Austal delivers EPF USNS Cody to US Navy

Austal has revealed that USNS Cody (EPF-14) has been delivered to the US Navy.

Constructed at Austal USA’s Mobile Alabama shipyard, EPF-14 is the first ‘Flight II’ Expeditionary Fast Transport (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 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,” 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.”

Austal USA and the Navy’s Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) program team completed acceptance trials of EPF 14 in the Gulf of Mexico in December 2023. The vessel was christened in February 2023.

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 US Navy Fleet and Combatant Commanders around the world; and are representative of Austal USA’s diversified portfolio which includes surface combatants and auxiliaries, submarine modules and autonomous vessels.