General Dynamics NASSCO has officially transferred the sixth and final Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) vessel to the US Navy as part of a contract signed in 2022.
The handover of the USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8) was conducted at the company’s shipyard in San Diego, California, following a series of field tests in July.
The platform received designation in March, being named after a Medal of Honor recipient for valor during the Korean War.
Upon deployment, the vessel will undertake missions such as warship replenishments, materiel and troop transport, and hospital-level care provisions under the navy’s Military Sealift Command.
It will be operational year round, maintaining supply while reinforcing the lethality of Washington’s global fleet.
“Our ESBs are critical to maritime operations, providing logistics support from sea to shore for a broad range of military operations,” said Jon Thomas, acting program manager of Strategic and Theater Sealift at the US Navy.
“ESB 8 capabilities demonstrated during sea trials highlighted the power and flexibility of this ship and we are excited to have another ESB in the fleet. This delivery demonstrates the unwavering commitment to provide superior quality to the warfighter.”
The ESB Vessel
The US Navy’s ESB hull is derived from General Dynamics’ Alaska-class commercial crude oil tanker, allowing for expanded staging and berthing, aviation, command and control, as well as special forces and mine countermeasures functions in the theater.
The vessel spans 785 feet (239 meters) in length and is built with a 164-foot (50-meter) beam.
It carries up to 250 personnel, features a 52,000-square-foot (4,830-square-meter) flight deck to accommodate a rotary-wing helicopter or a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and incorporates compartments for up to three landing craft and air cushion boats.
The modified ship is powered by two diesel-electric engines, supporting speeds over 15 knots (28 kilometers/17 miles per hour) and an operational coverage of 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 kilometers/10,900 miles).
