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The U.S. Navy's third Mobile Landing Platform (MLP), Lewis B. Puller successfully completed launch and float-off at the General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO) shipyard Nov. 6. Lewis B. Puller is the first afloat forwarding staging base (AFSB) variant of the MLP. The ship is designed around four core capabilities - aviation, berthing, equipment staging area, and command and control - and optimized to support a variety of maritime missions.

The design of the AFSB variant adds a flight deck, berthing, fuel storage, equipment storage, and repair spaces. With a rotating crew of civilian mariners and military personnel the ship can operate forward almost continuously, providing a base of operations for everything from counter-piracy/smuggling, maritime security, and mine clearing to humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

During float-off, the launching dock was slowly flooded with water until the ship could freely float for the first time. Following launch, the ship will complete its construction and then go to sea in 2015 to complete a series of at-sea test and trials prior to delivery in 2015.
As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, special mission and support ships, and special warfare craft. Delivering high-quality war fighting assets - while balancing affordability and capability - is key to supporting the Navy's Maritime Strategy.

Speaking to Navy Recognition during the Sea-Air-Space 2014 exposition, Tom Wetherald (Director of Business Development at GD NASSCO) explained that there is an accommodation block located forward for up to 250 personnel for the flight crew or other mission personnel such as Navy Seals or Marines. This space also features a hangar capable of fitting two MH-53 helicopters plus aviation maintenance and mission specific spaces.
The ship retains the capability of ballasting down. Eventhough the ship is configured for air mine countermeasure missions with MH-53 helicotpers, NASSCO believes the US Navy is about to order a study on the ability of AFSB to handle the MV-22. It should not be a significant job to modify the existing design in order to handle the MV-22. AFSB will have an endurance of over 9,500 nautical miles at a speed of 15 knots.

General Dynamics NASSCO has been awarded a $498 million contract to build the fourth Mobile Landing Platform that will be the second configured as a so-called Afloat Forward Staging Base for mine countermeasure (MCM) helicopters and special operations forces (SOF) and U.S. Marines, the company announced on Monday.

The ship — based on the hull of an Alaska-class crude oil tanker — will be built at NASSCO’s San Diego, Calif. shipyard and will be completed by 2018, according to a Friday Department of Defense contract announcement.

“Under this option, NASSCO will provide the detail design and construction efforts to build the second AFSB of the Mobile Landing Platform-class ships,” read a statement from NASSCO.

The contract modification that funds the construction follows the first AFSB — USNS Lewis B. Puller (MLP-3/AFSB-1) — which was launched at the San Diego yard in November.

The 764-foot ship will field large helicopter deck capable of fielding MH-53E Sea Dragon MCM helos and provide accommodations for up to 250.

Lewis B. Puller is slated to become operational in 2015 and will likely replace the current AFSB stand in — USS Ponce (AFSB-(I)-15).

The second AFSB — contracted on Friday — will most likely based in the Pacific.

U.S. Military Sealift Command (MSC) took delivery of the second MLP — USNS John Glenn (MLP-2) — in March.

MSC will operate all four ships.

The following is the Dec. 19, 2014 DoD contract announcement on the second AFSB.

General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, California, is being awarded a $498,116,529 modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive, firm-target contract (N00024-09-C-2229) for the procurement of the detail, design and construction of the fourth Mobile Landing Platform Afloat Forward Staging Base. Work will be performed in: San Diego, California (70 percent); Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (7 percent); Chesapeake, Virginia (7 percent); Beloit, Wisconsin (6 percent); Iron Mountain, Michigan (2 percent); and various locations in the United States (0.8 percent); work is expected to be completed by March 2018. Fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $498,116,529 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.