The amphibious transport dock ship USS Ponce (LPD 15) pulls away from the pier at Naval Station Norfolk. Ponce will be on station in the Gulf of Mexico if needed to provide assistance to civilian authorities in the wake of Hurricane Ike. The storm stuck the Texas Gulf Coast Saturday, Sept. 13 as a major hurricane, causing major flooding and leaving millions without power. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Lolita Lewis/Released)The amphibious transport dock ship USS Ponce (LPD 15) got underway Sept. 14 from Naval Station Norfolk, to demonstrate operational readiness at sea.
Ponce is conducting routine training operations off the Virginia coast, and is capable of providing disaster response and of rendering assistance to civil authorities, if called upon to perform this mission.
Three ships, USS Nassau (LHA 4), Ponce, and USS Bataan (LHD 5), were ordered Sept. 12 to increase readiness for possible disaster response support.
Nassau was already at sea conducting routine operations, and was first directed south to operate off the Florida coast before receiving orders to move into the Gulf of Mexico.
The amphibious assault ship Bataan has been ordered to remain in a prepared-to-deploy status, ready to get underway within 24 hours, if needed.
Although there has been no specific tasking for these three ships, their at-sea readiness provides options for Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, Commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command and Commander, U.S. Northern Command.