Posted on 02/26/2018 9:40:53 PM PST by BBell
The U.S. Navy's newest vessel was christened at Austal's state-of-the-art shipbuilding facility in Mobile on Saturday morning.
The future USNS Burlington is the 10th of the 12 Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels that Austal has under contract with the Navy. They have a combined value of more than $1.9 billion.
"Austal is excited to get Burlington one step closer to joining the fleet" said Austal USA President Craig Perciavalle. "The efficiency at which this complex ship has come together is truly remarkable and a testament to the incredible talent of our shipbuilding professionals here at Austal USA."
Nine Spearhead-class EPFs have been delivered and are fulfilling the Military Sealift Command's requirements worldwide. USNS City of Bismarck was delivered to the Navy in late 2017 and three more EPFs are under construction at Austal's Mobile shipyard.
With an all-aluminum shallow-draft hull, the EPF is a commercial-based catamaran capable of intra-theater personnel and cargo lift providing combatant commanders high-speed sealift mobility with inherent cargo handling capability and agility to achieve positional advantage over operational distances, according to the Navy.
EPF class ships are designed to transport 600 short tons of military cargo, 1,200 nautical miles, at an average speed of 35 knots. The ship is capable of operating in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities and on/off-loading a combat-loaded Abrams main battle tank (M1A2).
(Excerpt) Read more at al.com ...
United States Naval Ship = non-combatant, fleet auxiliary vessel designation. Typically a mixed Navy, Merchant crew from what I’ve seen & read.
United States Ship = combatant
The port and starboard lookouts appear to have some comfy digs.
I have no problem with this ship.
It’s form appears to be driven by function. I think it is at least as ugly as the San Antonio Class, but if it does its job well I am good with that.
It is meant to be operated under the umbrella of protective forces as all logistic ships since the beginning of time (mostly) have.
It is fast.
As GOPbiker and UCANSEE2 pointed out, stability and seaworthiness might be an issue, but...it could be less of an issue for these since I presume they are less concerned with being a blue water force and more pointed towards pre-positioning closer to a theater and taking on equipment, but...that is just speculation on my part. I had never seen these before today.
And they didn’t name it after a disgusting homosexual pervert or a woman whose only claim to fame is being used as a gun control poster child after she nearly got her brains blown out by one of her fellow leftist travelers who was angry at her...so there’s that.
Yep better but still looks like someone dropped a shoe box in the water Ben.
US Naval Ship - typically manned by a Merchant Marine and/or civilian crew with a Navy Liaison on board (at least up till I got off active in the mid-90s) for classified communications and such. Almost all replenishment ships are of the USNS variety.
Did some work on the USS Long Beach (CGN-9) in San Diego... pretty ship, in my opinion.. wouldn’t call her ugly at all..
United States Naval Ship.. essentially the Military Sealift Command... crewed by civilians.
I agree. I think it was striking. At the Norfolk NOB, I went aboard her for a visit. Loved it.
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