NASSCO christens sixth and final ship in US Navy’s ESB program

March 9, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

General Dynamics NASSCO has christened the USNS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8), the sixth and final ship for the US Navy’s Expeditionary Sea Base (ESB) program.

As informed, the ceremony took place on March 7, 2026. Heather Cafferata, daughter of the ship’s namesake, and Jessica Cafferata, granddaughter of the ship’s namesake, christened the ship with the traditional champagne bottle break alongside the hull.

The ship is named for Private First Class Hector A. Cafferata Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his brave actions at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir during the Korean War. The Medal of Honor was presented to him by President Harry Truman in a White House ceremony in 1952.

The ESB ship class is a highly flexible platform designed to support multiple maritime-based missions. The vessels serve as mobile sea-based assets and form part of the critical access infrastructure that enables the deployment of forces, equipment, supplies, and warfighting capabilities.

These ships measure about 239 meters in length and feature a flight deck of roughly 4,830 square meters, capable of supporting operations by MH-53, MH-60, MV-22 tilt-rotor, and H-1 aircraft.

“Ships are not just steel and machinery—they carry legacies, and they connect past generations to future ones,” said David Carver, president of General Dynamics NASSCO.

“The remarkable story of valor and sacrifice of Hector Cafferata Jr. will soon sail across the globe, carried by a ship that embodies his courage and dedication.”

The first five ships in the ESB program – USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB 3), USS Hershel “Woody” Williams (ESB 4), USS Miguel Keith (ESB 5), USS John L. Canley (ESB 6), and USNS Robert E. Simanek (ESB 7) – have been delivered to the US Navy.