Description
The introduction of new and upgraded combat equipment for Marine Corps personnel requires additional afloat capacity within the Maritime Prepositioning Force, or MPF, ships. The Maritime Prepositioning Force (Enhanced), or MPF(E), program was designed to meet those requirements through the addition of a Maritime Prepositioning Ship, or MPS, to each of the three MPS squadrons. The three MPF(E) ships, unlike the current MPF ships, will be converted ships that will be owned by the Navy. Current MPF ships are long-term chartered vessels owned and crewed by private companies. The MPF(E) program is one of the new major ship acquisition programs solely managed by MSC; in the past, most others have been managed by the Naval Sea Systems Command. The first MPF(E) ship is expected to deploy in 1999, and the program will be completed in 2000. Schwer gepanzertes Transportschiff
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