Last February, we posted about the modification to the USS Ponce prior to being sent to the Persian Gulf. (See Mine-Detecting Dolphins and USS Ponce, Commando “Mothership” in Persian Gulf?) We included the question mark in the post title because, while the press was referring to the ship as a “commando mothership,” a floating base from which commando raids could be launched, the Navy admirals were busy denying that it would be any such thing. Now it appears that the ship, one of the oldest Amphibious Transport Dock Ship will indeed be used as a “commando mothership” as well as a forward command post. (Thanks to Dave Shirlaw for pointing out that the USS Denver is three years older than the Ponce.)
Floating Base Gives U.S. New Footing in the Persian Gulf
See also – Transport Vessel Isn’t Being Made SEAL Mothership, Admiral Says : As reported by Bloomberg, last February: The Navy isn’t deploying a “mothership” in the Persian Gulf for SEALs and other special operations forces, contrary to reports by a number of news organizations, the service’s top fleet-readiness commander said.
It would make little sense to concentrate a number of the nation’s most elite warriors on a boat in the Persian Gulf where they would be vulnerable to a variety of Iranian attacks and would require other vessels, missiles and aircraft to protect an aging ship, the official said.
In this morning’s New York Times however, the article notes that: .…with the relatively simple addition of a modular barracks on the deck, the Ponce can also be a mobile base for several hundred Special Operations forces to carry out missions like hostage rescue, counterterrorism, reconnaissance, sabotage and direct strikes. Even with the addition of the barracks, there is ample room for helicopters and the small, fast boats favored by commandos.
Several hundred Special Operations forces? Sure sounds like a “commando mothership.”
Then again, between the admirals and the press it is hard to know quite what to believe. The second paragraph of the New York Times article starts with this groaner: The keel for the ship, the Ponce, was cast in 1966, and the vessel, nearing the end of its service, was to have been scrapped.
It goes without saying that sailboat keels may be cast, while ship’s keels are laid down or fabricated. Looking beyond the misuse of language, this does raise the question, however, of why is the Navy using a 46 year old amphibious transport dock ship when they just built or have under construction ten new San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ships at a cost of over $15 billion. Comparing the new and old ships, it appears that the new and improved San Antonio class ships do not have room on deck for the modular barracks that are installed on the Ponce. The other possibility is that the San Antonio class ships have proven so unreliable and costly that the Navy doesn’t trust using one as a command post. The San Antonio class were designed to replace the older Austin, Cleveland, and Trenton-class LPDs as well as the Anchorage-class dock landing ships, but so far have spent more time out of service than in. On the other hand the Ponce is very lightly armed and could be more vulnerable to attack than the newer ships.
USS Denver is three years older than Ponce and is still very much active in the 7th Fleet based in Sasebo.
You are indeed correct. Thanks. We have corrected the post.