Austal USA, Mobile, Ala., recently received an $867.6M undefinitized contract award (UCA) for final design and construction of three Expeditionary Medical Ships (EMS) from the Navy.
The 361-foot EMS catamarans will be manufactured in Austal USA’s aluminum manufacturing line following completion of the last Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF 16).
The EMS, an Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) variant, is designed to be a cost-effective, dedicated medical ship optimized to provide patient holding, stabilization, evacuation, and transport in support of Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO), Austal officials said.
The ships will feature 223 berths for crew, 34 acute care beds, six acute care isolation beds, 14 ICU beds, six ICU isolation beds, and three operating rooms.
The EMS design features a shallow draft of 15 feet, which enables greater reach and allows for direct access to austere ports. The flight deck will accommodate military aircraft, including the V-22 and H-53K.
Austal USA has delivered 13 EPFs, a predecessor to the EMS design, to the Navy.
The company is preparing to deliver the first EPF Flight II, the future USNS Cody (EPF 14), which features Role 2E medical capability, and has two more Flight II vessels under construction. (Work Boat 12/28/23)
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