Aircraft carriers rank among the largest seagoing vessels in the U.S. Navy’s fleet. Their immense size demands significant power, making refueling a process that can stretch across years in drydock. Conversely, these carriers can remain at sea for extended periods, yet they still need essential supplies like food, water, and ammunition to support their crews. Unlike a straightforward pizza delivery to a military installation, resupplying aircraft carriers poses a perilous challenge that can endanger lives.
To facilitate the transfer of fresh supplies and fuel, a supply ship and carrier must keep a distance of up to 300 feet while securing a highline that can transport a fuel hose and cargo through the Standard Tensioned Replenishment Alongside Method (STREAM). Ram-tensioner devices aid in maintaining constant tension; however, the core issue is rooted in physics. Both vessels, weighing tens to hundreds of tons, must synchronize their speed and trajectory. Any ship maneuvering too close to another generates hydrodynamic interactions that result in a suction effect between the ships. If helmsmen fail to make the necessary adjustments, deviating even slightly from perfect parallel alignment can lead to a collision.
Though these vessels are equipped with emergency breakaway systems to prevent such situations, accidents remain a possibility. Earlier this year, for instance, the USS Truxtun, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, accidentally struck the USNS Supply (yes, that’s its actual name). Fortunately, only two crew members sustained injuries, but the incident led to the termination of Truxtun’s captain, former Commander James Koffi. Given that destroyers are one-tenth the size of carriers, the potential damage could have been significantly worse.
Ships must continue to resupply even amid inclement weather and hostile fire.
In optimal conditions, crew members should contend merely with waves and underwater currents that threaten to collide the ships, but actual ocean conditions rarely meet this standard. Inclement weather can erupt suddenly, rendering already risky refueling missions even more perilous—especially as climate change escalates extreme weather occurrences.
Rain and fog diminish visibility, while strong winds can snap the taut cables, damaging equipment in proximity and severely harming crew members. And then there are hurricanes. If either an aircraft carrier or supply vessel encounters one, they halt supply operations and seek safer waters to resume. Given the hazards posed by hurricanes, one might think that Navy ships would also suspend resupply missions during critical situations, like under attack. Yet, this is not the case.
From September 2024 to May 2025, the USS Harry S. Truman was deployed in the Red Sea, receiving supplies from the USNS Arctic while reportedly “under fire from Houthi missiles and one-way attack drones.” Crewmembers managed to unload everything from missiles to ice cream onto the aircraft carrier. Although the USS Harry S. Truman received most of the recognition, the USNS Arctic played a pivotal yet unheralded role in the mission.
Cutting-edge technology is enhancing the safety of resupply operations.
While the STREAM procedure serves as the standard for resupplying aircraft carriers and other vessels, it is not the sole technique available. Helicopters such as the MH-60S Seahawks (distinct from SeaHawk drones used for water pollution monitoring) can assist in resupply by transporting several thousand pounds of cargo and directly dropping it onto carrier flight decks. Additionally, the Navy is investing in unmanned logistics drones to aid in resupply efforts. However, both aerial methods encounter unique constraints, as high winds and poor visibility can pose significant risks.
The Navy is also modernizing conventional resupply and refueling techniques. For example, the T-AO is a new class of fleet resupply vessel set to replace the existing fleet oilers, while the U.S. Navy is exploring autonomous refueling systems, though currently targeting unmanned vehicles.
In 2025, the U.S. Navy enlisted Louisville company Stratom to create a refueling mechanism capable of replenishing Unmanned Surface Vehicles. Although these vessels are quite different from aircraft carriers, this system could represent an initial progression toward safer resupply practices for manned naval ships. However, if that is the case, it’s still a considerable way off.