Lewis B Puller News

The Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary sea base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) completed its routine planned maintenance in Rijeka, Croatia Feb. 8, 2024 at Viktor Lenac Shipyard.Military Sealift Command, Europe and Africa (MSCEURAF) and Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) executed the ship’s planned Mid-Term Availability (MTA), a depot-level maintenance period, to maintain safety and mission-essential equipment and ensure the ship will reach its planned service life.Maintenance work during the MTA included Safety of Life At Sea equipment such as communication…

U.S. shipyards are making improvements to building ships for the Navy and Coast Guard today and in the future. In some cases, it means phasing out one class of ship and getting ready for the next. Or, it can be a drastic make-over.The yards include mid-tier yards all the way up to very large facilities devoted exclusively to warships. The ships range from the 353-ton Fast Response Cutter to the 100,000-ton nuclear-powered aircraft carriers. Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin…

Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsidiary of aerospace and defense company General Dynamics (GD), announced on Friday that it received $1.4 billion in U.S. Navy contract modifications for construction of a sixth Expeditionary Sea Base ship (ESB 8) and two additional John Lewis-class fleet oilers (T-AO 211 and 212). This award comes in addition to $600 million already received to procure long-lead time materials for the same ships. The contract modification also provides an option for the Navy to procure an additional oiler…

As a rudderless U.S. Navy debates maritime strategy, fleet futures and platform performance, America’s naval shipbuilding industry can look forward to another year of relative stasis.Barring a major geopolitical incident or unexpected maritime provocation, government shipbuilding isn’t going to change course. With Admiral Michael Gilday approaching the final “lame duck” year of his four-year term as Chief of Naval Operations and the 2024 election season looming, the prospect for major changes in the Navy’s demand signal seems limited.Aside from the U.S.

San Diego shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO said it has been awarded $600 million in U.S. Navy contract modifications for long-lead-time material to support construction of the seventh and eighth ships in the John Lewis-class fleet oiler (T-AO) program, as well as the sixth ship in the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.The contract modifications for long-lead-time material provide $500 million for T-AO 211 (Thurgood Marshall) and T-AO 212 (Ruth Bader Ginsburg), and $100 million…

General Dynamics NASSCO christened the USNS John L. Canley (ESB 6), the fourth ship for the U.S. Navy’s reclassified Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program, on Saturday. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Michael E. Langley served as the principal speaker at the ceremony, in addition to remarks from NASSCO, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps representatives. Following remarks, Patricia A. Sargent, the ship’s sponsor and daughter of the ship’s namesake, christened the ship with the traditional champagne bottle break alongside the hull.“Today, we celebrate and honor a true hero, Sgt. Maj. Canley.

San Diego shipyard General Dynamics NASSCO on Wednesday started construction on the future USS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7), the fifth ship of the Navy’s reclassified Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.Long-time NASSCO employee Dennis DuBard served as the Start of Construction honoree, initiating the first cut of steel that will be used to construct the vessel.“Today, we start construction of the ship that honors the life and service of the ship’s namesake, Marine Corps Private First Class Robert E. Simanek,” said Dave Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.

General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy worth up to $1.6 billion for the construction of the sixth and seventh ships of the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program, as well as an option for ESB 8.The contract, announced by the Department of Defense today, provides $1.08 billion as a fixed-price-incentive modification to a previous contract for the design and construction of the two ships, with an option for the third that…

General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, has been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy worth up to $1.6 billion for the construction of the sixth and seventh ships of the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program, as well as an option for ESB 8.According to the Department of Defense, the contract provides $1.08 billion as a fixed-price-incentive modification to a previous contract for the design and construction of the two ships, with an option for the third that, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value to $1.63 billion.“We are pleased to be building ESB 6 and 7 for our Navy,” said Kevin Graney, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.

As Congress wrestles with the budget, there is at least a bipartisan consensus that defense spending should grow, and that includes growing the Navy’s fleet. The current goal is 355 ships, an admirable goal, but an objective that faces many cost hurdles. The surface fleet (which excludes submarines and aircraft carriers) needs to grow in capability and capacity. The numbers of ships being procured or envisions would increase as the total n umber of ships increases, but the number in this story represents current program status.

The fourth expeditionary sea base vessel, USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams, was delivered to the U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) on February 22. Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO began constructing the 784-foot-long ship in October 2015, applying lessons learned from ESB 3, USS Lewis B. Puller, throughout the ESB 4 build. The vessel, named after World War II Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams, is designed to carry out various missions including air mine counter measures…

The Navy will commission the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) during a 5 p.m. AST ceremony Thursday, August 17, at Khalifa bin Salman Port in Al Hidd, Bahrain. The future Lewis B. Puller - currently USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-ESB 3 )- is the second ship to bear the name of Lt. Gen. Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, a distinguished combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War. Puller is the only Marine to have been awarded the Navy Cross on five separate occasions and is the most decorated individual in the history of the USMC. The first Lewis B. Puller (FFG 23), an Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigate, served from 1982-1998, and was then transferred to the Egyptian Navy and renamed Toushka (F.906). Vice Adm. Kevin M. Donegan, commander, U.S.

