Austal delivers seventh expeditionary fast transport to US Navy
The US Navy has accepted delivery of a seventh expeditionary fast transport (EPF), the USNS ‘Carson City’, from Austal USA during a ceremony held aboard the ship at Austal USA’s shipyard in Alabama, USA.
The ‘Carson City’ is the second vessel delivered by Austal USA to the US Navy this month.
The 103-metre vessels are capable of transporting 600 tonnes 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. The ships can operate in shallow-draught ports and waterways, interface with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, and on/off-load a combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank (M1A2).
Three additional EPFs remain under construction in Mobile as part of a 10-ship, US$1.6 billion contract from the US Navy.
The future USNS ‘Yuma’ will be christened later this year and will launch soon after, while modules for the ‘City of Bismarck’ are under construction in Austal’s module manufacturing facility (MMF).
The first aluminium was cut for ‘Burlington’ in June and module construction has begun in the MMF.
