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MCS-12 Inchon Mine Countermeasures Support Ship 

Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm identified the need for a dedicated command, control and support ship to support mine countermeasures operations. The contract to convert Inchon was awarded in November 1994 to Ingalls Shipbuilding, Inc., Pascagoula, Miss. USS Inchon was converted from an amphibious assault ship with major changes made to the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I) system including upgrades to the close-in weapons system (Phalanx) and various radars. The ship supports an embarked composite helicopter squadron of eight CH-53E and two SAR/spotter helicopters, and provides alongside support and services for up to four MCM/MHC ships. It can support and accommodate four Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) groups with assigned equipment. Additionally it provides C4I facilities for the MCM group commander. New repair facilities and upgrades to older one were also added, giving the MSC 12 the ability to accomplish whatever repairs are necessary to weapons, LCACs, aircraft, etc., in any theater of operation.

 

Specifications
Builders Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS
Power Plant 600-pound steam plant, one shaft, 22,000 shaft horsepower
Displacement Light Displacement: 13881 tons
Full Displacement: 19468 tons
Dead Weight: 5587 tons
Length Overall Length: 598 ft
Waterline Length: 556 ft
Beam Extreme Beam: 84 ft
Waterline Beam: 84 ft
Draft Maximum Navigational Draft: 29 ft
Draft Limit: 30 ft
Speed 21 knots (24 miles per hour)
Aircraft 2 - UH-46D Sea Knight helicopters
8 - MH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters
Armament 4 - .50 caliber machine guns;
4 - 25mm MK 38 machine guns;
2 - MK15 Phalanx CIWS;
Stinger missiles
Crew 122 officers;
1,321 enlisted

Ships
Name Number Builder Homeport Ordered Commissioned Decommissioned
Inchon MCS 12 Ingalls Ingleside 16 Jun 1966 20 Jun 1970  

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