Tag Archives: USNS Bethesda (EMS 1)

Second EPF Flight II inbound

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The Navy christened its 15th Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport operated by Military Sealift Command, the future USNS Point Loma (T-EPF 15), in Mobile over the weekend.

The Spearheads have been quietly getting it done around the world. For instance, sister USNS Yuma (EPF 8) just returned to Norfolk after six years of being forward deployed in the Mediterranean, a tour that included “19 countries, 48 ports of calls visited, over 167,000 nautical miles traveled.”

However, Point Loma will be the second EPF Flight II ship in the series, in short, a theatre mini-hospital ship capable of carrying an embarked Navy (or civilian Public Heath Service) medical unit, two operating rooms, and the ability to support 147 medical patients and 38 MSC civilian crew.

As noted by Austal:

EPF Flight II provides a Role 2E (enhanced) medical capability which includes, among other capabilities, basic secondary health care built around primary surgery; an intensive care unit; ward beds; and limited x-ray, laboratory, and dental support. The EPF’s catamaran design provides inherent stability to allow surgeons to perform underway medical procedures in the ship’s operating suite. Enhanced capabilities to support V-22 flight operations and launch and recover 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats complement the ship’s medical facilities. These Flight II upgrades along with EPF’s speed, maneuverability, and shallow water access are key enablers for mission support of future Distributed Maritime Operations and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations around the world. Flight II retains the capability of Flight I to support other missions including core logistics.

The Navy is currently embarking a 35-member Expeditionary Medical Unit (EMU) aboard the first EPF Flight II ship delivered by Austal USA, USNS Cody (T-EPF 14), at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. The equipment for EMUs is contained within ten 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs), which facilitates storing and transporting the authorized medical and dental allowance list items.

Some pics of EMU-1 on Cody:

This is over and above the upcoming USNS Bethesda (EMS-1) which will be one of a planned three more full-time white-hulled expeditionary medical ships based on the Spearheads.

More Expeditionary Medical Ships

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From yesterday’s DOD Contracts, emphasis mine.

Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, is awarded an $867,666,667 fixed-priced incentive (firm-target), undefinitized contract modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-19-C-2227) for the detail, design, and construction of three expeditionary medical ships, an Expeditionary Fast Transport variant. Work will be performed in Mobile, Alabama (87%); Chesapeake, Virginia (2%); Newark, Delaware (2%); Mandeville, Louisiana (2%); Spring, Texas (1%); various locations within the U.S., each accounting for less than one percent (5%); and various locations outside the U.S., each accounting for less than one percent (1%). Work is expected to complete by May 2030. Fiscal 2023 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $149,833,000; and fiscal 2022 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of $63,667,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.

The EPFs are speedy (43-knot) little (1500 ton, 337ft o.a.) trimarans made by Austal and manned by the civilian mariners of the MSC to carry a reinforced company-sized unit of ground-pounders or cargo intra-theatre.

The Navy has been brainstorming using an EPF equipped with an expeditionary medical unit (EMU) inside the mission bay that, while falling short of a full-size hospital ship, would allow an EPF/EMU to serve as a quick transit platform for rapid medical response. This could be helpful in special operations and in sending a smaller package overseas for humanitarian support than an LHD or USNS Mercy/Comfort.

The first of these, USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13), was accepted earlier this year and the future USNS Cody (EPF 14) is pending delivery.

USNS Apalachicola (EPF-13) on Acceptance Trials in early 2023 via Austal. You’d figure they’d paint these white and put a giant red cross on them, but hey…

The future USNS Point Loma (EPF-15) and the as-yet-unnamed EPF-16 are also under construction by Austal. Each of these ships is being constructed to “Flight II” specifications that incorporate Role 2E medical capability and capabilities to support V-22 Osprey flight operations.

I’d imagine that the latest contract is for EPF 17, 18, and 19.

Update

Looks like they are going to be white-hulled mercy ships, with the first carrying the name USNS Bethesda (EMS 1).

The Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS) is a high-speed aluminum catamaran based on the proven Expeditionary Fast Transport design that offers enhanced medical support to the United States Navy. (Image: Austal USA)

Via Austal: 

Austal Limited (Austal) (ASX: ASB) is pleased to announce Austal USA has received a US$867.6 million (A$1.28 billion) undefinitised contract award (UCA) for the final design and construction of three Expeditionary Medical Ships (EMS) from the United States Navy.

The EMS is based on Austal’s proven Expeditionary Fast Transport ship (EPF) platform and will be manufactured in Austal USA’s aluminium manufacturing line following completion of the last Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF 16).

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the contract enables the final detailed design for the Expeditionary Medical Ship to be completed and construction of three vessels to commence.

“The new Expeditionary Medical Ship further extends the capabilities of the proven Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) platform, designed and constructed by Austal, to enable more complex medical procedures and operations to be performed onboard, at sea and underway,” Mr Gregg said.

“These three new EMS will enhance the US Navy’s capability to provide effective medical and surgical support anywhere in the world, quickly, safely and efficiently.”

The Expeditionary Medical Ship (EMS), an Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) variant, is a cost-effective design providing a dedicated medical ship optimized to provide patient holding, stabilization, evacuation and transport in support of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO). The EMS design features a shallow draft which enables greater reach and allows for direct access to austere ports. The flight deck will accommodate military aircraft, including the V-22 Osprey and CH-53K heavy lift cargo helicopter.

Austal USA has delivered 13 EPF’s, a predecessor to the EMS design, to the United States Navy. The company is preparing to deliver the first EPF Flight II, the future USNS Cody (EPF 14), which features enhanced Role 2E medical capability, and has two more Flight II vessels under construction.