Replenishment At Sea: even Nuclear-powered Aircraft Carriers need fuel and supplies

The following picture shows Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) as it steams aside the Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Pecos (T-AO 197) during a replenishment at sea.

Three SH-60 helicopters appear to be flying around the ships carrying supplies delivered on the aircraft carrier’s flight deck by means of a vertical replenishment (VERTREP) operation.

Although they are nuclear powered (hence they do not need “energy supplies” for some 20 years), aircraft carriers have to take on fuel and supplies (including food, mail, etc.) during the RAS (Replenishment At Sea) to “feed” the embarked planes and personnel.

More from The Aviationist

Military History

35 Years Later, Retired AC-130H Spectre Crews Recount the Action from 1989’s ‘Operation Just Cause’ in Panama

Drones

BAE Systems Tests Unique ‘Tilt Body’ STRIX VTOL UAS in Australia

Military Aviation

U.S. A-10s Integrate with Philippine A-29B Super Tucanos in Dynamic Force Employment, CAS Exercise

China

U.S. and Japanese Air Forces Hold Bilateral Exercise Over Sea of Japan with B-52, F-15Js, F-35As and F-22s

Military Aviation

Airbus Unveils A320 Flying Testbed with New Nose for ECRS Mk.1 Radar Testing

Image credit: U.S. Navy