The U.S. Navy has awarded Austal USA a $248.9 million contract modification to definitize the procurement of long lead-time materials as well as to commence design and construction of the military branch’s 11th and 12th Expeditionary Fast Transport vessels.
The EPF vessels will be built to transport personnel, supplies and equipment for the Navy, Marine Corps and Army, the Defense Department said Thursday.
EPF, formerly named the Joint High Speed Vessel, is designed to carry 600 short tons of military cargo, operate in shallow-draft ports and waterways, interface with roll-on and roll-off discharge facilities and load an Abrams Main Battle Tank.
Austal USA will perform work under the modification in Alabama, Michigan, Virginia, Texas, Pennsylvania, Mississippi, Wisconsin, overseas and various other places through March 2020.
The Navy guaranteed $268.4 million from its fiscal 2015 and 2016 shipbuilding and conversion funding, which covers the definitized long lead time material of the undefinitized contract action at the time of award.
