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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

T-AK-291 / T-AKR-291 Altair

Flag Hoist/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Romeo - Zulu - Alpha
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
National Defense Service Medal - Southwest Asia Service Medal - Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait)
Algol Class (Roll-on/Roll-off Vehicle) Cargo Ship:
  • Laid down as SS Sea-Land Finance at Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden Germany
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered to Sea-Land in 1973
  • Acquired by the US Navy, 1 May 1982
  • Assigned to the Military Sealift Command MSC as USNS Altair (T-AK-291)
  • Redesignated Roll-on/Roll-off Vehicle Cargo Ship (T-AKR-291), 1 November 1983
  • Converted to a "roll-on/roll-off" vehicle transport at Avondale Shipbuilding Co, Westwego, LA. in June 1984
  • Altair (T-AKR-291) was one the eight Fast Sealift Ships in the Surge Force, assigned to MSC Atlantic
  • Altair returned to MARAD custody in 5-day RRF status, 1 October 2007
    Specifications:
    Displacement 29,692 t.(lt) 61,987 t.(fl)
    Length 947'
    Beam 106'
    Draft 37'
    Speed 33 kts.
    Complement 43 civilian mariners
    Armament none
    Propulsion 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers, 875 psi (61.6kg/cm2); 950°F (510°C); 2 GE MST-19 steam turbines; 120,000 hp, two propellers
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Commercial Service
    Altair 57k SS Sea-Land Finance departing Long Beach, CA, in October 1979. Photo by Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    USNS Altair (T-AKR-291)
    Altair 140k Altair (T-AKR-291) pierside, date and location unknown.
    US Navy photo    		 MSC Web Site
    Altair 63k Altair (T-AKR-291) at anchor in the Bay of Gibraltar, 29 November 1995 Photo by Daniel Ferro
    Altair 58k Altair (T-AKR-291) underway, date and location unknown. Photo by Peter Westdijk the Netherlands
    Altair 302k Port bow view of Altair (T-AKR-291) moored in a standby position at Norfolk & Western Railroad Pier 7, on the Elizabeth River, Norfolk, VA., 12 April 1996.
    DVIC photo # DN-SC-97-00779 by Don S. Montgomery USN Ret., from the collections of the Defense Visual Information Center..    		 Bill Gonyo
    View the Altair (T-AK-291 / T-AKR-291)
    DANFS history entry located at the US Naval Historical Center
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    Not Applicable to this ship
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    US Navy Fact File - Fast Sealift Ships - T-AKR
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back To The Service Force Ship Type Index Back To The Cargo Ship (AK) Photo Index Back To The Vehicle Cargo Ship / Roll-on/Roll-off Ship (AKR) Photo Index
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    © 2005 Gary P. Priolo © 1996 - 2008 NavSource Naval History. All Rights Reserved.
    Last Updated 21 December 2007