General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) launched the US Navy's first Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) at its yard in San Diego, California, on 13 November. Montford Point (MLP 1) was launched 91% complete and will finalise outfitting and testing before sea trials and its christening on 2 March 2013. NASSCO will hand over the 233 m long vessel on 14 May 2013, when the lead ship will join the navy's Maritime Prepositioning Force for trials on the way to becoming an operational "pier at sea" in 2015.
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