U.S Navy Commissions The Construction Of Next Generation Mobile Landing Platform
One of the most formidable naval forces in the world, U.S Navy has now commissioned the construction of its latest project, the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP),a vessel designed specifically to carry out amphibious operations. The project has been awarded to General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), which will be constructing the MLP vessels for a sum of $115 million under the Advanced Design and Long Lead Time Material project. The MLP program has been conceived to further streamline navy’s amphibious roles and to act as a bridge a transfer point between large ships and small landing crafts. The main purpose of the MLP is to act as a delivery vessel for troops, equipment, and cargo to operational theaters in the absence of a friendly naval base.
The initial design of the Mobile Landing Platform was based on the Alaska-class crude oil carrier, but was later modified as a float-on/float-off vessel. The MLP vessels will be composed of an open, reconfigurable mission deck which can be used in various respects including a vehicle staging area, sideport ramp, large mooring fenders, U.S. Coast Guard certified flight deck. The main deck has also been given the added benefit of supporting up to three landing craft air cushioned (LCAC) vessel lanes. Furthermore, U.S Navy has also stated that the MLP will be designed to keep the option of future upgrades open, where in the vessels can assume the roles of command and control, mission planning, vehicle transfer system, medical and berthing. The first of Mobile Landing Platform vessel is expected to be delivered to the navy by the year 2013 and pressed into service by 2015, while the last of the three ships will be delivered and commissioned on active duty in the year 2018.
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