NORFOLK, Va. — The U.S. Navy's newest vessel, USNS Robert E. Simanek (T-ESB 7), is set to make its arrival at Naval Station Norfolk on Monday.
Named after a Korean War hero, the ship honors Private First-Class Robert Ernest Simanek, who received the Medal of Honor from former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in a 1953 White House ceremony.
The vessel represents the fifth expeditionary sea base (ESB) variant of the Expeditionary Transfer Dock (ESD) platform, built for Military Sealift Command (MSC). These ships are designed to offer flexible logistical support for a myriad of military operations, with core capabilities that include aviation, berthing, equipment staging, and command and control.
“From christening in May 2024 to delivery, it has been an exciting time for those who spend each day preparing this ship to support our fleet,” said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “The ESB ship class is a highly flexible platform used across various military operations. ESB ships are mobile sea-based assets and are a part of the critical access infrastructure that supports the deployment of forces, equipment, supplies, and warfighting capability.”
ESBs are optimized for missions including Special Operations Forces, Airborne Mine Counter Measures, Crisis Response Force Sea Basing, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance, and Unmanned Aviation Systems. They feature a four-spot V-22 sized flight deck, mission deck, and hangar.
The follow-on ship, future USS Hector A. Cafferata Jr. (ESB 8), is currently under construction at NASSCO.
News 3 will have a reporter stationed at the event on May 5 to provide coverage and updates on this significant addition to the U.S. Naval fleet.
