USNS Mercy (T-AH-19)

Military Hospital Ship / Support Vessel

United States | 1986

"USNS Mercy T-AH-19 serves as lead ship of her two-strong class, joining sister-ship USNS Comfort in the military hospital ship role."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 10/12/2020 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from the U.S. DoD DVIDS imagery database.

USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) is one of two full-service military hospital ships belonging to the "Mercy-class" serving with the United States Navy (USN). The vessel was laid down as SS Worth (MA-299) on June 12th, 1979 - a San Clemente-class oil tanker - and launched on July 1st, 1975 in San Diego waters. On November 8th, 1986, she was taken into service by the USN and continues to operate in the hospital capacity, homeporting out of San Diego, California. When not called to formal action, she is assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Despite her military ties, USNS Mercy is a non-commissioned ship. Her sister is USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) detailed elsewhere on this site. Both ships are unarmed per the Geneva Convention but may carry defensive measures for self-survival.

The vessel displaces 65,552 tons and has an overall length of 894 feet with a beam measuring 106 feet - its running length dimension rivaled only by the large fleet of in-service American aircraft carriers - namely the Nimitz-class and Gerald R. Ford-class. Drive power is from 2 x Boiler units feeding twin General Electric turbines providing 24,500 horsepower used to drive 2 x Shafts under stern. The vessel can make headway at 17 knots.

USNA Mercy can support up to 1,214 military and 61 civilian personnel when pressed into wartime action - though a "Reduced Operating Status" (ROS) crew numbers 58 military and 12 civilian. Onboard facilities can support onshore-offshore actions by all services of the U.S. military including amphibious assaults and USNS Mercy can also take part in humanitarian actions when necessary. Specialists have access to life-saving equipment (radiology, pharmacy, optometry, blood bank, dental, laboratory) and supplies, providing the gamut of services from basic first aid to in-depth surgeries when needed. Up to 80 beds serve an intensive care ward while 20 more beds are offered for recovery. A total of 1,000 beds are available to the ship's medical crew.

In service since 1986, USNS Mercy has participated in major operations from 1987 onwards including Operation Desert Storm (1991), Typhoon Haiyan (2013), RIMPAC 2014, and - more recently - the international response to the COVID-19 virus outbreak. She has been called to deploy offshore of Seattle, Washington for the foreseeable future (March 2020).

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Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for USNS Mercy (T-AH-19).

2 x Boiler units feeding 2 x General Electric turbines developing 24,500 horsepower to 1 x Shaft astern.
Propulsion

17.5 kts
20.1 mph
Surface Speed

1,738 nm
2,000 miles | 3,219 km
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of USNS Mercy (T-AH-19).

1,280
Personnel
Complement

894.0 ft
272.49 meters
O/A Length

106.0 ft
32.31 meters
Beam

33.0 ft
10.06 meters
Draught

65,555
tons
Displacement

Air Arm
Available supported fixed-wing / rotary-wing aircraft featured in the design of USNS Mercy (T-AH-19).

1 x Helicopter supported from forward helipad.

Ships-in-Class (2)
Notable series variants as part of the USNS Mercy (T-AH-19) family line as relating to the Mercy-class group.

USNS Mercy (T-AH-19); USNS Comfort (T-AH-20)

Operators
Global operator(s) of the USNS Mercy (T-AH-19). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.