The U.S. Navy has a balanced fleet, but it wants to grow bigger and better. Will the budget allow both? Maritime Reporter's March 2017 cover story on the U.S. Navy was all about the numbers. There exists several plans to grow the fleet beyond the current number of 308 ships, the Mitre recommendation of 414 ships, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment 340-ship proposal, and the Navy’s decision to grow the fleet to 355 ships, and the Trump administration’s 350. With so many numbers being bandied about, there are even more suggestions on how to get there.

On Wednesday, January 25, General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), began construction on a fifth ship for the U.S. Navy’s Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD)/Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program. Designed to provide advanced flexibility and capability for sea-to-shore missions, the newest ESB will include a 52,000 square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines, mission planning spaces and accommodations for up to 250 personnel. Serving as a ‘pier at sea,’ the 784-foot-long ship is also designed to support MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters and MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft. The ship, ESB 5, is the fifth to be added to a contract between NASSCO and the U.S.

U.S. shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO hosted a keel laying ceremony on Tuesday, August 2 for the U.S. Navy’s second Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) the future USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams currently under construction at the builder’s San Diego shipyard. The ship’s namesake, Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams, spoke at the ceremony, and his two daughters, Travie Ross and Tracie Ross, welded their initials onto the keel of the ship. Williams, a retired U. S. Marine, received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II.

Marking its seventh ship delivery in the span of just over a year, General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered the newly built ECO Class tanker Garden State for American Petroleum Tankers. Garden State was delivered during a special signing ceremony and is one of three classes of ships delivered by the San Diego-based shipyard since June of last year. “In the past year, NASSCO shipbuilders have delivered seven ships – or the equivalent to 100,000 tons worth of steel,” said Kevin Graney, vice president and general manager for General Dynamics NASSCO.

San Diego based shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO delivered three lead ships in 2015: USNS Lewis B. Puller, the Isla Bella and the Lone Star State. Each vessel represents three new and separate ship classes and highlights the builder’s diverse portfolio of commercial and government contracts, the company said. In June, NASSCO delivered the USNS Lewis B. Puller to the U.S. Navy, the first ship in the Expeditionary Base Mobile (ESB) class. Previously classified as a Mobile Landing Platform Afloat Forward Staging Base (MLP AFSB)…

Today General Dynamics NASSCO, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics began construction on the second ship of the U.S. Navy's newly reclassified Expeditionary Base Mobile (ESB) program. The 784-foot ship will be configured with a 52,000 square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines, mission planning spaces and accommodations for up to 250 personnel. The ship will be capable of supporting multiple missions including Air Mine Counter Measures (AMCM), counter-piracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions and U.S. Marine Corps crisis response. It will also support MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters, and will be upgraded to support MV-22 tilt rotor aircraft.

General Dynamics NASSCO has invested several hundred million in capital projects as part of its efforts to increase efficiencies via  modular shipbuilding, including: two 300-ton cranes allowing shipbuilders the ability to increase the size of the erectable blocks; a block assembly line to optimize construction of commercial ship blocks; inverted block and grand block outfit areas to more fully install components and equipment on blocks; and a state-of the-art, environmentally-friendly blast and paint facility to paint blocks indoors with high capacity equipment.

Shipbuilder General Dynamics NASSCO delivered the U.S. Navy’s newest ship, the USNS Lewis B. Puller (MLP 3 AFSB) on Friday, June 12. The ship is named in honor of the late U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Lewis “Chesty” Puller, the most decorated Marine and the only one to be awarded five Navy Crosses. The AFSB modifications add a 52,000 square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines, mission planning spaces and accommodations for up to 250 personnel.

General Dynamics National Steel & Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO) christened the USNS Lewis B. Puller (MLP 3 AFSB) in early February in San Diego. USNS Lewis B. Puller, the third vessel of the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) class, is the first of which to be configured as an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). While the Lewis B. Puller is the third in the series, in some respects it has lead ship qualities as it is designated MLP 3 / AFSB, the first to be equipped with a flight deck, a hangar and accommodations for about 250 people.

General Dynamics NASSCO christened the U.S. Navy’s newest ship, the USNS Lewis B. Puller (MLP-3 AFSB), on Saturday during a christening ceremony held at the San Diego builder’s shipyard. This third Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) is the first ship of the class to be configured as an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB), adding a flight deck, berthing, fuel storage, equipment storage, repair spaces and accommodations for up to 250 personnel. The ship is capable of supporting missions including counter-piracy operations…

Shipbuilder General Dynamics National Steel & Shipbuilding Co. – NASSCO – will christen the USNS Lewis B. Puller (MLP 3 AFSB) Saturday, February 7, 2015 in San Diego. General Dynamic’s NASSCO arguably has the most diverse and enviable shipbuilding backlog in the U.S., with its navy and commercial orderbook stretching out for three years. Its new ship, the USNS Lewis B. Puller, is the third vessel of the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) class, the first of which to be configured as an Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). NASSCO balances a newbuild and repair workload with the U.S.