Speedy 'Ambulance Ships' a High Priority for Navy Medicine, Admiral Says
21 Apr 2021
Military.com | By Hope Hodge Seck
The Navy is investing more than $200 million to configure two of its catamarans to function as high-speed "ambulance ships" for medical emergencies on the water. And the Navy's surgeon general said Tuesday that the service is "enormously excited" to gain the new capability.
The $235 million contract modification was issued in March, allowing Austal USA to develop the Navy's next expeditionary fast transport, or EPF, ships with built-in enhanced medical capability. The 14th ship in the class, EPF-14, to be called USNS Cody after the city in Wyoming, will be the first of these ships; the yet-to-be-named EPF-15 will be the second. The ships are operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command, just like the service's two large hospital ships.
Rear Adm. Bruce Gillingham, surgeon general of the Navy, discussed the service's plans for the ships in response to questions from Sen. Richard Shelby, an Alabama Republican.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/04/21/speedy-ambulance-ships-high-priority-navy-medicine-admiral-says.html
