The Navy is converting an amphibious transport and docking ship to serve as a floating base for military operations and humanitarian assistance, with deployment expected this summer to waters in the Middle East, Pentagon officials said Friday.

Officials said the staging base would allow commandos, helicopters, speedboats and even aircraft with a short-takeoff capability to operate in regions where the United States does not have access to installations on land.

He emphasized that though the conversion was being done in an expedited fashion, it was not to meet the timeline of any specific military operation in the region. - NY Times

Originally posted by SG-17
reply to post by YouAreLiedTo

---

Regardless of what it could be used for, you cannot argue with the fact that the United States does more in humanitarian efforts than the rest of the world combined.


It is one of the very few good things that our government does anymore.

Well, not exactly... shut up! Was too a good movie!

The United States amphibious assault ship USS Ponce sails through the Suez Canal in March 2011. If retrofited as “the mothership,” the vessel could accommodate smaller high-speed boats and helicopters commonly used by Navy SEALs