The U.S. Navy’s tenth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel, USNS Burlington (T-EPF-10), successfully completed Builder’s Trials, June 29.
The week of trials began dockside at the Austal USA Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. The ship engaged in pierside Dock Trials with the Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast working with the shipyard to demonstrate ship equipment and system operation including fire protection equipment. The ship then spent two days underway performing various tests to demonstrate the ship’s readiness, including calibration of communication and navigational systems, ship propulsion, ride control, and anchor handling. Maneuverability trials tested the ship’s four steerable water jets while a series of high-speed turns demonstrated the stability and agility of the EPF catamaran hull form.
«Burlington performed very well and is well on the way towards her delivery as the next Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel to the U.S. Navy», said Captain Scot Searles, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. «The testing results achieved this week are a testament to the combined efforts of industry and U.S. Navy».
The next step for Burlington will be Acceptance Trials, during which the U.S. Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey will inspect and evaluate the ship to certify its readiness for delivery to the U.S. Navy. Burlington is scheduled to begin Acceptance Trials in late July.
EPF’s are versatile, non-combatant vessels designed to operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, increasing operational flexibility for a wide range of activities including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support, or as the key enabler for rapid transport.
They are capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, as well as on/off-loading vehicles such as a fully combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank. Each vessel includes a flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations. Burlington will have airline-style seating for 312 embarked forces with fixed berthing for 104.
As one of the Defense Department’s largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, boats, and craft.
SPECIFICATIONS
| PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS | |
| Material | Hull and superstructure – aluminium alloy |
| Length overall | 103 m/337.9 feet |
| Beam overall | 28.5 m/93.5 feet |
| Hull draft (maximum) | 3.83 m/12.57 feet |
| MISSION BAY | |
| Area (with tie-downs) | 1,863 m2/20,053 feet2 |
| Clear Height | 4.75 m/15.6 feet |
| Turning diameter | 26.2 m/86.0 feet |
| ISO TEU (Twenty Equivalent Units) Stations | 6 Interface Panels |
| ACCOMMODATIONS | |
| Crew | 41 |
| Single SR | 2 |
| Double SR | 6 |
| Quad SR | 7 |
| Troop Seats | 312 |
| Troop Berths | Permanent: 104 |
| Temporary: 46 | |
| Galley and Messing | 48 |
| PROPULSION | |
| Main Engines | 4 × MTU 20V8000 M71L Diesel Engines 4 × 9.1 MW |
| Gear boxes | 4 × ZF 60000NR2H Reduction Gears |
| Waterjets | 4 × Wartsila WLD 1400 SR |
| PERFORMANCE | |
| Average Speed | 35 knots/40 mph/65 km/h @ 90% MCR with 635 mt (700 st) payload |
| Maximum Speed | 43 knots/50 mph/80 km/h without payload |
| Maximum Transit Range | 1,200 NM/1,381 miles/2,222 km |
| Self-Deployment Range | 5,600 NM/6,444 miles/10,371 km |
| Survival Through | SS-7 |
| AVIATION FACILITIES | |
| NAVAIR Level 1 Class 2 Certified Flight Deck for one helicopter | |
| Centreline parking area for one helicopter | |
| NAVAIR Level 1 class 4 Type 2 Certified VERTREP (Vertical Replenishment) | |
| Helicopter Control Station | |
| AUXILIARY SYSTEMS | |
| Active Ride Control | Transcom Interceptors |
| Foils: 3.24 m2/34.9 feet2 each, forward on inboard sides of demi-hulls | |
| Vehicle Ramp | Articulated Slewing Stern Ramp |
| Straight aft to 45 Starboard | |
| Telescoping Boom Crane | 12.3 mt @ 15 m, 18.2 mt @ 10 m/13.6 Lt @ 49.2 feet, 20.1 Lt @ 32.8 feet |
Ships
USNS Spearhead (EPF-1), Delivered
USNS Choctaw County (EPF-2), Delivered
USNS Millinocket (EPF-3), Delivered
USNS Fall River (EPF-4), Delivered
USNS Trenton (EPF-5), Delivered
USNS Brunswick (EPF-6), Delivered
USNS Carson City (EPF-7), Delivered
USNS Yuma (EPF-8), Delivered
USNS City of Bismark (EPF-9), Delivered
USNS Burlington (EPF-10), Christened
USNS Puerto Rico (EPF-11), Under construction
USNS Newport (EPF-12), On order