The  NASSCO shipyard at San Diego, California has delivered the 689-foot-long USNS Matthew Perry (T-AKE 9) to the US Navy as the ninth in a series of 14 combat supply vessels it is expected to complete before the end of 2012.

The General Dynamics-owned yard has also launched the tenth ship of the class, USNS Charles Drew, and is building the eleventh and twelfth ships.  

It has also  received contracts valued at US$825 million covering the construction  of  T-AKEs 13 and 14, the final ships of the series.

Supplied by: Jim Shaw