The AOE-6 Class Fast Combat Support Ship's mission is to receive petroleum products, ammunition, and provisions from shuttle ships and to redistribute these items to carrier battle groups. The AOE-6 Program is managed by the Auxiliary and Special Mission Ship Acquisition Program Office of the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). In January 1987, the Navy awarded a $290 million fixed-price-incentive contract to the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) for the detailed design and construction of the first AOE-6 Class ship. The Navy exercised options for a second and third ship in November 1988 and December 1989, respectively. The Navy planned a competition for a fourth and final ship in FY 1992. * *

GlobalSecurity.org, located in Alexandria, Virginia, offers a profile about the AOE 6 Supply, a class of fast combat support ships used by the U.S. Navy. The ships have the ability of keeping up with the carrier battle groups and rapidly replenish Navy task forces. GlobalSecurity.org describes the specifications, plans, and operations of the AOE 6 Supply. Images of the ships are available, as well as a ship list.