MOBILE, Ala. – The Navy accepted delivery of its tenth Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF 10) from Austal USA, Nov. 15.
EPF’s are non-combatant vessels designed to operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, increasing operational flexibility for a wide range of activities including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations, flexible logistics support, or as the key enabler for rapid transport.
“Burlington will provide tremendous flexibility to combatant commanders in the fleet,” said Capt. Scot Searles, Strategic and Theater Sealift program manager, Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships. “EPF 10 will enhance our forward presence and provide a variety of capabilities to U.S. operations around the globe.”
USNS Burlington will be owned and operated by the Military Sealift Command and will support a variety of missions including overseas contingency operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, special operations forces, and supporting emerging joint sea-basing concepts. EPFs are capable of interfacing with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities, as well as on/off-loading vehicles such as a fully combat-loaded Abrams Main Battle Tank. Each vessel includes a flight deck to support day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations. Burlington will have airline-style seating for 312 embarked forces with fixed berthing for 104.
Burlington was constructed by Austal USA which is currently in production on Puerto Rico (EPF 11) and Newport (EPF 12). The company was awarded a contract in October 2018 for long lead time material to support construction of EPF 13 which is planned to commence fabrication in late 2019.
As one of the Defense Department's largest acquisition organizations, PEO Ships is responsible for executing the development and procurement of all destroyers, amphibious ships, sealift ships, support ships, boats, and craft.
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