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USS Burlington completes builder's trials

The U.S. Navy's 10th expeditionary fast transport vessel, the USNS Burlington, has successfully completed builder's trials and will start acceptance trials with the Navy later this month.

By Stephen Carlson

July 10 (UPI) -- The U.S. Navy's 10th expeditionary fast transport vessel, the USNS Burlington, has successfully completed builder's trials.

Naval Sea Systems Command announced the Burlington had completed dock trials and various tests of the ship's readiness at the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Ala., last month and will next undergo acceptance trials with the Navy before it can be certified as ready for delivery.

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Following dockside operations in June, the USNS Burlington performed two days of sea trials demonstrating it's ship keeping and navigation systems. The testing included the ship's maneuverability with it's four directional water jet systems.

"Burlington performed very well and is well on the way towards her delivery as the next Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel to the Navy," Capt. Scot Searles, program manager of the Strategic and Theater Sealift program, said in a press release.

The Burlington will now go on to acceptance trials in late July. The trials, conducted by the Navy's Board of Inspection and Survey, evaluate the ship for approval that it is ready for delivery to the Navy.

The Burlington will be the 10th Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport ship. It was christened in February, and launched in April.

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Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels are shallow draft commercial-based catamarans capable of transporting personnel and cargo.

The ships can carry 600 tons of cargo and are capable of offloading heavy armor such as the M1 Abrams tank. They also have special ramps that can handle undeveloped ports across multiple types of coastline.

The ships have a standard crew of 26 civilians, and can accommodate 312 troops in airline style seating.

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