United States Navy USNS Watkins Retired

Inactivated on 1 July 2026 under the U.S. Navy's fiscal year 2026 ship inactivation schedule announced in February. A Watson-class large, medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ship operated by Military Sealift Command, Watkins entered service in 1997 and spent much of her career prepositioning U.S. Army equipment in the Indian Ocean and Western Pacific. The 950-foot, 62,000-ton vessel could carry over 380,000 square feet of vehicles and cargo. Her inactivation forms part of a drawdown of 13 warships and support ships during fiscal 2026, alongside fleet oilers and littoral combat ships.