The revised MLP, USNS Lewis B. Puller

[surfgun]

Posted: August 5, 2014 3:30 PM

Navy’s Third MLP to Be Manned by CIVMARS and Sailors

By RICHARD R. BURGESS, Managing Editor

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Military Sealift Command’s (MSC’s) third mobile landing platform (MLP) ship will be manned by a hybrid crew of Civil Service Mariners (CIVMARS) and Sailors, with a CIVMAR master at the helm.

The future USNS Lewis B. Puller, the third Montford Point-class hull, will emerge as an afloat forward-staging base (AFSB) and will be modified to provide the following capabilities: vertical-lift aviation, berthing, equipment staging, and command and control, according to James M. Marconi, a spokesman for MSC.

The Lewis B. Puller’s hybrid manning will be similar to that used in several commissioned ships, including the Navy’s two amphibious command ships, USS Blue Ridge and USS Mount Whitney; two submarine tenders, USS Frank Cable and USS Emory S. Land; and USS Ponce, an interim AFSB.

The first two MLPs, USNS Montford Point and USNS John Glenn, have been operated by contract mariners employed by Ocean Shipholdings Inc., a ship management company based in Houston, Texas.

The Montford Point-class ships are built by NASSCO, a General Dynamics company in San Diego.

A photo of Puller under construction.
U.S.N.S. LEWIS B. PULLER MLP # - ShipSpotting.com - Ship Photos and Ship Tracker

An overview of the design.
USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-MLP-3/T-AFSB-1) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[SlaterDoc]

I wonder how that command structure works.
Of course the Captain (civilian or not) is the master of the ship. But, since there is a mix of civilian and Navy personnel, how does that work? Do the enlisted salute and come to attention when the civilian leadership is present? Do the civilian sailors submit to the authority (with a "Yes, Sir!) to the Naval officers? etc, etc, etc. What's the protocol? Does a civilian mariner that disagrees with an instruction from a CPO get away with telling him to shove something inanimate into his anal cavity?

[desertswo]

I wonder how that command structure works.
Of course the Captain (civilian or not) is the master of the ship. But, since there is a mix of civilian and Navy personnel, how does that work? Do the enlisted salute and come to attention when the civilian leadership is present? Do the civilian sailors submit to the authority (with a "Yes, Sir!) to the Naval officers? etc, etc, etc. What's the protocol? Does a civilian mariner that disagrees with an instruction from a CPO get away with telling him to shove something inanimate into his anal cavity?

No. No. Got me by the sack. Ditto.

[kato]

There's an explanation on how it works for hybrid crews here:

Sealift -- Pulling Together

[jrb1537]

I wonder how that command structure works.
Of course the Captain (civilian or not) is the master of the ship. But, since there is a mix of civilian and Navy personnel, how does that work? Do the enlisted salute and come to attention when the civilian leadership is present? Do the civilian sailors submit to the authority (with a "Yes, Sir!) to the Naval officers? etc, etc, etc. What's the protocol? Does a civilian mariner that disagrees with an instruction from a CPO get away with telling him to shove something inanimate into his anal cavity?

The Midrats guys interviewed Capt Rogers of USS Ponce and he spoke extensively on this very topic. Rather interesting to hear how it all worked out (very positive experience overall).

[dundonrl]

I bet the enlisted berthings are still stacked 4 high, and the junior CIVMAR's get staterooms..

[surfgun]

A few extra tid-bits here, about this new ship.

'The overall design of the USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-MLP-3/T-AFSB-1) is based on the hull of the civilian Alaska-class oil tanker.[4] The Puller will be outfitted with support facilities for its mine-sweeping, special operations, and other expeditionary missions. An accommodation barge will also be carried to support up to 298 additional mission-related personnel.

The Puller's aviation facilities include a flight deck with landing spots for two heavy-lift transport CH-53 helicopters, as well as additional deck space for two more CH-53s. The Puller will also have a helicopter hanger, an ordnance storage magazine, underway replenishment facilities, and deck space for mission-related equipment storage.

GE Power Conversion will provided the complete electric power, propulsion, and vessel automation system for all MLP ships. This integrated power system (IPS) will also involve the ship's tandem propulsion motor powered by variable-frequency drives, harmonic filters, and high-voltage switchboards'.

[surfgun]

Here is a video, that includes a still photo, of Montford Point, ballasted down.
CNO Talks About the Mobile Landing Platform - YouTube

[surfgun]

The future USNS Lewis B. Puller, the third ship in the U.S. Navy’s new Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) class, was launched into San Diego Bay last week at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard.

Lewis B. Puller is the first Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) variant of the MLP-class. The ship is designed to perform core capabilities for the fleet, including aviation, logistics, and command and control. It is optimized to support a variety of maritime missions.

“The maturity and stability of the Mobile Landing Platform shipbuilding program has allowed for the smooth transition to the afloat forward staging base variant,” said Capt. Henry Stevens, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office, Ships. “Even with the design changes to accommodate the increased capability, this ship is on track deliver on cost and on schedule.”


Photo credit: NASSCO
The design of the AFSB variant adds a flight deck, berthing, fuel storage, equipment storage, and repair spaces to the MLP hull. 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 the float-off, the launching dock was 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 at sea trials. The Lewis B. Puller is expected to be delivered to Military Sealift Command in 2015.
U.S. Navy's First Afloat Forward Staging Base Floated at NASSCO - PHOTOS - gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News

[DonBelt]

Will the Lewis B Puller still be able to do the same sort of float on/off operations as the others of the class?

