Austal secures US Navy contract for two additional EPFs

Austal has been awarded a US Navy contract worth A$369 million (US$261 million) for two additional Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transports (EPFs).

The contract award extends the EPF programme to 2022, with construction of EPF 13 to commence in late 2019 and of EPF 14 to follow in the middle of 2020.

This new contract follows the award for long-lead time materials on EPF 13 and EPF 14 that was announced in December 2018.

Each EPF will have a length of 103 metres, a width of 28.5 metres, a draught of 3.83 metres, a crew of 41, and capacity for up to 312 troops.