Navy receives sixth Expeditionary Fast Transport

MOBILE, Ala., Jan. 20 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy has accepted delivery from Austal USA of a new non-combatant transport ship, the USNS Brunswick (EPF 6), for use by its Military Sealift Command.

The USNS Brunswick is a an Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel. It features an all-aluminum catamaran design. It is nearly 338 feet long, 93.6 feet in the beam and has a speed of 48 knots.

"This [EPF] program is in full rate production and we're excited to deliver another extremely capable platform to our fleet," said Capt. Henry Stevens, Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Manager, Program Executive Office, Ships. "The delivery of each ship is always a significant achievement and is the culmination of a tremendous effort by both our Navy and industry led teams."

The Brunswick and other EPF-class ships can operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interface with roll-on/roll-off discharge facilities. The ships have a flight deck for helicopter operations and an off-load ramp for vehicles to quickly drive off the ship.

A seventh Expeditionary Fast Transport is being launched ny Austal USA later this month and is scheduled for delivery this year. The Naval Sea Systems Command said Austal is under contract to build EPFs 8-10 and has materials to support the construction of an 11th EPF ship.