USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3)
USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), is the first purpose-built expeditionary mobile base vessel for the United States Navy, and the second ship to be named in honor of Chesty Puller. The lead ship in her class of expeditionary mobile bases, she is also a sub-variant of the Montford Point-class expeditionary transfer docks. Lewis B. Puller replaced USS Ponce with the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf in late 2017.
Lewis B. Puller departing for its first operational deployment in 2017
A Sikorsky MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter lands on Lewis B. Puller's flight deck in June 2016
Artist's impression of Lewis B. Puller
Marines load onto an MV-22 Osprey in the Persian Gulf in 2019
Expeditionary Transfer Dock
An Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD), formerly the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP), is designed to be a semi-submersible, flexible, modular platform providing the US Navy with the capability to perform large-scale logistics movements such as the transfer of vehicles and equipment from sea to shore. These ships significantly reduce the dependency on foreign ports and provide support in the absence of port availability. The class also houses a sub-class variant called the Expeditionary Mobile Base (ESB), formerly the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB).
USNS John Glenn (T-ESD-2) sea trials in 2014
A computer-generated image depicting the Expeditionary Transfer Dock design
USNS John Glenn (T-ESD-2) naming, Feb 2014
ESB variant USS Lewis B. Puller