MV George Watson

Not to be confused with USS Watson (DD-482).

USNS Watson (T-AKR-310) is one of Military Sealift Command's nineteen Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off Ships and is part of the 33 ships in the Prepositioning Program. She is the lead ship of her class of vehicle cargo ships.

History
United States
Name	USNS Watson
Namesake	George Watson (Medal of Honor) (1914–1943)
Ordered	15 September 1993
Builder	National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
Laid down	23 May 1996
Launched	26 July 1997
In service	23 June 1998
Identification	IMO number: 9112727 MMSI number: 368707000 Callsign: NHLS
Status	Active in Reduced Operational Status
General characteristics
Class & type	Watson-class vehicle cargo ship
Displacement	29,000 tons
Length	950 ft
Beam	106 ft
Draft	34 ft
Propulsion	Gas turbine

She was named for Private George Watson, a Medal of Honor recipient.

Laid down on 23 May 1996 and launched on 26 July 1997, Watson was put into service in the Pacific Ocean on 23 June 1998.^[1]

George Watson was transferred to the US Maritime Administration on 27 August 2025.^[2]

Notable deployments

U.S. Naval Ship Watson at Honolulu, Hawaii, Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022

In November 2022, Watson took onboard part of an Army Prepositioned Stock and then went to Hawaii, there delivering more than 500 pieces of equipment, vehicles and containers, in support of its Operation Pathways exercise to be held in Australia in 2023. Unloading was done by soldiers of the 8th Theater Sustainment Command, 25th Infantry Division, 599th Transportation Brigade, and 402nd Army Field Support Brigade. It was the first time Watson had visited Hawaii. The equipment will be inspected to ensure they're not carrying any pollen, animals or other organisms or material that could threaten ecosystems in Australia, before moving there.^[3]