Austal will design and build the 16th Spearhead-class transport vessel for the USN. (Photo: Austal USA)
The USN has awarded Austal USA a $230.54 million contract modification to design and build an extra Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel.
Work on the modification from Naval Sea Systems Command will be completed by October 2025, the DoD announced on 3 May.
Austal was originally contracted to build 15 EPF ships; 12 of these have been delivered to USN Military Sealift Command.
EPF 16 will be the third Spearhead-class ship in the Flight II configuration, which includes a flight deck capable of accommodating the V-22 Osprey and ‘reconfigurable spaces for operating rooms and post-surgical recovery efforts’, Austal USA noted in a statement.
The EPF class provides a high-speed, shallow draft transportation capability to support intra-theatre deployment of personnel, supplies and equipment for the US Army, USMC and USN.
Shephard Defence Insight estimates that the programme has an overall value of $3.9 billion. The DoD FY2022 budget included funding for two Spearhead-class ships at the insistence of Congress.
Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) [USN]
Forming part of the Reconciliation Bill, the funding will support multiple efforts involving autonomous capabilities, interceptors, missiles, rockets and torpedoes.
The delivery acceptance of the future USS Pierre marks the conclusion of the construction phase for the Independence-variant.
The new Barracuda version has been engineered to perform enhanced subsea and seabed warfare missions.
The nearly $25 billion investment will cover USCG procurement of cutters, aircraft, helicopters, training simulators and Polar capabilities over the next four years.
After commissioning, FRC Frederick Mann will operate in Alaska and perform multiple missions.
The US Coast Guard (USCG) created new units, including five Programme Executive Offices (PEOs), to facilitate and speed up the procurement of new capabilities.
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