USNS Matthew Perry

USNS *Matthew Perry*
History
Awarded	30 January 2006
Builder	National Steel and Shipbuilding
Laid down	3 October 2008
Launched	16 August 2009
Sponsored by	Hester G. Evans
Christened	16 August 2009
Acquired	24 February 2010
Identification	IMO number: 9383625; MMSI number: 367840000; Callsign: NPER;
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class & type	Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship
Displacement	23,852 tons light,; 40,298 tons full,; 16,446 tons dead;
Length	210 m (689 ft) overall,; 199.3 m (654 ft) waterline;
Beam	32.3 m (106 ft) extreme,; 32.3 m (106 ft) waterline;
Draft	9.1 m (30 ft) maximum,; 9.4 m (31 ft) limit;
Propulsion	Integrated propulsion and ship service electrical system, with generation at 6.6 kV by FM/MAN B&W diesel generators; one fixed pitch propeller; bow thruster
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h)
Range	14,000 nmi (26,000 km; 16,000 mi) at 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity	Max dry cargo weight:; 5,910 LT (6,000 t); Max dry cargo volume:; 783,000 cu ft (22,200 m3); Max cargo fuel weight:; 2,350 LT (2,390 t); Cargo fuel volume:; 18,000 bbl (2,900 m3);
Complement	49 military, 123 civilian
Electronic warfare; & decoys	Nulka decoy launchers
Armament	2–6 × 0.5 in (12.7 mm) machine guns; or 7.62 mm medium machine guns;
Aircraft carried	two helicopters, either Sikorsky MH-60S Knighthawk or Aerospatiale SA330J Puma

USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE-9) is a Lewis and Clark-class dry cargo ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Commodore Matthew C. Perry (1794–1858), who led the effort to open Japan to trade with the West.

The contract to build Matthew Perry was awarded to National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) of San Diego, California, on 30 January 2006. Her keel was laid down on 3 October 2008. She was launched and christened on 16 August 2009, sponsored by Hester Evans, a great-great-great-granddaughter of Commodore Perry.