US Navy’s Burlington EPF 10 completes builder’s trials

The US Navy’s tenth spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport vessel, Burlington (EPF 10), has successfully completed builder’s trials at the Austal USA Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.

The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Gulf Coast worked with the shipyard to test the ship’s equipment, including fire protection systems, as well as its overall system operation during the trial programme.

EPF 10 was also put through a number of tests to assess its readiness, which included the calibration of the vessel’s communication and navigational systems, along with ship propulsion, ride control and anchor handling trials.

In addition, the ship’s four steerable water jets were tested as part of the manoeuvrability trials, while a series of high-speed turns demonstrated the stability and agility of the EPF catamaran’s hull concept.

US Navy Program Executive Office Ships Strategic and Theater Sealift programme manager captain Scot Searles said: “Burlington performed very well and is well on the way towards her delivery as the next expeditionary fast transport vessel to the navy.

“The testing results achieved this week are a testament to the combined efforts of industry and navy.”

The ship is slated to begin acceptance trials later this month, which will involve an inspection by the Navy’s Board of Inspection and Survey in order to evaluate its readiness for delivery to the US Navy.

EPFs are non-combatant vessels that are specially designed to operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways.

They are primarily used for relief operations in small or damaged ports, in addition to providing flexible logistics support or enabling rapid transport operations.

Each vessel is equipped with a flight deck, which enables them to assist in both day and night aircraft launch and recovery operations.