Navy’s Giant Expeditionary Ship Program Drives Forward
U.S. NAVY
General Dynamics National Steel & Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) is set to start construction of the third Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB-5), in the Navy’s Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD)/
Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB) program.
NASSCO already has built and delivered the first two ships of the initiative, referred to as ESDs, the USNS Montford Point (ESD-1) and the USNS John Glenn (ESD-2), and one ESB, the USNS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3). The company started construction of the second ESB, the Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB-4) in August of last year, planned for delivery in 2018. The Montford Point and John Glenn were delivered in May 2013 and March 2014, respectively, and now are in service, operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC).
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