Recently,Austal USA has been awarded a design-build contract with the U.S. Navy for three expeditionary hospital vessels (EMS).。The value of the contract is 867.6 billion US dollars (about 61.1 billion yuan.)9.4 billion yuan). The final design of the vessels will be based on the Expeditionary Rapid Transit (EPF) platform, which will be built on the company's aluminum production line after the construction of Austal USA's last Pioneer-class Expeditionary High-Speed Transportation Platform is completed.
It is reported that the US Navy has been eager to push forward with the project of building a new hospital ship to replace the old hospital ships USS Mercy and USS Comfort (USNS Comfort), which entered service in 1986 and 1987, two old ships converted from the old tankers of 1975 and 1976.
The new EMS is a variant of the U.S. Navy's Avangard-class expeditionary high-speed transportation platform, designed to be fast, maneuverable, and have a shallow draft, representing a new vision for the U.S. Navy's hospital ship. This type of hospital ship is designed as a catamaran, with a total length of 110 meters and a beam of 315 meters, draft 46 meters, with a maximum speed of at least 30 knots, a speed of up to 18 knots at full load, and a range of 5,500 nautical miles at a speed of 18 to 24 knots, with a capacity of at least 220 people. The new vessel will be equipped with a wide range of medical facilities for emergency services and humanitarian assistance, and will be a dedicated hospital ship for the U.S. Navy with facilities comparable to those of naval hospitals on shore, including triage and intensive care, operating rooms, laboratories and radiology departments.
"The three new expeditionary hospital vessels will enhance the U.S. Navy's ability to provide effective medical and surgical support quickly, safely and efficiently around the world," said Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal Limited. EMS further expands the capabilities of the proven EPF platform designed and built by Austal to enable it to perform more complex medical processes and operations on board, at sea and underwater. ”
Austal USA highlighted that the company has delivered 13 EPFs to the US Navy. Currently, Austal USA is advancing the EPS Flight II project and is preparing to deliver the first vessel, the USNS Cody, with medical capabilities that include basic secondary healthcare built around primary surgery, intensive care units, ward beds, and limited X-ray, laboratory and dental support. Launched in February 2023, the USNS Cody will have the capacity to support about 41 medical patients and 147 military personnel when completed.