Special to AlaDefense.com
MOBILE — The final U.S. Navy Expeditionary Fast Transport Ship – the future USNS Lansing (EPF 16) – was christened at a ceremony Saturday at Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama, ship manufacturing facility.
The christening marks a major milestone in the Spearhead-class EPF program, which has delivered vital high-speed, shallow-draft transport capability to the U.S. Navy and Military Sealift Command, including vessels that provide agile intra-theater personnel and cargo movement, rapid response support, and enhanced operational flexibility around the globe, company officials said.
EPF Flight II ships provide medical capability that includes basic secondary health care built around primary surgery, an intensive care unit, ward beds, and limited x-ray, laboratory and dental support. The EPF’s catamaran design provides inherent stability to allow surgeons to perform underway medical procedures in the ship’s operating suite.
Enhanced capabilities to support V-22 flight operations and launch-and-recover 11-meter Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats complement the ship’s medical facilities.
These Flight II upgrades along with EPF’s speed, maneuverability and shallow water access are key enablers for mission support of future Distributed Maritime Operations and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations around the world. Flight II retains the capability of the Flight I to support other missions including core logistics.
EPF is one of four shipbuilding programs under serial production at Austal USA.
The christening event featured two sponsors who christened the ship: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Rep. Lisa McClain. The two broke bottles of champagne simultaneously on the bow of the ship after which they jointly exclaimed, “For the United States of America, I christen thee Lansing. May God bless this ship and all who sail in her!”
The future USNS Lansing is the first Navy ship named after the capital of Michigan. Lansing became a manufacturing hub that has produced supplies for the nation’s military since the Civil War.
Speakers at Saturday’s event included Hung Cao, Under Secretary, U.S. Navy; Rear Admiral Benjamin Nicholson, commander, Military Sealift Command; Vice Admiral Seiko Okano, Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition; Michelle Kruger, Austal USA president; and Scott Bonk, director, Future Combatants & Mission Systems, General Dynamics Mission Systems.
“I was especially honored to witness this tradition that means so much to our Navy and our nation with the christening of the last ship of this great fleet,” Austal USA’s Kruger said. “The Flight II Expeditionary Fast Transport ships represent a significant increase in naval auxiliary capability, designed to support a wide range of missions including medical operations, logistics and troop transport.
“These ships are built by an exceptional team of dedicated men and women who consistently strive to be the best in the industry, delivering the most capable and cost-effective vessels to our superior Navy.”
Material for this story was provided by Austal USA.
Similar stories of interest:
