The T-AKE is a dry cargo/ammunition ship, the lead ship in the Lewis and Clark class. Designed to operate independently for extended periods at sea while providing underway replenishment services, the T-AKE will directly contribute to the ability of the Navy to maintain a forward presence. These ships will provide logistic lift from sources of supply either in port or at sea and will transfer cargo that includes ammunition, food, fuel, repair parts, and expendable supplies and material to station ships and other naval warfare forces at sea. The T-AKE will replace the aging T-AE ammunition ships and T-AFS combat stores ships that are nearing the end of their service lives. In July 2007, the Navy awarded a $100-million Long-Lead Time Materials (LLTM) contract for the tenth T-AKE ship. The Navy fully funded T-AKE 10 and awarded a LLTM contract for the eleventh T-AKE ship in February 2008.  Four months later, the Navy provides $100 million in LLTM funding for the twelfth T-AKE.  In December, the Navy awards a $940 million contract to NASSCO that fully funds T-AKE 11 and 12, and provides LLTM funding for the 13th and 14th ships.  The program is expected to total 14 ships, with a total contract value of about $5.2 billion, giving NASSCO a firm backlog through 2014. T-AKE Program Fact Sheet T-AKE 1 Photo Gallery USNS Lewis and Clark T-AKE 2 Photo Gallery USNS Sacagawea T-AKE 3 Photo Gallery USNS Alan Shepard T-AKE 4 Photo Gallery USNS Richard E. Byrd T-AKE 5 Photo Gallery USNS Robert E. Peary T-AKE 6 Photo Gallery USNS Amelia Earhart T-AKE 7 Photo Gallery USNS Carl Brashear T-AKE 8 Photo Gallery USNS Wally Schirra T-AKE 9 Photo Gallery USNS Matthew Perry T-AKE 10 Photo Gallery USNS Charles Drew T-AKE 11 Photo Gallery USNS Washington Chambers

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