Hailey Tran
Hospital ships have been used by the United States Navy since at least 1798 and were institutionalised by the Royal Navy in the first half of the nineteenth century. The U.S. Navy currently has two dedicated hospital ships, the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort, which are used for combat operations, disaster relief, and humanitarian operations worldwide. The U.S. Navy is ordering three new expeditionary hospital ships, and there are plans to build a new class of Joint High-Speed Vessels based on a catamaran hull.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of hospital ships in the U.S. Navy | 2 dedicated hospital ships, with more on the way |
| Names of the hospital ships | USNS Mercy, USNS Comfort, USNS Bethesda |
| Length | 894 feet (Mercy and Comfort), 361 feet (Bethesda) |
| Speed | Up to 30 knots, can maintain speeds over 18 knots for 5,000 nautical miles (Bethesda) |
| Medical facilities | 12 fully-equipped ORs, a 1,000-bed hospital facility (including 88 ICU beds and 11 isolation ward beds), radiological services, a 5,000-unit blood bank, a full medical laboratory, pharmacy and optometry labs, and two oxygen-producing plants (Mercy and Comfort) |
| Crew | Civilian mariners, Military Sealift Command |
| Protection | Cannot be used for military purposes, must be painted white and display the emblem of the Red Cross, protected at all times under international law |
| History | Used by the Royal Navy in the nineteenth century, played a significant role in the Crimean War in the 1850s, used on a large scale during World Wars I and II |
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What You'll Learn
The US Navy currently has two dedicated hospital ships
The US Navy has a long history of using hospital ships, dating back to at least 1798. Hospital ships were first institutionalised by the Royal Navy during the first half of the nineteenth century and played a significant role in the Crimean War in the 1850s. The modern hospital ship, equipped with genuine medical facilities, emerged during the British expedition to China in 1860. The US Navy's hospital ships are currently operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), which provides ocean transportation for all branches of the US military. The MSC's fleet includes two dedicated hospital ships and more than 120 other ships for the deployment of military assets.
The US Navy's hospital ships are protected under international law, specifically the second Geneva Convention of 1906, the Hague Convention of 1907, and Articles 22 to 35 of GC II. These legal provisions outline the obligations to respect and protect hospital ships, requiring that they be painted white and display the emblem of the Red Cross. Additionally, during international armed conflicts, the protection of hospital ships is contingent on notifying the parties involved ten days before the ships are employed.
The issue of defensive armaments on hospital ships has been a topic of discussion, especially with the increasing threats of missile and drone attacks. While hospital ships are legally protected, the modern threat environment has raised questions about their need for additional defensive measures. The US Navy is ordering three new expeditionary hospital ships, providing an opportunity to consider what, if any, armaments should be incorporated into their design.
In conclusion, the US Navy's two dedicated hospital ships, the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort, play a crucial role in providing emergency care for combatant forces and humanitarian assistance worldwide. The history, legal protections, and potential future enhancements of US Navy hospital ships demonstrate their ongoing importance in military and humanitarian contexts.
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History of US Navy hospital ships
The US Navy currently has two dedicated hospital ships: the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort. Both are kept ready to deploy and provide emergency care for American combatant forces. When not in combat operations, they are used for disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide. The Comfort is layberthed in Norfolk, Virginia, and the Mercy in San Diego, California. Each ship houses 12 operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital, 88 ICU beds, 11 isolation ward beds, radiological services, a 5,000-unit blood bank, a full medical laboratory, a pharmacy, optometry labs, and two oxygen-producing plants.
The history of US Navy hospital ships dates back to at least 1798. In the 19th century, redundant warships were used as moored hospitals for seamen. The Royal Navy institutionalised the use of hospital ships in the first half of the 1800s, and they were widely used during the Crimean War in the 1850s. The US Navy's first purpose-built hospital ship, the USS Relief, was commissioned in 1921. During World War I and World War II, hospital ships were used on a massive scale, with the British Royal Navy operating 77 such ships by the end of WWI. Many passenger liners were converted for medical use during these conflicts, including the famous RMS Aquitania and HMHS Britannic.
During the Gallipoli Campaign, hospital ships were used to evacuate wounded personnel to Egypt, Malta, and England. Canada also operated hospital ships in both world wars, including the SS Letitia and HMHS Llandovery Castle, which was sunk by a German U-boat. Hospital ships were used by both sides in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, with the Japanese capturing the Russian hospital ship Orel during the decisive naval Battle of Tsushima.
In addition to dedicated hospital ships, the US Navy has also utilised other vessels for medical purposes. Ambulance boats of various types have been used by different commands, squadrons, and bases during times of conflict and peace. The USS Bonhomme Richard, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, had the ability to act as a light aircraft carrier and could serve as a casualty receiving ship during battle.
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The future of US Navy hospital ships
The US Navy currently has two dedicated hospital ships: the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort. Both ships are kept ready to deploy and provide emergency care for American combatant forces. When not in use for combat operations, they are used for disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
The Navy has been considering replacing these hospital ships for almost two decades. The ships are projected to be retired in 2035 and 2036, but these dates are uncertain. The Navy is developing a concept, T-AH(X), to replace the aging hospital ships. The Navy ultimately wants to have a trio of platforms that can work together to provide seamless care anywhere in the world.
