[RC2]

Why didn’t the Navy ship fire back? Are we into running from pirates now?

[GATOR NAVY]

This ship is a Military Sealift Command ship, not a warship. The name is USNS (for United States Naval Ship) Lewis and Clark, not USS. It is manned by civilian mariners and has a master, not a commanding officer. It does have a small detachment of regular Navy onboard for communications and operations purposes. They sometimes have an armed guard detachment depending on where they are operating but usually not.

The 40 ships of Military Sealift Command's Naval Fleet Auxiliary Force are the supply lines to U.S. Navy ships at sea. These ships provide virtually everything that Navy ships need, including fuel, food, ordnance, spare parts, mail and other supplies. NFAF ships enable the Navy fleet to remain at sea, on station and combat ready for extended periods of time. NFAF ships also conduct towing, rescue and salvage operations or serve as floating medical facilities.

All NFAF ships are government owned and crewed by civil service mariners. Some of the ships also have a small contingent of Navy personnel aboard for operations support, supply coordination and helicopter operations.

Military Sealift Command

[Hot Tabasco]

Couldn’t attacking a U.S. Naval vessel be considered an act of war?