USNS Choctaw,Spearhead-class EPF. Austal photo.
Vermont Business MagazineShip-builder Austal USA delivered the Expeditionary Fast Transport shipUSNS Burlington(EPF 10) to the USNavy during a ceremony onboard the ship at the company’s headquarters in Mobile, AL, on Thursday, November 15, according to a press release. This is the fourth ship Austal has delivered to the Navy this year. The EPF program provides the Navy with a high-speed intra-theater transport capability. The 338-foot longBurlingtonis an aluminum catamaran capable of transporting 600 tons, 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, and is designed to operate in austere ports and waterways, too shallow and narrow for the larger ships in the surface fleet, providing added flexibility to USwarfighters worldwide. The ship's flight deck can also support flight operations for a wide variety of manned and unmanned aircraft, including a CH-53 Super Stallion.
“Today’s delivery ofBurlingtonmarks the tenth EPF we have delivered to the U.S. Navy, a milestone achieved as a result of the dedicated shipbuilding team made up of Austal employees, our Navy partners, industry suppliers and both local and state community and legislative support,” Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle remarked. “These ships continue to deliver exceptional capability around the globe. The U.S. Navy is taking these great ships and expanding their work to support a variety of operational needs, demonstrating their significance, flexibility and value to the future 355-ship Navy.”
It was announced in 2013 that one of the new EPF's would be named Burlington. The ship was christened by Marcelle Leahy, the wife of Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, last February.
Upon delivery of USNSBurlington,two additional Spearhead-class EPFs are under construction at Austal’s Mobile, Ala. shipyard.Puerto Rico(EPF 11) launched this week and will now prepare for sea trials andNewport(EPF 12) is being erected in final assembly. Austal also recently received instruction from the Navy to order long lead-time materials for EPF 13.
In addition to the EPF program, Austal is under contract to build Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the U.S. Navy. Nine LCS have been delivered, while an additional five are in various stages of construction, as part of a $1.9 billion contract for the Australian-based manufacturer.
About Austal USA
Austal USA is an advanced ship manufacturer, servicer and sustainment provider. Headquartered in Mobile, Alabama with facilities in San Diego, Singapore and Washington, D.C., the company employs nearly 4,000 people and designs and constructs two ship programs for the U.S. Navy – Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (even numbered hulls) and Expeditionary Fast Transport. The company’s supplier network includes over 1,155 companies across 44 states supporting more than 34,000 U.S. jobs. Austal USA entered the defense market in 2004 and through its innovative ship manufacturing processes, quickly became the fifth largest shipbuilder in North America.www.USA.Austal.com