ATLANTIC OCEAN –
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80) conducted a scheduled replenishment-at-sea (RAS) with the dry cargo ship USNS William McClean (T-AKE 12), April 1, 2021.
“Underway replenishments are important evolutions that require the entire crew working together as a team to bring onboard necessary fuel and stores,” said Cmdr. Ryan Kendall, commanding officer of Roosevelt. “As the first major evolution of Patrol 2, I’m pleased with the crew’s proficiency and professionalism throughout the refueling process.”
The replenishment provided Roosevelt 180,000 gallons of F-76 fuel, 10,000 gallons of JP-5 fuel for the embarked MH-60R helicopters, and 11 pallets of food stores. All the supplies received play an integral part in maintaining the ship’s ability to stay at sea and conduct operations.
“Underway replenishments allow us to remain out at sea and conduct the mission,” said Ensign Ryan Hersch, Roosevelt’s First Lieutenant. “If we were to pull into port to receive stores or fuel, that would take us away from the mission.”
Roosevelt is one of four U.S. Navy destroyers based in Rota, Spain, and assigned to Commander, Task Force 65 in support of NATO’s Integrated Air Missile Defense architecture. These FDNF-E ships have the flexibility to operate throughout the waters of Europe and Africa, from the Cape of Good Hope to the Arctic Circle, demonstrating their mastery of the maritime domain.
U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.