Program Summary
The JHSV program is procuring high-speed transport vessels for the Army and the Navy. These vessels will be used for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment.
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The first Joint High Speed Vessel, Spearhead, prior to Christening. (Official U.S. Navy file photo)
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The JHSV Program is currently executing the Detail Design and Construction contract, awarded on November 13, 2008 to Austal, USA, with options for nine more ships under fixed price incentive contracts.
Initially, the JHSV program was envisioned to have the five of the first 10 JHSVs assigned to the Army and five to the Navy. However, at the Army/Navy Warfighter Talks in December 2010, both Services agreed to transfer the Army's five JHSVs to the Navy. The agreement will reduce the Total Ownership Costs by reducing redundancy in crewing, training, and maintenance under a single service.
Navy exercised options for JHSV 2 and JHSV 3 on January 28, 2010, JHSV 4 and JHSV 5 on October 12, 2010, and JHSV 6 and JHSV 7 on June 30, 2011. Start of construction of JHSV 2 began on September 13, 2010, and start of construction of JHSV 3 began on September 2, 2011. Christening of JHSV 1 was held on September 17, 2011.
This commercially designed, non-combatant vessel leverages commercial technology and does not require the development of any new technology. The JHSV program merges the previous Army Theater Support Vessel (TSV) and the Navy High Speed Connector (HSC) to decrease costs by taking advantage of the inherent commonality between the existing programs. Significant production and financial risks have been avoided by implementing proven technology, ensuring stable requirements, minimizing change and through the ruthless pursuit of cost reduction and efficiency. JHSV is being built to American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) High Speed Naval Craft Guide.
JHSV will be capable of transporting 600 short tons 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots. The ships will be 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). The JHSV will include a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive off the ship. The ramp will be suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. JHSV’s shallow draft (under 15 feet) will further enhance littoral operations and port access. This makes the JHSV an extremely flexible asset for support of a wide range of operations including maneuver and sustainment, relief operations in small or damaged ports, flexible logistics support, or as the key enabler for rapid transport.
JHSVs will have a core crew of 21 people, with airline style seating for more than 312 embarked forces and fixed berthing for 146. Military Sealift Command (MSC) will operate and sustain the JHSVs. JHSV will be allocated via Global Force Management (GFM) for Theater Security Cooperation (TSC), service unique missions, intra-theater sealift, and special missions.