Kilauea Class Ammunition Ship (AE-26) — Asbestos in the Cold War Ammunition Resupply Ship

The Kilauea class ammunition ships — eight ships commissioned between 1968 and 1972, designated AE-26 through AE-35 — were the United States Navy’s primary dedicated ammunition resupply ships during the Cold War, providing underway replenishment of missiles, rockets, gun ammunition, and ordnance to carrier battle groups and surface combatants on deployment. Built at Bethlehem Steel’s Sparrows Point shipyard in Maryland and at other shipyards, Kilauea class ammunition ships used two sets of General Electric steam turbines powered by two Foster Wheeler boilers to achieve the fleet replenishment speeds required for carrier battle group support. The Kilauea class carried a broad range of ammunition types in specialized magazine spaces throughout the ship’s hold, with the ammunition handling systems and below-deck magazine spaces occupying a major portion of the ship’s interior. Kilauea class ammunition ships incorporated asbestos-containing boiler insulation, steam plant pipe insulation, and interior construction materials consistent with the late 1960s and early 1970s construction specifications, creating background asbestos exposure for engineering ratings and crew members who served aboard Kilauea class ammunition ships throughout their Cold War service.

Kilauea Class Steam Plant Asbestos

Kilauea class ammunition ships incorporated asbestos throughout their B&W and GE propulsion:

• Foster Wheeler boiler casing insulation — the two Foster Wheeler boilers aboard Kilauea class ships incorporated asbestos-containing insulation on the boiler casings consistent with the late 1960s boiler construction specifications. Boilermen performing boiler maintenance in Kilauea class firerooms worked in proximity to the asbestos-containing boiler casing insulation throughout their fireroom watch assignments
• Steam main and auxiliary steam pipe insulation — the steam main piping and auxiliary steam distribution piping throughout Kilauea class engineering spaces incorporated asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with the late 1960s steam plant construction. Engineering ratings working in Kilauea class engine rooms accumulated background asbestos exposure from the steam system pipe insulation during engineering watch standing
• General Electric propulsion turbine casing insulation — the General Electric main propulsion turbines aboard Kilauea class ships incorporated asbestos-containing turbine casing insulation consistent with the late 1960s turbine construction specifications. Machinist’s Mates performing turbine maintenance in Kilauea class engine rooms worked in proximity to the turbine casing insulation during maintenance operations

Kilauea Class Magazine and Ammunition Space Construction Asbestos

Ammunition handling spaces on Kilauea class ships incorporated asbestos construction materials:

• Below-deck magazine space hull construction — the below-deck magazine spaces throughout the Kilauea class hull where ammunition was stored incorporated hull construction materials consistent with the late 1960s construction specifications. The magazine spaces, handling rooms, and below-deck ordnance areas were constructed within the ship’s hull using construction materials that may have included asbestos-containing pipe insulation consistent with the vessel’s construction period. Gunner’s Mates and ammunition handlers working in Kilauea class magazine spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from the hull construction materials in the ammunition storage and handling areas

VA Claims for Kilauea Class Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy ammunition ship service. Machinist’s Mates, Boilermen, and crew members who served aboard Kilauea class ammunition ships and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.