Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF)

Last updated: 13 Oct 2021

Point of Contact
Military Sealift Command
Public Affairs

471 East C St.
Norfolk, VA 23511-2419

Public Affairs
(757) 443-2839

Description
The Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) is a shallow draft, all aluminum, commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift, providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances. Bridging the gap between low-speed sealift and high-speed airlift, EPFs transport personnel, equipment and supplies over operational distances with access to littoral offload points including austere, minor and degraded ports in support of the Global War on Terrorism/Theater Security Cooperation Program, Intra-theater Operational/Littoral Maneuver and Sustainment and Seabasing. EPFs enable the rapid projection, agile maneuver and sustainment of modular, tailored forces in response to a wide range of military and civilian contingencies such as Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

Features
The EPF is designed to transport 600 short tons of military cargo 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots in Sea State 3. The ships are capable of operating in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank (M1A2). The EPF includes a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp that allow vehicles to quickly drive off the ship. The ramp is suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. The ship's shallow draft (under 15 feet) will further enhance littoral operations and port access. This makes the EPF an extremely flexible asset for support of a wide range of operations including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support or as the key enabler for rapid transport.

EPF has a crew of 26 Civilian Mariners with airline style seating for 312 embarked troops and fixed berthing for an additional 104. Military Sealift Command (MSC) operates and sustains the EPFs, which will be allocated via the Global Force Management for Theater Security Cooperation, service unique missions, intra-theater sealift and special missions.

Background
In 2008, the Navy awarded Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama, a fixed-price incentive contract modification for detail design and construction (DD&C) of one EPF. The contract modification also included options for the construction of up to nine additional ships and associated shore-based spares which have all been awarded. Austal was subsequently awarded a construction contract for EPF 11 and EPF 12 in September 2016. The company has also been contracted for DD&C for EPF 13/14.

The Navy has accepted delivery of 10 EPFs with USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) being the most recent delivery in November 2018. The shipbuilder is in production on Puerto Rico (EPF 11), Newport (EPF 12), Apalachicola (EPF 13), and Cody (EPF 14) is under DD&C contract.

General Characteristics

Builder: Austal USA

Propulsion: Water Jet

Length: 103 Meters (338 feet)

Beam: 28.5 meters (93.5 feet)

Displacement: 2500 metric tons

Draft: 13 feet (3.92 meters)

Speed: 35-40 knots

Range: 1,200 nautical miles

Crew: 26 Civilian Mariners

Ships:
USNS Spearhead (T-EPF 1) - delivered
USNS Choctaw County (T-EPF 2) - delivered
USNS Millinocket (T-EPF 3) - delivered
USNS Fall River (T-EPF 4) - delivered
USNS Trenton (T-EPF 5) - delivered
USNS Brunswick (T-EPF 6) - delivered
USNS Carson City (T-EPF 7) - delivered
USNS Yuma (T-EPF 8) - delivered
USNS City of Bismarck (T-EPF 9) - delivered
USNS Burlington (T-EPF 10) - delivered
Puerto Rico (T-EPF 11) - delivered
Newport (T-EPF 12) - delivered
Apalachicola (EPF 13) - under construction
Cody (EPF 14) - under construction

Point of Contact
Naval Sea Systems Command
Office of Corporate Communications
(SEA 00D)
Washington, D.C. 20376
(202) 781-2718

Military Sealift Command
Public Affairs
471 East C St.
Norfolk, VA 23511-2419
(757) 443-2839

Point of Contact
Military Sealift Command
Public Affairs

471 East C St.
Norfolk, VA 23511-2419

Public Affairs
(757) 443-2839

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