The first two members of a brand new class of combat stores ship designated AFS are shown at National Steel & Shipbuilding in San Diego prior to commissioning. They were designed to provide high speed underway replenishment of general stores, frozen foods and aviation parts. They contained several new innovations, among which included the F.A.S.T. automatic line tensioning system, conveyors and elevators for palletized loads, the first onboard supply management computer system, and two UH-46A Sea Knight twin-rotor helicopters. They also carried an SPS-40 Air Search Radar, and were equipped with four 3"/50 twin gun mounts.