Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship

The Lewis and Clark class is a class of 14 dry cargo and ammunition ships, known as underway replenishment vessels, operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and named for famous American explorers and pioneers. NASSCO was awarded the detailed design and construction contract in October 2001, and the first ship, USNS Lewis and Clark, entered Military Sealift Command service in June 2006. The ships replaced eighteen Mars- and Sirius-class combat store ships and the Kilauea-class ammunition ships. They were built to commercial standards to hold costs down, with added survivability features such as degaussing, shock hardening, damage control capability and defences against mines and torpedoes. They deliver ammunition, provisions, stores, spare parts, water and petroleum products to ships at sea, and the fourteenth ship was delivered on 24 October 2012.