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Aug. 3, 2016 / 12:31 PM

Keel laid for future USNS Hershel 'Woody' Williams

Ship to be U.S. Navy's second Expeditionary Sea Base now under construction at NASSCO's shipayard.

General Dynamics NASSCO hosted a keel laying ceremony Tuesday for the future USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams, the company said. A rendering of the completed ship is shown here. Image courtesy General Dynamics NASSCO

General Dynamics NASSCO hosted a keel laying ceremony Tuesday for the future USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams, the company said. A rendering of the completed ship is shown here. Image courtesy General Dynamics NASSCO

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- General Dynamics NASSCO hosted a keel-laying ceremony Tuesday for the future USNS Hershel "Woody" Williams, the company said.

The Expeditionary Sea Base ship is currently under construction at NASSCO's San Diego shipyard, the company said in a statement.

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The ship's namesake, a U.S. Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his actions at the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II, spoke at the ceremony.

The 784-foot-long ship will serve as a flexible platform to support missions that include air mine countermeasures, counter-piracy operations, maritime security and humanitarian missions.

It can accommodate up to 250 personnel and features a 52,000 square-foot flight deck, fuel and equipment storage, and will support MH-53 and MH-60 helicopters and has an option to support MV-22 tilt-rotor aircraft.

It is expected to be finished by early 2018.

General Dynamics NASSCO has delivered three ships of this class to the Navy and has a fifth ship under contract for advanced procurement, the company said.

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