The U.S Navy’s Military Sealift Command unloaded 15 tons of ammunition, 8 blackhawk helicopters worth approximately U.S. $7 million each, vehicles and containers of supplies and equipment at Chuk Samet Port in Sattahip last week. This was in preparation for this year’s Cobra Gold exercise. One of the largest ever, the U.S and Thai Military forces joint annual exercise will commence in Korat.

Blackhawk helicopter touching down on Thai docks.

The Military Sealift Command Operations Director Brian Tully explained, "The mission of Military Sealift Command is to provide ocean transportation of equipment, fuel, supplies and ammunition to support U.S. forces worldwide both during peacetime and war. During a war more than 95 percent of all military supplies are carried by sea. The Command plays a vital role in U.S. national strategy by operating and chartering ships for the U.S Navy fleet support; providing special ocean missions support to U.S. Government agencies; prepositioning U.S. military supplies and equipment at sea; and providing ocean transportation of defense cargo in both war and peacetime."

The U. S. Navy’s Military Sealift command worked over three days in a massive operation to unload equipment working in conjunction with Royal Thai Navy Port Operations, including Thai Navy Crane operators and stevedores and U. S Military Traffic Management Command (M.T.M.C.).

Lt. Col. Kathleen Pederson of the M.T.M.C said, "We can pick up and deploy teams of people any place in the world. Our concept is tiger teams on 24 hours notice to designated ports to set up port operations. Our brief is to ensure we give supplies when, where and what is needed. We are responsible for world wide port operations, deployability engineering, global traffic management and integrated transportation systems, meaning that everyone talks to each other, vital in the case of helicopters."