OVERVIEW: The Spearhead Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) is a 2-shaft diesel-powered, high speed catamaran vessel for Amphibious and Sealift operations.

DETAILS: The Spearhead high-speed, shallow draft vessel is intended for rapid intra-theater transport of medium-sized cargo payloads. The EPF is able to transport U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps company-sized units with their vehicles or can be reconfigured to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion.  Additional missions for the EPF that are being considered by the USN and USMC include using it to re-supplying special operations forces and conducting humanitarian assistance missions, as well as a counter-piracy using an embarked security team.

To achieve high speeds, the EPF uses catamaran hull constructed of aluminum.  To save costs, its design is based on a commercial Ro-Ro,  and it is  built to commercial, instead of to military standards.  Its military features are limited  to  aviation, C4SI and fire-fighting systems.  With a draft of only 12.5 feet (3.8 meters), it is capable of operating in shallow ports and waterways.

Cargo facilities include an open mission deck with a usable 1800 m2 of cargo space. It can embark up to  312 personnel in airline-style seating, as well as permanent berths for approximately 104 personnel and temporary berths for 46 troops.  It is cargo capacity of 600 short tons and can load/unload using an incorporated 100-ton stern ramp.

The EPF features a NAVAIR level 1/2 class flight deck to operate one CH-53E-size helicopter,  including  parking, refueling VERTREP and a helicopter control station facilities. However, the EPF cannot  base MV-22 Ospreys due to its weight and potential flight deck damage from engines during take-off/landing operations.

The EPF has poor sea keeping performance in high sea states and at high speeds.   To achieve its top speed the ship must be traveling in waters not exceeding sea state 3 (waves up to 1.25 m (4.1 ft) high). At sea state 4 it can travel at up to 15 knots, at only 5 knots in sea state 5, and has to hold position in any higher sea state.  At 10 knots in calm sea states the hull can roll up to four degrees to each side. This increases if the ship goes faster or in rougher conditions, raising the possibility of seasickness.  This poor sea keeping performance severely limits its employment in  "blue water"  operations.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Displacement: 1515 kts (full)
Speed: 43 knots (max)
Engineering: Four MTU 20V8000 M71L diesel engines (9.1MW each) driving four waterjets. 
Range: 1200 nm@35 knts.
Endurance: four days (312 embarked personnel); 14 days (104 personnel)
Complement: Crew 26 (peacetime); 46 (full complement); 

NOTES: IOC 2012. Units in class: USNS SPEARHEAD (T-EPF-1); CHOCTAW COUNTY (T-EPF-2); MILLINOCKET (T-EPF-3); FALL RIVER (T-EPF-4); TRENTON ((T-EPF-5); BRUNSWICK (T-EPF-6); CARSON CITY (T-EPF-7); YUMA ((T-EPF-8); CITY OF BISMARK (T-EPF-9); BURLINGTON (T-EPF-10); PUERTO RICO (T-EPF-11); NEWPORT (T-EPF-12); APALACHICOLA (T-EPF-13). 


SOURCES:  "Expeditionary fast transport (T-EPF)." Austal: Corporate. Last modified March 31, 2022. https://www.austal.com/ships/expeditionary-fast-transport-t-epf. ;"SNA: Surface leaders make the case for the modified littoral combat ship." USNI News. Last modified January 14, 2015. https://news.usni.org/2015/01/13/sna-surface-leaders-make-case-modified-littoral-combat-ship. ; "Spearhead class expeditionary fast transport vessels." Naval Technology. Last modified January 24, 2022. https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/spearhead-class/.
