Product Type: |
High-Speed Troop and |
Using Service (US): |
Navy (and Army) |
Program Status: |
In Production |
Prime Contractor: |
Austal USA |
The Spearhead Class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF), formerly designated as the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV),
is a high-speed shallow draft ship designed for rapid intra-theater transport of troops, military vehicles, and equipment in support of
U.S. Navy and U.S. Army operations. The EPF program merged the previous Army Theater Support Vessel (TSV) and the Navy High Speed Connector (HSC),
thus taking advantage of the commonality between the two programs. However, in May 2011, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) announced the decision
to transfer all Army EPF ships to the Navy. The Navy has purchased a total of 12 EPFs (10 originally planned). EPF ships are built by Austal USA in Mobile, AL.
The ship is designed with an aluminum catamaran hull and propulsion is provided by four MTU 20V 8000 M71L diesel engines (9,100 kW each).
The EPF is capable of transporting 600 short tons a distance of 1,200 nautical miles (1,381 miles/2,222 km) at an average speed of
35 knots (40 mph/65 kph). The ships will be capable of operating in shallow-draft ports and waterways and interface with roll-on/roll-off
discharge facilities. Other features include a CH-53 capable flight deck to support day and night aircraft operations.
The EPF is a commercial-design, non-combatant transport vessel, and does not require the development of any new technology.
As a non-combatant ship, the crew on the EPF will be civilians, either employed by or under contract
to the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command. The ships require a crew of 41,
and will feature airline-style seating for 312 troops and fixed berthing for 104 (+46 temporary berthings).
General Dynamics - Advanced Information Systems
is the EPF ship systems integrator and designs, integrates and tests the EPF's electronic systems
including an open architecture computing infrastructure (OPEN CI).
The EPF is equipped with a C4ISR suite consisting of a Network Suite (ISNS, ADNS and CENTRIXS-M), CBSP, Fleet Broadcast,
UHF SATCOM Antenna, UHF/VHF LOS Suite and UHF SATCOM Radios, TVS-TVT, IA and RCS.
the Navy awarded a contract for the construction of T-EPF-1 (formerly JHSV-1) to Austal in 2008 with options for up to nine additional ships.
Austal was awarded construction contracts for EPFs 8 and 9 on February 27, 2012.
On December 27, 2012, Austal was awarded a construction contract for EPF-10.
The Navy accepted delivery of T-EPF-1, USNS Spearhead, on December 6, 2012 and T-EPF-2, USNS Choctaw County, on June 7, 2013.
T-EPF-3, USNS Millinocket, was christened on April 20, 2013 and delivered on March 21, 2014.
As of July 2017, Austal has delivered the first eight ships in the class.
The last ship (T-EPF-12) is expected to be delivered in September 2019.
In addition to the EPF program, Austal is also building Independence Class Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for the U.S. Navy.
None.
A 15-year Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) production forecast is available through Forecast International's Platinum Forecast System, which includes a breakout of total market unit and value statistics by manufacturer and end-user. This real-time service also includes information on all prime and subcontractors, contract awards, worldwide ship inventories, a complete program history, and a rationale detailing the outlook of the program. A 10-year EPF production forecast is also available in report format through Forecast International's Warships Forecast service.
The EPF provides combatant commanders with a high-speed, intra-theater sealift capability.
This data is available in Forecast International's U.S. Defense Budget Forecast, a comprehensive analytical database containing historical and forecast budget figures, year-to-year funding comparisons, congressional budget markups, program justification documents, and much more.
Source: U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Austal USA, and General Dynamics.
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Warships Forecast: |
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Complete and detailed information, including production forecast data, is provided in our Market Intelligence Service: Warships Forecast. |
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