Austal Limited is pleased to announce that Austal USA has delivered the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ship USNS Puerto Rico (T-EPF-11) to the U.S. Navy during a ceremony aboard the ship at the shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
In August this year USNS Puerto Rico (T-EPF-11) was the first EPF to perform and successfully complete integrated sea trials – combining builder’s trials and acceptance trials into one at-sea event – returning to port flying a broom at her mast indicating a «clean sweep» of the tests the ship and her crew performed in the Gulf of Mexico.
Austal Chief Executive David Singleton said the EPF continues to impress stakeholders, with a flexible platform that is delivering multi-mission capability to the U.S. Navy’s global operations.
«Puerto Rico joins the growing fleet of EPFs constructed by Austal USA and proudly serving with the U.S. Navy in locations as diverse as the USA, Middle East and South East Asia», he said. «The EPF continues to impress the U.S. Navy and indeed many other navies around the world with the genuine flexibility and operability of the platform».
The Spearhead-class EPF, a 103 metre/337.9 feet high-speed aluminium catamaran, provides high-payload transport capability to U.S. combatant commanders around the world and has quickly become known as ‘the pickup truck’ of the fleet; with 10 EPFs in service, including seven deployed internationally.
The Austal-designed EPF’s large flight deck, open mission bay and habitability spaces provide an opportunity to conduct a wide range of missions – from maritime security operations to humanitarian aid and disaster relief missions. The ship’s flexibility also allows it to support potential future missions such as special operations, command and control, and primary medical operations. With its ability to access small, austere and degraded ports with minimal external support, the EPF provides unique options to fleet and combatant commanders.
Two additional Spearhead-class EPFs remain under construction at Austal USA’s shipyard. USNS Newport (T-EPF-12) is in final assembly, while construction recently began on the future USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF-13) at Austal USA’s state-of-the-art Module Manufacturing Facility (MMF).
In addition to the EPF program, Austal is under contract to build Independence-class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the U.S. Navy. Ten LCSs have been delivered, while an additional six are in various stages of construction.
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), Delivered
USNS Puerto Rico (EPF-11), Delivered
USNS Newport (EPF-12), Christened
USNS Apalachicola (EPF-13), Under construction
USNS Cody (EPF-14), On order
