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SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)
Encyclopedia
SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5) is a crane ship in ready reserve for the United States Navy
. She is stationed at Newport News, Virginia
and is in ready reserve under the Military Sealift Command
. The ship was named for the state of North Dakota
, which is also known as the Flickertail State.
The ship was built by the Bath Iron Works
. Her keel was laid on 14 February 1967, launched on 11 May 1968, and delivered 21 February 1969 as CV Lightning (MA-206).
Lightning was acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Administration in 1986 and was converted throughout 1987. She re-entered service as Flickertail State on 9 February 1988, and has been in ready reserve since 1993.
along with Oceaneering International
.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. She is stationed at Newport News, Virginia
Newport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
and is in ready reserve under the Military Sealift Command
Military Sealift Command
The Military Sealift Command is a United States Navy organization that controls most of the replenishment and military transport ships of the Navy. It first came into existence on 9 July 1949 when the Military Sea Transportation Service became solely responsible for the Department of Defense's...
. The ship was named for the state of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, which is also known as the Flickertail State.
The ship was built by the Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
. Her keel was laid on 14 February 1967, launched on 11 May 1968, and delivered 21 February 1969 as CV Lightning (MA-206).
Lightning was acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Administration in 1986 and was converted throughout 1987. She re-entered service as Flickertail State on 9 February 1988, and has been in ready reserve since 1993.
Large vessel interface lift on/lift off
In 2009, a demonstrator crane was installed and integrated aboard the SS Flickertail State to evaluate the crane's performance in transporting containers between two moving ships in an operational environment using commercial and oil industry at-sea mooring techniques,at sea in the Gulf of Mexico. Developed by the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department in the Office of Naval Research along with Oceaneering International, the crane has sensors and cameras as well as motion-sensing algorithms that let it automatically shift with the rolling and pitching of the sea, making it much easier for operators to center the crane over cargo and transfer it. The LVI Lo/Lo, developed by the by the Sea Warfare and Weapons Department of the Office of Naval ResearchOffice of Naval Research
The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...
along with Oceaneering International
Oceaneering International
Oceaneering International Inc. is an applied technology company based in Houston, Texas, U.S.A. that provides engineered services and hardware to customers who operate in marine, space, and other environments...
.