Combat stores ships, orstoreships, are ships used to store naval supplies. They are used to deliver supplies such as provisions and fuel to combat ships on extended deployments. TheUnited StatesNavy operated theSirius andMars classes and the Royal Navy operated theFort Rosalie class and continues to operate oneFort Victoria class ship, having scrapped the other. They carried or carry the fleets's refrigerated stores, dry provisions, technical spares, general stores, fleet freight, mail and replacement personnel or specialists.[1][2][3][4][5] Storeships should not be confused withfast combat support ships which are high speed auxiliary ships ortenders which provide maintenance support to flotillas.
%2c_circa_in_May_1898_(NH_912).jpg)
Both the United States and theUnited Kingdom used stores ships in theWar of 1812. In both theMexican–American War and in theAmerican Civil War, captured enemy prizes that were not considered "warlike" enough to be sold forprize money often became stores ships for a naval force operating where no friendly ports are nearby.USS Fredonia took part in theBaja California Campaign in the Mexican–American War. In both theSpanish–American War and thePhilippine–American War the US Navy acquired the stores shipUSS Celtic and other similar vessels to serve in itsAsiatic Squadron.
Six combat stores ships operated byMilitary Sealift Command provided supplies, including frozen, chilled and dry provisions, and propulsion and aviation fuel to United States Navy combatant ships at sea for extended periods of time. Combat stores ships did not carry ammunition for resupply.
Combat stores ships provided underway replenishment of all types of supplies, ranging from repair parts to fresh food, clothing and mail via tensioned cargo rigs andCH-46 Sea Knighthelicopters or their commercial equivalents. Combat stores ships have been replaced by the more capableLewis and Clark-class dry cargo ships in the US Navy.
_combat_stores_ship_USNS_Spica_(T-AFS_9)_conducts_a_vertical_replenishment_at_sea_with_the_aircraft_carrier_USS_John_F._Kennedy_(CV_67).jpg)
Three ships were transferred from the BritishRoyal Fleet Auxiliary to MSC in 1981–83:USNS Sirius on January 18, 1981;USNS Spica on November 5, 1981 andUSNS Saturn on December 13, 1983. Five NavyMars-class combat stores ships were transferred to Military Sealift Command in 1992–94:USNS Concord on October 15, 1992;Mars on February 1, 1993;San Diego on August 11, 1993;San Jose on November 2, 1993 andNiagara Falls on September 23, 1994.San Diego was deactivated on December 10, 1997 andMars was deactivated on February 12, 1998.Sirius was sold in 2005,Spica was used as a target ship and sunk in 2009 andSaturn was used as a target ship and sunk in 2010.