SS Altair

USNS Altair (T-AKR-291) loading ground support equipment onto a floating causeway during Exercise Gallant Eagle 86.
History
United States
Namesake	Altair
Operator	United States Navy
Builder	Rheinstahl Nordseewerke
Launched	1 April 1973
Acquired	5 January 1982
Identification	IMO number: 7315571 MMSI number: 368988000 Callsign: NRZA
Honors and awards	National Defense Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Kuwait Liberation Medal
Status	Ready Reserve
General characteristics
Class and type	Algol class vehicle cargo ship
Displacement	55,355 tons (full)
Length	946 ft 2 in (288 m)
Beam	105 ft 6 in (32 m)
Draft	36 ft 4 in (11 m)
Propulsion	2 × Foster-Wheeler boilers, 875 psi (61.6kg/cm2) 2 × GE MST-19 steam turbines; 120,000 hp (89.5 MW)
Speed	33 knots
Capacity	700+ military vehicles (including trucks, tanks, and helicopters)
Complement	43 civilians, 12 military technicians (fully operational), 18 civilians (reduced operating status)
Armament	None
Aviation facilities	Landing pad

SS Altair (T-AKR 291) is an Algol class vehicle cargo ship that is currently maintained by the United States Maritime Administration as part of the Military Sealift Command's Ready Reserve Force (RRF). She was built as a high speed container ship by Rheinstahl Nordseewerke in Emden, West Germany, hull no. 431, for Sea-Land Service, Inc. and named SS Sea-Land Finance, USCG ON 550722, IMO 7315571.^[1][2] Due to her high operating cost, she was sold to the United States Navy on 5 January 1982 as USNS Altair (T-AK-291).^[3]

In keeping with the pattern of the naming the Algol-class ships after bright stars, the Altair was named after Altair, the brightest star in the constellation Aquila and the twelfth brightest star in the night sky.