First LSD completes midlife upgrades

The Navy’s first small-deck gator to undergo an extensive midlife modernization is back in the hands of the fleet, the Navy announced Thursday, after almost a year of work in the shipyard.

The 20-year old dock landing ship Gunston Hall returned from sea trials May 21 after testing its improvements.

Engineers with Naval Sea Systems Command want the tuned-up gator to serve until as late as 2038, part of the Navy’s bid to get to a fleet of at least 313 ships in a decade.

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