Spearhead's SMART inspection

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Military Sealift Command's first expeditionary fast transport ship, USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1), completed its first Ships Material Assessment and Readiness Testing (SMART) inspection on June 14. Spearhead was the first ship in its class to undergo the SMART inspection. MSC’s ships undergo SMART inspections every five years. "During these inspections, we check out all of the mission specific equipment including propulsion, safety gear, and damage control equipment. We check out everything from stem to stern," said Capt. Chris Wells, the director of inspections at the Board of Inspection and Survey. The inspection lasted seven days, and culminated in an at-sea demonstration of its material readiness. (Source: Military Sealift Command 06/20/18) Gulf Coast Note: Construction of Spearhead began on July 20, 2010, when the ship's keel was laid at Austal USA’s shipyard in Mobile, Ala. At the time, Spearhead was intended for service with the Army’s 7th Sustainment Brigade as USAV Spearhead. In August 2012, Spearhead made a clean sweep of acceptance trials and was delivered to the Navy on Dec. 5, 2012.