The USNS Big Horn, the only oil replenishment ship serving the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group in the Middle East, sustained significant damage off the coast of Oman on Monday, U.S. Navy officials confirmed. The incident occurred while the vessel was operating in support of U.S. naval forces in the region.
The Big Horn, a Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler, reportedly ran aground off the coast of Oman, resulting in partial flooding of the vessel. Navy officials described the damage as “significant,” and images posted by maritime tracking website gCaptain appeared to show flooding in the ship’s engineering space, as well as a ruptured rudder post. The authenticity of these images was confirmed by a defense official to USNI News.
It’s not looking good. I’ve been told by a shipowner the Navy does not have a spare oiler to deploy and is scrambling to find a commercial oil tanker to refuel the Abraham Lincoln carrier group.
Updates over at gCaptain forum: https://t.co/nNG6uSYGJJ https://t.co/wGP2GTYyAw pic.twitter.com/ec2oN3CpSf
— John Ʌ Konrad V (@johnkonrad) September 24, 2024
Despite the extent of the damage, there were no reports of injuries, fuel leaks, or environmental contamination, and the ship’s crew of around 80 civilians and five military personnel remained safe. The Big Horn is currently being escorted by tugboats to a nearby port, where a full assessment of the damage will be conducted.
The USNS Big Horn is crucial for refueling vessels in the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which is deployed in the Arabian Sea to support Israel and protect U.S. assets in the region. The strike group includes several destroyers and aircraft that require regular refueling. Although the Big Horn is the only dedicated replenishment oiler available to the group, officials assured that operations would continue. Alternative options, including using U.S. allies and commercial tankers, are being considered to support refueling needs.
The strike group is a key component of U.S. operations in the region, having worked with British forces to deter threats from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who have targeted commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea. The loss of the Big Horn is seen as an operational inconvenience but not an insurmountable challenge, as other strike group vessels can refuel in port or transport aviation fuel directly to the aircraft carrier.
Expanded Coverage:
