Adriatic Sea. (July 6, 2023): In this photo by MC2 Nolan Pennington, Quartermaster Seaman Apprentice Zachery Teetz, from Montgomery, Texas, assigned to the navigation department aboard the world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford. In the above photo, Seaman Teetyz acts as bow flag walker on the flight deck during a refueling-at-sea with the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Leroy Grumman. The Gerald R. Ford is the U.S. Navy's newest and most advanced aircraft carrier, representing a generational leap in the U.S. Navy's capacity to project power on a global scale.

Resupplying a vessel as large as an aircraft carrier is no small feat.

The Gerald R. Ford has a crew of over 4,500 Sailors and Marines and up to ninety aircraft of varying types. Supplying this floating city is mostly done by transferring supplies from one ship to another while underway which allows the Navy to remain at sea almost indefinitely.

Replenishing ships at sea has been a headache for the Navy since colonial times. In those days, ships visited “coaling stations” where they took on food, water, and military supplies which limited the Navy’s range and ability to remain at sea for extended periods of time. Today, the Navy has developed multi-product supply ships, like the USNS Leroy Grumman, which delivers fuel, ammunition, and stores while underway. These ships saw the introduction of a transfer system using a tow line that keeps the highline between the ships tensioned which allows the smooth transfer of tons of vital supplies while compensation for movement of the ships in the water.

Another method of resupply is via heavy lift helicopters that lower cargo to waiting crewmembers eliminating the need for ships to be dangerously close to one another. However, resupply by air is limited both by the capacity of the helicopter and the weight of cargo.

America’s Navy can remain at sea, ready to fight indefinitely, thanks to the hard work and dedication of a team of resupply specialists manning their posts around the world.