Artist's conception of Expeditionary Fast Transport | |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Point Loma |
Namesake | Point Loma |
Operator | Military Sealift Command |
Awarded | 26 February 2021 [1] |
Builder | Austal USA [1] |
Laid down | 27 June 2023 [2] |
Sponsored by | Elizabeth Asher |
Identification | Hull number: T-EPF-15 |
Status | Under construction |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Spearhead class expeditionary fast transport |
Length | 103.0 m (337 ft 11 in) |
Beam | 28.5 m (93 ft 6 in) |
Draft | 3.83 m (12 ft 7 in) |
Propulsion |
|
Speed | 43 knots (80 km/h; 49 mph) |
Troops | 312 |
Crew | Capacity of 41, 22 in normal service |
Aviation facilities | Landing pad for medium helicopter |
USNS Point Loma (T-EPF-15) will be the fifteenth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, operated by the United States Navy 's Military Sealift Command. [1] On 16 July 2021, acting Secretary of the Navy Thomas Harker announced that she would be named after Point Loma, San Diego. This is the second ship named after Point Loma, with the first being USS Point Loma (AGDS-2), a Deep Submergence Support Ship [3]
Point Loma is under construction in Mobile, Alabama by Austal USA. [4]
Austal USA is an American shipbuilder based on Blakeley Island in Mobile, Alabama. It is a subsidiary of the Australian shipbuilder Austal, operating under a Special Security Arrangement which allows it to work independently and separately on some of the most sensitive United States defense programs despite its foreign ownership.
Austal Limited is an Australian-based global ship building company and defence prime contractor that specialises in the design, construction and support of defence and commercial vessels. Austal's product range includes naval vessels, high-speed ferries, and supply or crew transfer vessels for offshore windfarms and oil and gas platforms.
The Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) is a United States Navy–led shipbuilding program to provide a high-speed, shallow draft vessel intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The EPFs can reach speeds of 35–45 knots (65–83 km/h; 40–52 mph), and allow the rapid transit and deployment of conventional or special forces, equipment and supplies. The vessels are a part of Military Sealift Command's Sealift Program. The class was previously designated as "Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV)", and redesignated in September 2015.
USNS Fall River (JHSV-4/T-EPF-4) is the fourth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC). Fall River was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.
USNS Millinocket (JHSV-3/T-EPF-3)(ex-Fortitude) is the third Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama.
The Navajo class is a class of Towing, Salvage and Rescue Ships of the United States Navy. They were ordered in 2017 as the planned replacement for the aging Safeguard-class rescue and salvage ships and Powhatan-class tugboats. The lead ship of the first batch of six ships was laid down in 2019. Two additional ships were ordered in 2020. In October 2021, Austal had been awarded a $145 million contract to build two Towing, Salvage, and Rescue ships, and options for up to three additional T-ATS ships. On 23 July 2022, two additional Navajo-class ships were ordered from Austal.
USNS Trenton (JHSV-5/T-EPF-5), (ex-Resolute) is the fifth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. Spearhead-class ships are used to support overseas operations, conduct humanitarian aid and disaster relief, and support special operations forces. This type of vessel also has an aviation flight deck and can operate in shallow waters.
USNS Brunswick (JHVS-6/T-EPF-6), is the sixth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, currently in service with the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Brunswick, Georgia. Brunswick is one of three expeditionary fast transport ships in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to continue its mission of providing rapid intra-theater transport of troops and military equipment. Like other EPFs of its class, the Brunswick is capable of carrying up to 600 short tons of equipment for distances of 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots.
USNS Choctaw County (JHSV-2/T-EPF-2), (ex-Vigilant) is the second Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and was built in Mobile, Alabama.
USNS Carson City (JHSV-7/T-EPF-7), (ex-Courageous) is the seventh Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, currently in service with the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. She is the second ship in naval service named after Carson City, Nevada.
USNS Yuma (T-EPF-8) is the eighth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Yuma, Arizona.
USNS City of Bismarck (JHSV-9/T-EPF-9), (ex-Sacrifice) is the ninth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the first ship in naval service named after Bismarck, North Dakota’s capital city.
USNS Burlington (T-EPF-10) is the tenth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the first ship in naval service named after Burlington, Vermont’s largest city.
USNS Puerto Rico (T-EPF-11) is the eleventh Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and currently in service with the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command.
USNS Newport (T-EPF-12) is the twelfth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the fourth ship in naval service named after Newport, Rhode Island.
USS Kingsville (LCS-36) will be an Independence-class littoral combat ship of the United States Navy. She will be the first ship to be named for Kingsville, Texas, which is home to Naval Air Station Kingsville.
USNS Apalachicola (T-EPF-13) is the thirteenth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. It is the second ship in naval service named after Apalachicola, Florida.
USNS Cody (T-EPF-14) will be the fourteenth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport and will be operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. She will be the first ship in naval service named after Cody, Wyoming, and the first of the Flight II variant designed to have enhanced medical capabilities.
USNS Bethesda (T-EMS-1) will be the seventeenth overall Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, and first of the Expeditionary Medical Ship sub-class, operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command. On 15 May 2023, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced that the ship would be named after The Bethesda Medical Center, now part of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in Bethesda, Maryland. She will be the first ship in the US Navy to carry the name.