Navy Awards NASSCO Contract for Materials for Expeditionary Base Ship

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy has awarded a contract to NASSCO for long-lead materials and other support to build the fourth Lewis B. Puller-class expeditionary mobile base ship (T-ESB 6).

Naval Sea Systems Command awarded to NASSCO — a General Dynamics company — a $136.8 million contract “for the procurement of long lead time material, pre-production and engineering support for the Expeditionary Sea Base 6. This action allows the procurement of ship sets of the purchase specifications supporting integrated propulsion, main diesel generator engines, propeller and shafting, integrated bridge electronics, centrifugal pumps, fuel and lube oil purifiers and steering gear components,” the Oct. 16 Defense Department contract announcement said.

The work is expected to be completed by May.

The Lewis B. Puller class T-ESB is a modification of the Montford Point class of expeditionary transfer dock ships, of which two were built. The T-ESBs are 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 ships are capable of supporting multiple missions including airborne mine countermeasures, counterpiracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian-aid and disaster-relief missions and U.S. Marine Corps crisis response. They also support MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters.

Two T-ESBs are in service: USS Lewis B. Puller and USNS Hershel “Woody” Williams. Under construction is T-ESB 5, USNS Miguel Keith.

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Richard R. Burgess, Senior Editor