Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Related Content
Topic
Document Type
  • Ship History
Wars & Conflicts
File Formats
  • Image (gif, jpg, tiff)
Location of Archival Materials

Spearhead (T-JHSV-1)

2012

A force that leads an attack; the first ship to bear the name.

(T-JHSV-1: displacement 2,400; length 338'; beam 93.5’; speed 35 knots; complement 22; class Spearhead)

Spearhead (T-JHSV-1) was laid down on 22 July 2010 at Mobile, Ala., by Austal USA; launched on 17 September 2011; sponsored by retired Army Chief Warrant Officer Kenneth Wahlman; placed in service with the Military Sealift Command on 5 December 2012.

Spearhead- Coat of Arms

Shield

Dark blue and gold are the colors traditionally associated with the Navy, representing the sea and excellence. Joint High Speed Vessel is a new class of ship conceived as a joint endeavor among the Army, Navy, Marines and Special Operations Command. This vessel will be delivered to, owned and operated by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command. USNS SPEARHEAD is the first ship in the new class, as illustrated by the spearhead, signifying military readiness for the missions assigned. The lightning bolts symbolize speed. Brick red is the color traditionally associated with the U.S. Army Transportation Corps. The spearhead on the wavy pile suggests the prow of a ship on the water and, combined with the lightning bolts, alludes to the JHSV being one of the fastest ships in the fleet.

Crest

The trident represents Navy and maritime authority and, placed behind the shield, implies the Naval command's support for each uniformed service associated with the project. The crossed Army sword and Marine Corps Mameluke symbolize the cooperation and teamwork of each armed force required to accomplish the mission.

Motto

The motto, ‘DUCERE CLASSEM' translated ‘TO LEAD THE FLEET' further emphasizes Spearhead as the first of her class and one of the fastest ships in the arsenal. The black and gold colors of the scroll are emblematic of the United States Army and the United States Special Operations Command.

On 16 August 2012 Spearhead  successfully completed acceptance trials at Mobile, Ala.

Spearhead made a brief stop at Naval Station Mayport, Fla., on 14 February 2013 to introduce the ship to Commander, U.S. 4th Fleet on the way to her new homeport in Little Creek, Va.

Spearhead-conducting trials-20Aug2013-130820-N-ZO696-372
Spearhead conducting high-speed trials off the coast of Virginia, 20 August 2013. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Phil Beaufort, U.S. Navy Photograph 130820-N-ZO696-372, Navy.mil Photos).

On 16 January 2014 Spearhead departed Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Ft. Story on her maiden deployment to the Sixth Fleet area of responsibility (AOR). She arrived at Souda Bay, Greece on 24 February. From 10-14 March, Spearhead participated with 12 West African and European nations in the fourth year of Exercise Saharan Express in the waters off West Africa. From 16-21 April, the ship participated in exercise Obangame Express alongside European, Atlantic, and African partners in the Gulf of Guinea. The ship departed the Sixth Fleet AOR on 2 May.

Spearhead- deprting for maiden deployment-16Jan2014-140116-N-HH332-001
Spearhead gets underway for its maiden deployment from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, 16 January 2014. (Ensign Johnny I. Michael Jr., U.S Navy Photograph 140116-N-HH332-001, Navy.mil Photos).

On 6 January 2015 the joint high-speed vessel arrived at Rota, Spain, for a port visit. On 20 March Spearhead and its embarked detachment of sailors, civil service mariners, and U.S., Spanish, and British Marines began taking part in Exercise Obangame Express 2015. After this exercise, the ship made port calls at Libreville, Gabon, on 23 April and Dakar, Senegal on 26-27 April. From 15 June to 9 October Spearhead deployed to the Southern Command AOR to conduct subject-matter expert exchanges and orientations in support of Southern Partnership Station, an annual regional exercise that provides the opportunity for U.S and partner nation forces to refine coordination and improve multinational interoperability. During the deployment Spearhead visited Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; Honduras; Belize; Guatemala; and Colombia. On 3 September, the Secretary of the Navy announced the re-designation of Joint High Speed Vessels to Expeditionary Fast Transports, making Spearhead (JHSV-1) newly designated as (EPF-1). The ship returned to Mayport, Fla., on 9 October.

Spearhead- Moroccan naval boarding team during exercise-25Apr2015-150425-N-JP249-020
Members of a Moroccan navy boarding team take part in a proliferation security initiative scenario aboard Spearhead during Exercise Saharan Express 2015, 25 April 2015. (Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Joshua Davies, U.S. Navy Photograph 150425-N-JP249-020, Navy.mil Photos).
Spearhead- underway-7Aug2015-150807-A-YZ667-002
Taken by the RQ-20A Aqua Puma unmanned aircraft system, this photograph shows an aerial view of Spearhead underway during Southern Partnership Station Joint High Speed Vessel 2015, 7 August 2015. (U.S. Navy Photograph 150807-A-YZ667-002, Navy.mil Photos).

Detailed history pending.

C. Kevin Hurst

Christopher B. Havern Sr.

1 December 2015

Published: Thu Feb 25 10:47:33 EST 2016