Image source: topwar.ru
The newest EPF 16 expeditionary transport ship of the US Navy will be built by Austal USA. The corresponding contract in the amount of $ 230.5 million was signed recently. Now the company will be engaged in detailed design, and then the construction of the ship.
At one time, Austal USA successfully delivered 12 EPFs in accordance with the schedule and met the budget. Currently, work is underway on the construction of three additional transport ships. Such ships are used by the US Navy in humanitarian and rescue missions, operations to combat drug trafficking, and perform tasks for managing naval forces. The design of the ship allows you to perform missions in any waters.
The EPF 16 will be the third ship built in the Flight II configuration. The flight deck, capable of receiving V-22 tiltrotor planes, makes the ship even more versatile. The main task of the ship is to transport personnel and equipment during marine expeditionary activities.
In modern conditions, when the United States is increasingly trying not only to designate the presence, but also to transfer troops and weapons to various corners of the globe, the demand for such ships is significantly increasing. They will be able to replace older transport ships that are currently used by the US Navy.
Now the Pentagon expects that the construction of the EPF 16 ship will begin at the end of 2022. By 2025, construction work should be completed, and the ship will be delivered to the Navy. Austral USA has also signed a contract for the construction of additional EPFs – an Independence-class coastal warship and a Navajo-class towed rescue ship. The company is also involved in the implementation of the US Navy program for the creation and launch of unmanned ships.
