The ''Kilauea'' class

ammunition ship An ammunition ship is an auxiliary ship specially configured to carry ammunition, usually for naval ships and aircraft. An ammunition ship's cargo handling systems, designed with extreme safety in mind, include ammunition hoists with airlocks bet ...

was a class of eight United States Navy cargo vessels designed for

underway replenishment Replenishment at sea (RAS) (North Atlantic Treaty Organization/Commonwealth of Nations) or underway replenishment (UNREP) (U.S. Navy) is a method of transferring fuel, munitions, and stores from one ship to another while under way. First develope ...

of naval warships. The ships were constructed 1968–1972 and were initially commissioned naval ships, carrying a crew of naval personnel. At various dates 1980–96 these ships were decommissioned and transferred to the

Military Sealift Command Military Sealift Command (MSC) is an organization that controls the replenishment and military transport ships of the United States Navy. Military Sealift Command has the responsibility for providing sealift and ocean transportation for all US m ...

for civilian operation. They were eventually all replaced by the s. The lead ship of the class, , was commissioned on 10 August 1968, and the last, the , on 16 December 1972.

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''Kilauea'' class
Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy Kilauea class ammunition ship Kilauea class ammunition ship Kilauea class ammunition ship Auxiliary replenishment ship classes {{ship-stub