Austal USA delivers first Flight II EPF

USNS Cody (EPF 14), ]Photo: Austal USA]

Austal USA has formally handed over the first Flight II EPF, USNS Cody (EPF 14), to the U.S. Navy, with representatives from both parties signing the official delivery documentation onboard the ship.

The shipbuilder and the Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program team successfully completed acceptance trials on EPF 14 in the Gulf of Mexico in December, signifying that the ship was ready for delivery to the Navy. The trials involved the execution of intense comprehensive tests by the Austal USA-led industry team while underway, which demonstrated to the Navy the successful operation of the ship’s major systems and equipment.

Cody is the first EPF Flight II vessel Austal has delivered to the Navy. EPF Flight II vessels feature enhanced afloat medical capability and will provide critical combat care in austere and contested operating environments.

Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal USA’s parent, Austal Limited noted that the Flight II EPFs provide a Role 2E medical capability that allows surgeons to perform medical procedures in an onboard operating suite, underway.

“Cody is the U.S. Navy’s first EPF to include enhanced medical facilities that enable a broader range of surgical procedures to be undertaken at sea, with two operating rooms and an onboard pharmacy, blood bank and laboratory to support missions,” Gregg said. “The Flight II variants also have the added capability to support V-22 Osprey flight operations and launch and recover 11 meter RHIBs.”

“This is an exciting day for Austal USA’s EPF program and our teammates and suppliers across the U.S.,” said Austal USA vice president, new construction programs Dave Growden. “Working together we have produced a highly capable vessel ready to meet the needs of our nation’s Military Sealift Command.”

EPF 14 is the first ship to honor the city in Wyoming named for William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody.

Austal USA has delivered fourteen EPFs and has two more under construction, at the Mobile, Ala. facility.

Last month the company was awarded an $866.7 million contract modification covering the detail design, and construction of three Expeditionary Medical Ships, an Expeditionary Fast Transport variant. As we reported earlier, these Bethesda-class ships will provide even greater medical capabilities than the EPF Flight II ships.