The 13 Maritime Prepositioning Ships are part of the United States Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. They preposition U.S. Marine Corps vehicles, equipment and ammunition throughout the world.
The MPS ships are assigned to three Maritime Prepositioning Ship squadrons located in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and the Western Pacific at Guam and Saipan. The MPS ships in each squadron have sufficient equipment, supplies and ammunition to support a Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, having cranes which enable them to unload their own cargo.
The Corporal Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class is the original class of MPS ships chartered by Military Sealift Command. The five ships are Maersk Line ships converted by Bethlehem Steel. During conversion, the ships gained an additional 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing pad, among other things.
The Sergeant Matej Kocak Class, the second class of MPS ships chartered by MSC, also gained 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing platform after conversion. These ships, delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s, are National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, conversion ships owned and operated by Waterman Steamship Corp.
The 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo Class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass. They are owned and operated by American Overseas Marine.
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General Characteristics: Corporal Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class
General Characteristics: Sergeant Matej Kocak Class
General Characteristics: 2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo Class
see also MV Buffalo Soldier and MV Strong Virginian
