• Length: 754 feet (229.9 meters)
• Beam: 107 feet (32.6 meters)
• Displacement: 48,800 tons full load
• Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h)
• Aircraft: Three CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters
• Ships:
  • USS Supply (AOE-6) , Earle, New Jersey
  • USS Rainer (AOE-7) , Bremerton, Washington
  • USS Arctic (AOE-8) , Earle, New Jersey
  • USS Bridge (AOE-10) , Bremerton, Washington
• Crew: 40 officers, 627 enlisted
• Armament: NATO Sea Sparrow missiles, two Phalanx close-in weapons systems, two 25mm machine guns
• Date Deployed: February 26, 1994 — USS Supply (AOE 6)

General Characteristics, Sacramento Class

• Builders:
  • AOE 1, 3, 4, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
  • AOE 2, New York Shipbuilding Corporation
• Unit Cost: $458-568 million
• Power Plant: Four boilers, geared turbines, two shafts, 100,000 shaft horsepower (75 MW)
• Length: 793 feet (237.9 meters)
• Beam: 107 feet (32.1 meters)
• Displacement: 53,000 tons full load
• Speed: 26 knots (48 km/h)
• Aircraft: Two CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters
• Ships:
  • USS Sacramento (AOE-1), Bremerton, Washington
  • USS Camden (AOE-2), Bremerton, Washington
  • USS Seattle (AOE-3), Earle, New Jersey
  • USS Detroit (AOE-4) , Earle, New Jersey
• Crew: 24 officers, 576 enlisted
• Armament: NATO Sea Sparrow missiles, two Phalanx close-in weapons systems.
• Date Deployed: March 14, 1964 — USS Sacramento (AOE 1)