598 ft 6 in (182.42 m) as built, 708 ft 6 in (215.95 m) after modification
Beam
88 ft (27 m)
Draft
32 ft (9.8 m) max
Propulsion
two boilers, one steam turbine, single shaft, 24,000 shp
Speed
20 knots
Complement
135 (12 officers) plus 90 spare berths after modification
Armament
2 x 20mm Vulcan Phalanx Mk 15 (CIWS)
Aircraft carried
Helicopter platform only
Notes
These ships are sized to provide two complete refuelings of a fossil-fueled aircraft carrier and six to either accompanying destroyers. All five of the class were jumboized, increasing their capacities from 120,000 bbls to 180,000 bbls and improving underway replenishment capabilities. Platte was in New Orleans from February 1992-December 1992 for jumboization.
USS Platte (AO-186) was the fifth and last of the Cimarron-classships built to carry cargo and bulk fuel to battle groups. She was homeported in Norfolk, Virginia and carried a crew of 180 -230 sailors as standard during her years of service.
USS Platte launched at New Orleans on 30 January 1982.
Platte derived her name from the Platte River. Her contract was awarded 11 April 1978 and she was built at Avondale Shipyard in New Orleans. Her keel was laid 2 February 1981, and launched 30 January 1982. Platte was commissioned on 16 April 1983.
Her most notable historical event was the collision with the USS Trippe approximately 500 miles east of Jacksonville, Florida on 19 April 1989.[1] This event was reported in the media, however it was overshadowed by a major naval disaster that occurred the same day. That was the day the USS Iowa (BB-61)turret 2 exploded killing 47 sailors off the coast of Puerto Rico.
Between May 1989 – May 1994 she transited the Panama Canal four times (three times west to east and once east to west.)
She departed Norfolk, Virginia 28 December 1990 en route to Desert Shield support. Before she made the turn into the Straits of Hormuz, the shield became a storm and she fueled ships as the "Fifth and Finest Fleet Oiler" before becoming the "Preferred Oiler of the Persian Gulf.".[2] She returned to Norfolk 28 June 1991 from Desert Storm.
USS Platte off Puerto Rico after her jumboization, 1994.
In February 1992 she departed Norfolk, Virginia and returned to Avondale Shipyard. Between February and December Platte was "jumboized", meaning that, after cutting the ship into two sections, a 35.7 m long section was added to increase the fuel load. The new "mid-body" section included an ammunition elevator, a second Fairbanks Morse emergency diesel generator, additional a/c capabilities as well as several cargo holds. She departed Avondale Shipyard December 1992 being the last of the five ships to undergo this process and completing it in 10 months.
At commissioning she was 88 feet wide at her beam, 216 m (700 ft) long, displaced approx 37,000 tons at a speed of 19 knots. Propulsion was two 600 psi (4,100 kPa) steam boilers (automated steam) to one propeller. Her draft was 32 feet.
In 1991 she circumnavigated South America escorting the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk to its west coast home port after leaving the shipyards in Norfolk, Va.
This article includes information collected from the Naval Vessel Register, which, as a U.S. government publication, is in the public domain. The entry can be found here.
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