In the 2023 Defense Department budget, funding was allocated for a new kind of Navy medical ship, one built to operate more like an ambulance than a hospital. The Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS) is designed for easy movement and rapid response in shallow littorals and vast expanses of a future operating theatre like the Pacific. The EMS will be smaller than the current hospital ships, allowing it to access shallower ports. It will also be faster, travelling at up to 30 knots and maintaining speeds in excess of 18 knots for over 5,000 nautical miles. The Navy has ordered three of these ships, with the lead ship in the class named after Bethesda, the Maryland home of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The other two ships will be named after Balboa Naval Hospital and an unnamed location.
The Navy also plans to add an even quicker connector platform, the EPF Flight II, based on a catamaran hull. This will be the last of a series of ships the Navy expects to procure from Austal USA. Austal USA has also proposed its Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel as a hospital ship platform. The Navy's big-deck amphibious ships have large medical departments and expansive flight decks, enabling more patient transfers faster than the hospital ships.
In addition to the two dedicated hospital ships, the Military Sealift Command (MSC), which operates the hospital ships, has a fleet of over 120 other ships, including cargo ships for the deployment of military assets. Many of these other ships have similar capabilities to the hospital ships.
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Medical capabilities of US Navy hospital ships
The US Navy currently has two dedicated hospital ships: the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort. Both are kept in a constant state of readiness to deploy and provide emergency care for American combatant forces. When not in use for combat operations, they are used in support of disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
The USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort are equipped with 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital facility, 88 ICU beds, 11 isolation ward beds, radiological services, a 5,000-unit blood bank, a full medical laboratory, pharmacy and optometry labs, and two oxygen-producing plants. The ships are operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC), which provides ocean transportation for all branches of the US military. MSC vessels are unarmed and primarily civilian-staffed.
In addition to the two dedicated hospital ships, the US Navy has a range of other ships with medical capabilities. For example, aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships have extensive medical facilities. The USS Gerald R. Ford, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, has an onboard hospital with an operating room, a three-bed ICU, a two-bed emergency room, and a 41-bed hospital ward. The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers have even larger hospital facilities and can function as hospital ships for an entire carrier strike group.
Some ships have a Limited Medical Mission role, such as the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport ship, which will include a combined forward resuscitative care capability with a limited ICU and medical ward. Other ships, such as the USS Bonhomme Richard, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, can act as light aircraft carriers and are designated as casualty-receiving ships, providing emergency stabilization surgery before transferring patients to a hospital ship or a fixed facility on land for further treatment.
The US Navy has a long history of utilizing hospital ships, dating back to at least 1798. These ships have served various roles, including ambulance vessels, rescue ships, evacuation ships, barracks ships, receiving ships, supply ships, and guard ships. The actual medical duties of these ships were often defined by the space available, the need for local Naval Hospitals, and the availability of medical staff.
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Defensive capabilities of US Navy hospital ships
The U.S. Navy currently has two dedicated hospital ships: the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort. Both ships are kept in a constant state of readiness to provide emergency care for American combatant forces and support disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide. Each ship has 12 operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital facility, radiological services, a 5,000-unit blood bank, a full medical laboratory, pharmacy and optometry labs, and two oxygen-producing plants.
The vulnerability of hospital ships to modern means of warfare, such as missiles, drones, and high-speed surface craft, has raised questions about their defensive capabilities and the need for armaments. While hospital ships are internationally recognised as having special status under the 1906 Geneva Convention and the 1907 Hague Convention, they are completely unarmed and thus vulnerable to attack.
Some experts argue that arming hospital ships, even defensively, may not be advisable. Instead, they suggest utilising security detachments for protection, as seen with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief deployments. These detachments can provide defence against small boats and possibly drones, although the weapons are short-range.
However, the Navy has employed machine guns on hospital ships, which can be effective against small-craft threats. Additionally, the MK 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) has been used to counter missile, drone, and small high-speed surface craft threats. The CIWS is a defensive weapon system with a limited range, making it unsuitable for offensive operations but ideal for last-ditch missile defence.
As the Navy orders three new expeditionary hospital ships, the debate continues on how best to protect them and their crews. The emerging customary international law supports a minimal level of defensive weaponry for hospital ships, and the increasing threats of hybrid warfare make the ability for self-defence crucial.
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Frequently asked questions
There are currently two dedicated hospital ships in the US Navy: the USNS Mercy and the USNS Comfort. However, the US Navy has ordered three new expeditionary hospital ships. Many other ships in the US Navy also have some medical capabilities.
Hospital navy ships are used to provide on-site emergency care for combatant forces. They are also used in support of disaster relief and humanitarian operations worldwide.
Hospital navy ships are large ships with fully equipped medical facilities. The two Mercy-class hospital ships in the US Navy have 12 operating rooms, a 1,000-bed hospital facility, radiological services, a 5,000-unit blood bank, a full medical laboratory, a pharmacy, optometry labs, and two oxygen-producing plants.
Hospital ships have been part of the United States Navy since at least 1798. They were first institutionalised by the Royal Navy during the first half of the nineteenth century and emerged in their modern form during the Crimean War in the 1850s.
