The US Navy has awarded General Dynamics NASSCO a US$498 million contract for the detailed design and construction of a second Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). The work will be performed at NASSCO's San Diego shipyard and is scheduled to be completed by March 2018. The AFSB is a variant of the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP), a semi-submersible ship purpose-built for strategic sealift operations, which features extra accommodation for 250 personnel, a large flight deck, repair spaces and additional fuel and equipment storage for large-scale airborne mine countermeasures missions. With a rotating crew of civilian mariners and military personnel, the ship can remain continuously on-station, providing a base for counter-piracy, maritime security and mine-clearing operations, humanitarian aid and disaster relief.
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