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Naval
Industry News - USA |
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Mobile Landing Platform USNS John Glenn (MLP 2) Completed Final Contract
Trials |
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USNS John Glenn (MLP 2), successfully completed Final Contract Trials
(FCT) off the coast of Manchester, Washington July 31. During the trials,
the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey along with the ship's crew
tested the vessel's various hull, mechanical, and electrical systems
to demonstrate that the ship meets Navy standards and requirements,
and is materially ready to perform all of its slated in-service missions. |
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The Military Sealift Command mobile landing ship USNS John Glenn (MLP
2) underway off the California coast. John Glenn successfully completed
Builder's Sea Trials on Jan. 13. The ship is expected to be delivered
to the Navy in March following Acceptance Trails. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
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John
Glenn, the second of the Navy's Mobile Landing Platforms (MLP), was
constructed by General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company
(NASSCO). Since delivering to the Navy from NASSCO in March, her crew
has moved onboard and begun training on the ship's systems in preparation
for these trials. The ship is designed to facilitate the transfer of
vehicles, supplies, equipment and personnel from large Maritime Pre-Positioning
Force ships to on-shore locations using Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC).
"Highly versatile non-combatant vessels like John Glenn make our
large scale at-sea missions possible," said Capt. Henry Stevens,
Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Manager, Program Executive Office,
Ships. "The ship's extensive vehicle and stowage space and remarkable
transport capabilities will greatly facilitate operations across Geographic
Combatant Commands, especially in areas where port access by larger
ships is difficult or impossible." |
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An artist concept of a mobile landing platform (MLP) ship
(Image: US Navy)
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John
Glenn leverages float-on/ float-off technology allowing it to partially
submerge to support and execute a broad range of military missions including
humanitarian support and sustainment of traditional military missions.
With its core capability set, MLP 2 features 25,000 square feet of vehicle
and stowage space, a vehicle transfer ramp, large mooring fenders, and
space for up to three LCAC. The platform's open, reconfigurable mission
deck will serve as an important flexible and transformational asset
to the Navy as it can be reconfigured to support a wide variety of future
operations.
Since completing FCT less than a year ago, the Navy's first MLP, USNS
Montford Point has already begun demonstrating her core capabilities.
In June, the platform's vehicle transfer ramp capabilities and the capability
to perform skin-to skin operations were demonstrated as Montford Point's
ramp was deployed, attached to USNS Bob Hope (T-AKR 300), and then recovered.
In July, the platform's capabilities to launch and recover LCAC, and
transfer expeditionary vehicles to and from other vessels were demonstrated
during the Rim of the Pacific exercises held near San Diego.
MLP 2 is owned by the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) and
will be operated by a 34-person civilian-mariner crew and assigned to
one of the two geographically responsible, Maritime Prepositioning Ships
Squadrons. |
