Welcome aboard the un-official USS Seattle (AOE-3) webpage!

The USS Seattle (UIC 05848) was my final active duty command before I left to go into the reserves and civillian life.  As one of only 4 (at the time) Sacramento Class Support Ships, we were the one with the best record and most requested ship during Operation Provide Promise III during our Med Cruise in 1993!
If you are going to be attached to this ship, here is a great place for history from plankowners to some of my own pictures!  Please visit back again as we are currently in our PMA with this page!

(when any ship comes alongside for replenishment, we state this over the 1MC): "Welcome alongside SEATTLE, the worlds finest, fastest, combat logistics support ship! Prepare to receive our shotlines Forward Midship and Aft...all hands topside...take cover!"

The Seattle and other Sacramento Class Fast Combat Support Ships were originally going to be built from IOWA class battleships!  The Navy decided to make them completely unique and make a brand new design, although they still used the IOWA class steam turbines!

Displacement: 18,700t light, 53,600t full load

Dimensions: Lenght 792ft oa (241m);beam 108ft (33m); draught 38ft (11.6m)

Propulsion: Two-shaft geared steam turbines; 106,000 shp=26kts (taken from IOWA class battleships)

Armament: One NATO Sea Sparrow launcher Mk 29 (1x8); two Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS (Close In Weapon System) (We achieved a successful shootdown of a 'drone' during Operation Provide Promise/Med Cruise '93 with the Sea Sparrow and had something like a 98% up time with the CIWS...the most up-time in the entire 2nd Fleet!)

The SEATTLE is one of the World's largest under-way replenishment vessels, the fast combat support ships of the Sacramento class are designed to supply a carrier battle group with all its basic needs.  They combine the functions of fleet oilers (AO0, ammunition ships (AE), stores ships (AF) and cargo ships (AK).  They have exceptionally high speed for their type to enable them to keep pace with fleet units.  The machinery installed in Seattle is from the cancelled battleship Illinois (The Detroit AOE-4 carries the same engines).

The original design for the Sacramento class ships, was to use IOWA class battleships and take away the superstructure to resemble that of the current Sacramento ships.  The idea was scrapped and the Sacramento ships were built from keel on up.  The Sacramento class still used the IOWA class engines, however, and the same general dimensions of the battleships, making them an outstanding and totally radical support ship.  They are still, to this day, regarded as the BEST support ships in the world, surpassing the AOR, AE, AO, and AF class ships.  During our last Med-Cruise (93), Captains in our battle group were so displeased with civillian tankers they wanted SEATTLE back ASAP!  We got ALOT of Bravo Zulus!

Cargo capacity is 177,000 barrels of fuel oil, 2,150 tons of munitions and 750 tons of provisions.  The Sacramento class was one of the first two designs to employ the FAST automatic transfer system.  There are four refuelling stations to port and two to starboard - an arrangement which reflects their primary mission in support of the carriers - and there are three constant-tension transfer stations for dry stores to port and four to starboard.  Aft there is a large helicopter deck with a three-bay hanger for VERTREP helicopters.  The design was and still is so radical, the AOE class ship appears in BM3 (Boatswainsmate 3rd class) rate training manual and as of the late 1980s, the soviets were testing the system.

Copyright 1997  Alan T. Peto.  All Rights Reserved
This is NOT an official USS Seattle homepage.  It is not run by the U.S. Government or any U.S. Navy department.  The author is a former sailor aboard the USS Seattle.  All information, with some emphasis on stuff not found officially, can be found in the offical USS Seattle pamphlet which can be ordered from the Seattle or the U.S. government printing office.