U.S. Navy Awards General Dynamics contract for MLP 3 Afloat Forward Staging Base

: Posted On Monday, 17 March 2014 16:48

Naval Forces News - USA

U.S. Navy Awards General Dynamics contract for MLP 3 Afloat Forward Staging Base

The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics NASSCO a $128.5 million contract for the detail design and construction of the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) 3 Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). NASSCO is a business unit of General Dynamics.

The Military Sealift Command mobile landing platform ship USNS Montford Point (MLP 1)
(U.S. Navy photo)

Under the terms of the contract, NASSCO will provide the detail design and construction efforts to convert the MLP 3 to an AFSB variant. The work will be performed at NASSCO’s San Diego shipyard and scheduled to be completed by October 2015.

The MLP class of modular, flexible ships belongs to MSC's Maritime Prepositioning Force as a mobile sea-base option that provides our Navy fleet with critical afloat capability, supporting the flexible deployment of forces and supplies. Contract mariners will operate and navigate the MLP ships on behalf of the Navy and Marine Corps.

An artist concept of a mobile landing platform (MLP) ship in Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) configuration

MLP-3 is the first ship of the class to be configured as an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). Delivery is scheduled for the second quarter of 2015.

The MLP AFSB is a flexible platform and a key element in the Navy’s large-scale airborne mine countermeasure mission. The ship is designed to facilitate a wide variety of future mission sets in support of special operations. With accommodations for 250 personnel and a huge helicopter flight deck, the MLP AFSB will provide a highly capable and affordable asset to the Navy and Marine Corps.