Ness Class Stores Ship

A three ship class designed to carry naval stores and provisions ordered on December 7th 1964. Displacing 16,792 tons fully loaded, they measured 160 metres in length, had a speed of 17 knots and a complement of 151.

Most supplies were stored in pallets and the vessels were constructed with the appropriate storage and replenishment equipment including lifts, roller transports and close circuit television. Although fitted with a helicopter deck they had no hanger.

Lyness was converted into an Aviation Stores Ship and carried spare parts for aircraft. Tarbatness underwent a conversion into an Assault Landing Ship which enabled her to accommodate 1,300 Royal Marines, 6 landing craft and 3 helicopters. All three ships were purchased by the United States Military Sealift Command (USMSC) in 1982, as the United States Navy (USN) urgently required combat stores ships to support carrier battlegroups in the Indian Ocean area during the Iranian hostage crisis.

Ship	Pennant No.	Deck Code	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned
Lyness	A339		Swan Hunter	April 1st 1965	April 1st 1966	December 22nd 1966
Stromness	A344	ST	Swan Hunter	October 1st 1965	September 1st 1966	August 10th 1967
Tarbatness	A345		Swan Hunter	April 1st 1965	February 1st 1967	March 21st 1967

Above: USNS Sirius (AFS8), formerly RFA Lyness, serves as a Combat Stores Ship with the Military Sealift Command.(© Official US Navy Photo)

Ship	History
Lyness	Attended Silver Jubilee Fleet Review where she hosted guests. Sold in 1982 to the US Sealift Command and renamed ‘Sirius’.
Stromness	Attended Silver Jubilee Fleet Review. Was to have been disposed under 1981 Defence Cuts but reactivated at Portsmouth for service in the Falklands Conflict under the command of Captain J.B Dickinson. As well as carrying the usual stores, one of her cargo holds was converted to accommodate 350 men from 45 Commando Royal Marines. Transferred survivors from Sheffield to the Queen Elizabeth II. Sold to the US Military Sealift Command in 1983 and renamed ‘Saturn’.
Tarbatness	Sold in 1982 to the United States Military Sealift Command and renamed ‘Spica’. During the 1991 Persian Gulf War she participated in Operation Desert Shield.

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