Navy secretary names fifth ESB ship

The US Navy’s fifth expeditionary sea base (ESB) ship, T-ESB 5, will be named in honour of Marine Corps Vietnam veteran and Medal of Honour recipient Miguel Keith at National Harbour, Maryland, this weekend.

US Navy secretary Richard V. Spencer said the newbuild, which accommodates up to 250 personnel, will support multiple missions, such as air mine countermeasures (AMCM), counter-piracy operations, maritime security operations, humanitarian aid and disaster-relief missions, and crisis response operations.

Serving as a “pier at sea”, the vessel will be capable of supporting MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters, with an option to support MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft.

The 239-metre-long vessel will feature a 4,830-square-metre flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, repair spaces, magazines and mission-planning spaces.

Currently being constructed by General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) in San Diego, the ship is expected to be delivered in 2019.