Written by
Nick Blenkey
New Expeditionary Medical Ships shall be often known as the Bethesda class. [Image: Austal]
Austal USA, Cell, Ala., has been awarded an $867,666,667 modification to a beforehand awarded U.S. Navy contract (N00024-19-C-2227) for the element design, and development of three Expeditionary Medical Ships, an Expeditionary Quick Transport variant.
Work is anticipated to finish by Might 2030. Naval Sea Methods Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting exercise.
“This award is additional proof of the Navy’s confidence in Austal USA to provide highly-capable, shallow-draft aluminum multi-hull vessels,” mentioned appearing Austal USA president Michelle Kruger. “We’re proud to supply this modern essential care functionality to the women and men who defend our nation.“
In a inventory change announcement, Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal USA’s father or mother, Austal Restricted (ASX:ASB), famous that the contract allows the ultimate detailed design for the Expeditionary Medical Ship to be accomplished and development of three vessels to begin.
“The brand new Expeditionary Medical Ship additional extends the capabilities of the confirmed Expeditionary Quick Transport (EPF) platform, designed and constructed by Austal, to allow extra advanced medical procedures and operations to be carried out onboard, at sea and underway,” Gregg mentioned. “These three new EMS will improve the U.S. Navy’s functionality to supply efficient medical and surgical assist anyplace on the planet, rapidly, safely and effectively.”
BETHESDA CLASS
Again in Might, Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) Carlos Del Toro introduced that the lead ship within the Expeditionary Medical Ship class shall be named USNS Bethesda (EMS 1) after the Navy’s Bethesda Medical Middle and that the category shall be known as the Bethesda Class.
“This primary-in-class ship shall be state-of-the-art and the Navy’s first medical ship in 35 years,” mentioned Del Toro in making the announcement. “This ship, designed with extra expeditious and direct entry to diagnostic, specialty and hospital care, will permit for elevated capabilities and well being care. Simply because the hospital at NSA Bethesda has served as a beacon of hope to those that entered its doorways, USNS Bethesda (EMS 1) will function a beacon to these in want world wide.”
The Bethesda-class ships are designed as a devoted medical ship that optimizes hospital-level medical care in assist of distributed maritime operations (DMO). The EMS will function a shallow draft enabling higher attain and permitting direct entry to shallow austere ports, whereas additionally offering a flight deck that accommodates navy helicopters. This design gives a full vary of medical capabilities together with triage/essential care, three working rooms, medical laboratory, radiological functionality, blood financial institution, dental, psychological well being, OB/GYN and first care, fast stabilization and follow-on evacuation of a number of casualties and fight search and rescue together with restoration at sea. The first mission of the EMS as a high-speed ahead deployed medical ship is to supply fast responsive sea-based and near-shore hospital degree essential care, humanitarian help, catastrophe reduction, non-combatant evacuation operations and particular operations. The EMS is designed to reply and supply care at a extra fast tempo than their predecessors, USNS Mercy and USNS Consolation, crusing at speeds of at the very least 30 knots with a variety of 5,500 nautical miles at 24 knots.
Austal USA has delivered 13 EPFs to the Navy and is making ready to ship the primary EPF Flight II, the long run USNS Cody (EPF 14), which options enhanced Position 2E medical functionality (see earlier story), and has two extra Flight II vessels beneath development.
