The US Navy has christened the future USNS Lansing (EPF 16) during a ceremony at Austal USA’s shipbuilding facility in Mobile, Alabama on 10 January 2026.
The vessel is named after Lansing, the capital city of Michigan, which has supplied military materials since the Civil War.
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The future USNS Lansing becomes the first naval ship to carry the name of this city.
In total, 32 naval vessels have been named after aspects of Michigan, including the Navy’s first iron-hulled ship, commissioned in 1844.
The EPF 16 is the final “Flight II” addition to the Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport (EPF) programme.
The vessel will support expeditionary transport operations and serve as a Role 2 medical capability platform or a combination of both.
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By GlobalDataIt is designed for a crew of 31 civilian mariners and can embark up to 155 additional personnel or an expeditionary medical unit if required.
The Flight II configuration provides enhanced medical support, such as primary surgery, intensive care units, ward beds and basic laboratory, dental and x-ray services.
The catamaran hull design allows stability for medical procedures while underway.
In addition, the ship supports V-22 flight operations and can deploy or recover 11-metre Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats.
These features aim to facilitate distributed maritime operations and expeditionary advanced base operations around the world, while including logistics capabilities from previous class iterations.
The US Navy Under Secretary Hung Cao delivered the ceremony’s principal address during the christening ceremony.
“As we christen the future USNS Lansing, we celebrate another symbol of the unbreakable linkage that ties the workmanship of our shipyard workers to those of our American mariners who will man these ships,” Cao said.
“This also marks the pivotal transition from construction to the rigorous test and trials phase to ensure these platforms are ready to answer the call.”
EPF is among four shipbuilding programmes currently under serial production at Austal USA.
In 2024, the Navy christened USNS Point Loma (EPF-15) at the same facility.
