MEDITERRANEAN SEA -- The Expeditionary Sea Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4) is conducting interoperability training with Special Operations Forces (SOF) assigned to Special Operations Command-Africa (SOCAF) in the Mediterranean Sea.

U.S. Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopters with 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment, Heavy Attack Reconnaissance Squadron, conducted deck-landing qualifications (DLQ) aboard the expeditionary sea base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3) from March 23-27 in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

The U.S. Navy accepted delivery of its third Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) ship, USNS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) on Nov. 15.

The U.S. Navy christened the Expeditionary Sea Base USNS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) on October 19 at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego.

General Dynamics NASSCO, a subsidiary of General Dynamics, was awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy worth up to $1.6 billion for the construction of the sixth and seventh ships of the Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program, as well as an option for ESB 8.

The future USNS Miguel Keith (ESB 5) expeditionary mobile base got underway from General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) for the first time since the graving dock flooding incident on July 11, 2018, the US Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) stated on its Facebook page.