The
US Navy's first mobile landing platform ship, USNS Montford Point (T-MLP
1), was christened at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego,
March 2. Owned and operated by Military Sealift Command, Montford Point
was christened by its sponsor, Alexis "Jackie" Bolden, the
wife of current NASA Administrator Charles Bolden.
Gen. James F. Amos, Commandant of the Marine Corps, delivered the ceremony's
principal address and Rear Adm. Mark H. Buzby, commander of MSC, also
spoke on behalf of the ship and crew. |
"This
ship, with its unique capabilities, will become the centerpiece of sea-basing,
allowing the U.S. Navy to raise forward-operations to a new level,"
said Buzby.
"Wherever the call, whatever the need, USNS Montford Point will
be part of the Navy's global force for good," he said.
The first of three MLPs being built for MSC by NASSCO, Montford Point
will join MSC's Maritime Prepositioning Force as a seagoing pier in
the event that accessibility to onshore bases is denied.
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Montford
Point is named in honor of the 20,000 African-American Marine Corps
recruits who trained at Montford Point Camp, N.C., from 1942 to 1949.
It's the corner stone of the Navy's sea-base concept, serving as a transfer
point for a Marine Corps amphibious landing force between large ships
and ship-to-shore landing craft. The ship also provides the ability
to transfer vehicles and equipment at sea while interfacing with surface
connectors to deliver the vehicles and equipment ashore, improving the
Navy's ability to deliver equipment and cargo from offshore to an amphibious
objective.
Its flexibility is critical for humanitarian response to natural disasters
and for support to warfighters ashore. The size allows for 25,000 square
feet of vehicle and equipment stowage space and 380,000 gallons of JP-5
fuel storage. A crew of 34 civilian mariners employed by MSC will operate
the ship once delivered to the fleet.
"I salute the ship's first master, Capt. Kurt Kleinschmidt, his
chief engineer, Bill Maus, and the rest of the U.S. Merchant Marine
crew," said Buzby.
"Their determination will stand this ship and its mission in good
stead as they sail anywhere on the globe that the mission sends them,"
he said.
MSC operates approximately 110 noncombatant, civilian-crewed ships that
replenish U.S. Navy ships, conduct specialized missions, strategically
preposition combat cargo at sea around the world and move military cargo
and supplies used by deployed U.S. forces and coalition partners.
By Sarah Burford, Military Sealift Command Pacific Public Affairs
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