CIMARRON (AO 177) Class

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USS Platte (AO 186) on 15 December 1982 during sea trials.
Click on this photograph for links to larger images of this class.

Class: CIMARRON (AO 177)
Design: SAIP Project 739.75
Displacement (tons): [THIS IS JUMBO] 11,645 light, 36,977 full [37,550t design]
Dimensions (feet): [THIS IS JUMBO] 700' oa, 661' wl x 86' wl, 88' e x 32' max nav
Same, jumboized: 699.5' oa, 658.0' pp x 88.1' x 33.5' mean
Armament: Space and weight for 2 CIWS, these in AO 180 and 186 by 1983-84 and 177-179 by 1990. No additional armament in Jumbo
Accommodations: 12 officers and 148 enlisted, accommodations for 221 personnel (246 as jumboized)
Speed (kts.): 19.4, 19.0 sustained
Propulsion (HP): 24,000
Machinery: Steam geared turbines, 2 boilers (600psi), 1 screw

Construction:

AO	Name	Ord	Builder	Keel	Launch	Comm
177	CIMARRON	9 Aug 1976	Avondale	18 May 1978	28 Apr 1979	10 Jan 1981
178	MONONGAHELA	9 Aug 1976	Avondale	15 Aug 1978	4 Aug 1979	5 Sep 1981
179	MERRIMACK	25 Jan 1977	Avondale	16 Jul 1979	17 May 1980	14 Nov 1981
180	WILLAMETTE	11 Apr 1978	Avondale	4 Aug 1980	18 Jul 1981	18 Dec 1982
186	PLATTE	11 Apr 1978	Avondale	2 Feb 1981	30 Jan 1982	16 Apr 1983

Disposition:

AO	Name	T	Decomm	Strike	Disposal	Fate	MA Sale/Depart
177	CIMARRON		15 Dec 1998	3 May 1999	28 Jul 2001	MA	7 Nov 2012/D
178	MONONGAHELA		30 Sep 1999	30 Sep 1999	29 Nov 2001	MA	30 Jan 2015
179	MERRIMACK		18 Dec 1998	18 Dec 1998	29 Nov 2001	MA	21 May 2013/D
180	WILLAMETTE		30 Apr 1999	30 Apr 1999	28 Jul 2001	MA	26 Nov 2013/D
186	PLATTE		30 Jun 1999	30 Jun 1999	29 Nov 2001	MA	4 Nov 2014/D

Class Notes:
Approved characteristics for the FY 75 Fleet Oiler (AO), SAIP Project No. 739.75, were promulgated on 14 November 1973 and updated for the AO 177 class on 27 August 1979 with a single change on 9 October 1981. The ships were navy-manned and designed for operation with the smallest possible crews. Automation of the main propulsion and auxiliary equipment, replenishment stations, cargo handling equipment, etc., was incorporated into their basic design.

Top Level Requirements for the AO-177 (Jumbo) were promulgated on 17 March 1987 and Top Level Requirements for the AO 177 (Jumbo) class (ammunition variant) were promulgated on 5 February 1988. Top Level Requirements (TLR), which were not numbered, replaced the earlier numbered Ships Characteristics Board (SCB) projects as a means of defining the characteristics of new designs. In this case they established the requirements for the design and construction of the mid-bodies and new equipment to be added to the existing AO 177 class ships. The objective of the AO 177 class jumboization program was to acquire through the addition of mid-sections to five existing AO 177 class ships replenishment shuttle ships capable of the rapid transfer of POL to battle group replenishment ships (AOE, AOR, and AO) by means of vertical and connected (traditional) replenishment (VERTREP and CONREP) at sea. In the absence of a battle group station ship the AO 177 (Jumbo) would be capable of operation with the battle group as an attrition filler. The design incorporated the addition of a 109-foot parallel mid-body, providing for an increase in POL capacity from 120,000 to 180,000 barrels. The jumboized ships also incorporated new dry cargo underway replenishment rigs, additional berthing (25 men), and tiedowns for 21 cargo containers including 3 refrigerated. In the ammunition variant POL capacity was reduced to 150,000 barrels (reducing mean draft to 31.5' and full load displacement to 34,800 tons) in exchange for the incorporation in the mid-body of 625 tons of ordnance stowage or additional non-refrigerated break-bulk cargo. It is not confirmed that any of the ships were so configured. All five ships were jumboized at Avondale between March 1989 and September 1992.

Ship Notes:

AO	Name	MA	Notes
177	CIMARRON		FY 1976. Jumboized Jun 1990-Mar 1992. To MA custody 9 Feb 1999. Departed NDRF 7 Nov 2012 under domestic sale.
178	MONONGAHELA		FY 1976. Jumboized Jan 1990-Oct 1991. To MA custody 22 Jun 1999. Departed NDRF 13 Mar 2015 under domestic sale.
179	MERRIMACK		FY 1977. Jumboized Mar 1989-Dec 1990. To MA custody 21 Dec 1998 on long-term layup pending a transfer to Brazil that did not materialize. Departed NDRF 21 May 2013 under domestic sale.
180	WILLAMETTE		FY 1978. Jumboized Oct 1989-May 1991. To MA custody 22 Jun 1999. Departed NDRF 26 Nov 2013 under domestic sale.
186	PLATTE		FY 1978. Jumboized Nov 1990-Sep 1992. To MA custody 14 Jul 1999. Departed NDRF 4 Nov 2014 under domestic sale.