U.S. Navy Receives 14th Austal Expeditionary Fast Transport

Austal Limited’s USNS Cody (EPF-14) Expeditionary Fast Transport ship has been delivered to the United States Navy.

Constructed at Austal USA’s Mobile Alabama shipyard, EPF-14 is reportedly the first ‘Flight II’ EPF ship that features enhanced medical facilities and naval medicine afloat capabilities that will provide critical combat care in austere and contested operating environments.

Austal USA and the Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program team successfully completed acceptance trials of EPF 14 in the Gulf of Mexico in December 2023, involving the execution of intense, comprehensive tests of the ships major systems and equipment while underway. 

The USNS Cody is the 14th EPF ship to join the United States Military Sealift Command’s global fleet. Austal USA is currently constructing two more EPF’s (15 and 16) at the Mobile, Alabama shipyard.

The 103 metre Spearhead-class EPF ships are currently providing high-speed, high-payload transport capability and logistics support to United States Navy Fleet and Combatant Commanders around the world.

They are representative of Austal USA’s diversified portfolio, which includes surface combatants and auxiliaries, submarine modules and autonomous vessels.

This ASX announcement has been approved and authorised for release by Paddy Gregg, Austal Limited’s Chief Executive Officer.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said the ‘Flight II’ EPF’s provide a Role 2E medical capability that allows surgeons to perform medical procedures in an onboard operating suite, underway.

“Cody is the US Navy’s first EPF to include enhanced medical facilities that enable a broader range of surgical procedures to be undertaken at sea, with 2 operating rooms and an onboard pharmacy, blood bank and laboratory to support missions,” Mr Gregg said.

“The Flight II variants also have the added capability to support V-22 Osprey flight operations and launch and recover 11 metre RHIB’s.”