Lewis B. Puller (MLP-3) float-out in November, 2014. Photo credit: NASSCO
General Dynamics NASSCO on Saturday christened the U.S. Navy’s newest ship, the USNS Lewis B. Puller (MLP-3 AFSB).
The ship is the first of the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) 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 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 Saturday morning christening ceremony took place at NASSCO’s San Diego shipyard with the commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, General Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., as the ceremony’s principal speaker. Ms. Martha Puller Downs, daughter of General Puller, served as the ship’s sponsor. She christened the ship by breaking the traditional bottle of champagne against the vessel’s hull.
“Today was a proud moment for the thousands of men and women involved with the design and construction of the USNS Lewis B. Puller,” said Kevin M. Graney, vice president and general manager of the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard. “Like its namesake, Lieutenant General Lewis B. Puller, the ship signifies strength and increased mobility and capability to support a variety of missions carried out by the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy.”
The USNS Lewis B. Puller is capable of supporting missions including counter-piracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions and Marine Corps crisis response.
USNS Lewis B. Puller will be delivered to the Navy in the second quarter of 2015 and will be operated by Military Sealift Command. The ship follows the first two Mobile Landing Platforms, USNS Montford Point (MLP 1), delivered in May 2013, and USNS John Glenn (MLP-2), delivered in March 2014.
ROME (Reuters) – An Italian judge on Friday cleared three migrant sea rescue charities that had been accused of abetting irregular immigration in complicity with human traffickers, throwing out a case opened...
(Bloomberg) — The closure of one of the East Coast’s busiest ports after the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge has so far not led to broad price increases,...
(Bloomberg) — An Iranian ship that’s been linked to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea is returning home, removing a prominent asset in the area as the Islamic Republic braces...
April 18, 2024
Total Views: 1540
Why Join the gCaptain Club?
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.