OREANDA-NEWS. The U.S. Navy has awarded General Dynamics NASSCO a USD 498 million contract for the detail design and construction of the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB). NASSCO is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).

Under this option, NASSCO will provide the detail design and construction efforts to build the second AFSB of the Mobile Landing Platform-class ships. The work will be performed at NASSCO's San Diego shipyard and is scheduled to be completed by March 2018.

The MLP AFSB is a flexible platform and a key element in the Navy's large-scale airborne mine countermeasures mission. With accommodations for 250 personnel and a large helicopter flight deck, the MLP AFSB will provide a highly capable, innovative and affordable asset to the Navy and Marine Corps.