USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8)
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| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name: | RFA Lyness (A339) |
| Namesake: | Lyness, Scotland |
| Builder: | Swan, Hunter and Wigham Richardson |
| Laid down: | 1 April 1965 |
| Launched: | 1 April 1966 |
| Commissioned: | 22 December 1966 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 6706888 |
| Fate: | Purchased by US, 1 January 1981 |
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| Name: | USNS Sirius (T-AFS-8) |
| Namesake: | Sirius |
| Acquired: | 1 January 1981 |
| In service: | 18 January 1981 |
| Out of service: | 1 July 2005 |
| Struck: | 1 July 2005 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 6706888 |
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| Name: | TS Texas Clipper III |
| Namesake: | Texas Clipper |
| Acquired: | 2005 |
| Identification: | IMO number: 6706888 |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 523 ft (159 m) (overall) |
| Beam: | 72 ft (22 m) |
| Draft: | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Propulsion: |
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| Speed: | 18 knots (33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 123 Civilian, 30-47 Navy (USN service) |
| Sensors and processing systems: | Raytheon SHF navigation radar |
| Armament: | 8 pintle mounts, variable numbers of .50 BMG or 7.62×51mm machine guns (USN service) |
| Aircraft carried: | Two CH-46 Sea Knight, MH-60 Seahawk or Aerospatiale Super Puma helicopters (USN service) |
USNS Sirius (T-AFS 8) was a Sirius-class combat stores ship of the United States Navy, named for Sirius (α Can. Maj.), the brightest visible star.
Sirius was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson for the Royal Navy. Laid down in 1965, she was launched in 1966 from Wallsend as RFA Lyness (A339) in the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary. On 15 November 1980, the ship was acquired by charter by the United States Military Sealift Command. She was transferred to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command in 1981.
Sirius was deactivated and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 2005 and given to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), then assigned to Texas Maritime Academy under an agreement that it can be activated by MARAD at any time. During the fall of 2005, the Sirius served in New Orleans for Katrina relief, from September 10 until November 29 and at Lake Charles, LA for Rita relief until March 2. Because of its extended relief effort the Sirius was unable to undergo a refit in 2006 to adapt its new role as a training vessel and comply with U.S. Coast Guard safety standards. Because the Sirius had not undergone a refit, it could not be formally commissioned as the USTS Texas Clipper III nor could it be used for summer training cruises. In the winter of 2009 the US Coast Guard ruled that the Sirius was unfit for training and was prepared for decommissioning while the school looked for a new training ship. On June 25, 2009, the Sirius was returned to the U.S. Maritime Administration.[1]
Google Earth imagery shows her anchored in Beaumont, TX as along with the Beaumont Reserve Fleet until February, 2013. Updated pictures as of October, 2014 show her no longer there.
Honors and awards
The USNS Sirius is authorized the following awards:[2]
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References
- ↑ Sirius Returned to Maritime Admin Archived 5 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "U.S. Navy Awards Website"
- T.J. Tropea, RM1 (Ret) (19 January 2007). "T-AFS-8 Sirius: History". Navsource.org. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- Gary P. Priolo (28 September 2007). "T-AFS-8 Sirius". Navsource.org. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
- "SIRIUS (AFS 8)". Naval Vessel Register. United States Navy. Retrieved 2008-01-13.