[surfgun]

Don, I do not believe so in regards to a float on/off capability. There does not appear to be enough room for the likes of an LCAC. These AFSB MLP ships look like they may be fitted with cranes and davits to launch smaller vessels.
MLP-3 and future MLP-4, and perhaps a yet to be funded (as I understand it) MLP-5 afloat forward staging bases (AFSB) variants/vessels are to support special forces missions, counter-piracy/smuggling operations, maritime security operations, and mine clearance, as well as humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions.

[dundonrl]

since these CIVMAR Sailors are unionized, what happens if they go on strike?

[surfgun]

There is a collection of photographs in the attached link.


The Navy and Marines' sea basing dreams are quickly becoming a tangible reality, with two of their giant Mobile Landing Platforms already in the water. Now, the next variation of the sea basing concept has been floated, the Afloat Forward Staging Base USNS Lewis B. Puller, which has more in common with the world's first aircraft carriers than anything else.

The USNS Lewis B. Puller is a monster, measuring in at 764-feet long, 164-feet wide and displacing a whopping 78,000 tons. She is so big that I had to look for her twice on Google Earth as I first passed right over her. I was looking at the Destroyers, Landing Ship Docks and other large ships around her for scale. Literally, my mind was filtering her out due to her massive size!In many ways, the Lewis B. Puller is actually an aircraft carrier on the cheap, costing less than a Littoral Combat Ship. So you can see how the Afloat Forward Staging Base concept is very enticing for an increasingly cash-strapped US Navy.

Like the very first aircraft carriers, that were transport ships with flight decks built atop their hulls, the Lewis B. Puller is basically an Alaska Class oil tanker with a giant flight deck built up on pylons where the majority of her cargo hold would be. This leaves a large space open below the flight deck for storage, vehicles, modular compartments and additional infrastructure.


In many ways, the Lewis B. Puller is actually an aircraft carrier on the cheap, costing less than a Littoral Combat Ship. So you can see how the Afloat Forward Staging Base concept is very enticing for an increasingly cash-strapped US Navy.

Like the very first aircraft carriers, that were transport ships with flight decks built atop their hulls, the Lewis B. Puller is basically an Alaska Class oil tanker with a giant flight deck built up on pylons where the majority of her cargo hold would be. This leaves a large space open below the flight deck for storage, vehicles, modular compartments and additional infrastructure.

This giant flight deck can accommodate four the DoD's biggest choppers, the MH-53E Sea Dragon, at any given time. There is a massive hangar space built into her forward structure, just off her flight deck, as well. This hangar bay is so big that two MH-53Es can be worked on inside of it, along with storage for four Mk 105 minesweeping hydrofoil sleds, with plenty of room to spare.

The whole AFSB concept was built with both mine-sweeping and special operations primarily in mind, although the ship is capable of supporting a slew of other missions, including disaster relief and anti-piracy operations. For mine sweeping duties, she can launch, recover and refuel the big sled-towing Sea Dragons almost indefinitely while also acting as a tender for smaller mine hunting vessels. Currently, this exact mission is being carried out in the Persian Gulf by the tired Austin Class amphibious transport dock USS Ponce, along with some special operations and anti-surface duties.
When not being used for the critical mine sweeping role, the Lewis B. Puller can be used as the most capable special operations aviation platform imaginable, carrying a mixed load of MH-60, MH-6, and MH-47 helicopters, as well as drones, such as the MH-8 Fire Scout, or even light fixed wing varieties.

Floating special operations bases are nothing new, being commonplace during the Vietnam War and reborn in the 1980s during the 'tanker wars.' In addition to helicopters, special operations small and medium boats could tied up alongside, or even be craned aboard the Lewis B. Puller, so that both air and sea special operations activities could be executed simultaneously.
Being that this ship was based on a massive oil super-tanker, she can hold a lot of gas for helicopters and boats to use, with underway replenishment needed at a much lower frequency than past 'make-do' adapted forward operating platforms. The ship also features a large hardened ammunition magazine for stockpiling everything from Hellfire missiles to small arms ammunition. Additionally, the vessel will be capable of command and control functions for both minesweeping and special operations duties, with a state of the art communications system being installed.

Finally, the Lewis B. Puller will also have an accompanying 'accommodation barge' that can hold almost 300 special forces operators, aviation related crews or other specialized personnel. These barges can be tailored extensively depending on the mission demands. This is in addition to the ship's already generous berthing and living areas.

The design was built for constant improvements to be easily adapted, and although it is not planned, the F-35B may one day operate from the AFSBs, although deck heating is an issue, as it is with all US Navy ships in inventory that are planned to accept the F-35B. Still, under certain circumstances, ships like this one could be huge force multipliers for the F-35B, especially when it comes to increasing the jet's range and area of influence.

The Afloat Forward Staging Bases, two of which are currently on order, are built by in San Diego by General Dynamics' NASSCO shipyard. Once the Lewis B. Puller becomes fully operational, which could come as early as 2015, she will forward deploy to the Persian Gulf and takeover for the USS Ponce as America's floating multi-mission sea base in the region.
How The U.S. Navy Turned An Oil Tanker Into A Helicopter Sea Base

[surfgun]

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.

NASSCO Awarded $498 Million for Second Afloat Forward Staging Base - USNI News

[surfgun]

Will the Lewis B Puller still be able to do the same sort of float on/off operations as the others of the class?

Don, apparently though not set up for LCAC operations, Puller does have ballasting capability.

'While the AFSB variant does not have a hovercraft mission, the vessel still retains ballasting capability, Capt Stevens noted.'
http://www.janes.com/article/45764/u...se-floated-out