The NFAF provides direct support for Navy combatant ships allowing them to
remain at sea for extended periods of time. These ships perform underway
replenishment services for Navy battle groups and deliver food, fuel, spare
parts and ammunition. Some NFAF ships provide ocean towing and
salvage services. NFAF ships are crewed by civil service mariners and each
ship carries Navy departments ranging in size from four to forty-five people.
Civilian crews operate the ships and perform underway replenishment and
provide other logistics services to the fleet. Military personnel provide
communications support, coordinate supply operations and conduct military
helicopter operations. In addition to logistics operations, the NFAF has
two hospital ships, USNS Mercy (AH 19)
and USNS Comfort (AH 20), designed
to provide emergency on-site medical care for our US forces in a war or
contingency. These two ships are maintained in an Reduced Operating Status
(ROS) but can be fully operational, crewed, and ready for deployment within
five days with 1,200 active duty medical personnel and
70 civil service
mariners.
