Navy Logistics

Vincent J. Curtis

30 Apr 2026

Let’s say that the Canadian government wanted to support the United States war against Iran, but wished to do so in a pusillanimous manner. What do I mean? I mean that Canada wants credit with the US government for joining the war effort, but not doing anything offensive against Iran. It’s trying to thread a diplomatic needle.

How could it do so? Two answers present themselves: the first is to support the logistics effort at sea.  Fighting an air and sea war and maintaining a blockade on the other side of the world requires a lot of logistical support, and Canada could contribute to the logistical operations of the war. A second area in which Canada could support the United States war against Iran would be in mine sweeping. The Straits of Hormuz were kept effectively closed by Iran claiming it had mined the international shipping lanes that run through Omani waters.  The mere threat of mines compelled commercial vessels to sail through Iranian waters, which exposed them to attack by Iran’s fleet of speed boats.  Canada could gain a lot of credit with the world if her minesweepers opened a free channel to commercial shipping.

But let’s focus on logistics.  Canada has one supply ship, MV Asterix, which, at 26,000 tons, is inadequate for the task in view.  The war against Iran required three principal types of logistic ships: oilers, so-called AKE ships, and Fast Combat Stores ships. US Naval logistics are organized under the Military Sealift Command, or MSC, and their ships are prefaced USNS, for United States Naval Ships. Typically, these are crewed by civilian merchant seamen, not members of the US Navy. If weaponry, such as a Phalanx CIWS or SeaRAM systems are added to the ship for its own defense, these systems are usually crewed by US Naval Reservists who are activated for the purpose.

The most current fleet replenishment oiler design is the John L. Lewis class, and these carry both JP5 aviation fuel and DFM, or diesel fuel marine.  The aviation fuel is meant to keep the fuel stores on the big fleet carriers replenished, while the DFM is used to refuel the non-nuclear powered ships, such as the Arliegh Burke class destroyers. A Lewis class oiler displaces just under 50,000 tons, has a complement of 125, a top speed of 20 kt and a range of 6,150 nmi. Although the Lewis class can carry dry stores, the amount is limited, and dry stores are carried by the AKE replenishment ship.

The second type of replenishment vessel is the AKE, which stands for Auxiliary Cargo and Explosives. The lead ship of this class of design is the Lewis and Clark. These ships carry bullets, beans, band-aides, as well mundane goods such as toilet paper.  F/A-18s expend a lot of ordinance.  The Lewis and Clark class vessel displaces just over 45,000 tons, have a top speed of 21 kts, 1,39 million cubic feet of cargo space, as well as room for 23,500 barrels of fuel cargo. The ship has a completement of 124 civilian mariners and 11 naval personnel. Cargo transfer rigs are used to transfer containers of goods from the replenishment vessel to the naval vessel.

The last class of logistics vessel is the Fast Combat Stores ships, as represented by the USNS Arctic.  These ships were designed to keep up with a Carrier Strike Group moving at high speeds. The Arctic displaces just under 50,000 tones, has a top speed of 26 kts, a complement of 176 civilians and 59 military personnel. She can carry nearly 2 million US gallons of DFM, 2.6 million gallons of JP5 jet fuel, 1,000 tons of ordinance storage, 400 tons of frozen storage, and 20,000 gallons of fresh water. The refuelers can pump fuel at a rate of 3,000 gallons per minute. This is a combination ship, carrying fuel, dry stores, and ammunition.

Sea logistics is a business the RCN could get into in a big way.

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