Senate appropriators want the Navy to study whether it should expand its current program of record for the Expeditionary Fast Transport (EFT) ship—formerly known as the Joint High Speed Vessel— past the 12 ships planned.
But future attempts to procure additional vessels could be hamstrung by Senate authorizers, who see further purchases as an example of wasteful, parochial spending.
Congress in 2016 provided $225 million for the 12th and final EFT ship, which are interchangingly referred to in legislation as EFTs or its hull designation EPF. However, the Senate Appropriations Committee believes the service may have to build more EPFs to support fleet demands, stated the committee report of the 2017 defense spending bill.
“As these ships are deployed, the committee understands that combatant and fleet commanders are identifying additional missions for the ships since they provide a means for fast intra-theater transportation of troops, military vehicles and equipment which thereby free up the more limited high-end platforms for more appropriate missions,” it said.
The report noted the Navy’s previous requirement for 18 ships, which was downsized in the fiscal year 2013 budget request to pay for other priorities in a budget-constricted environment.
Lawmakers, meanwhile, have “supported the construction of additional EFTs,” the report said.
The Senate Armed Services Committee’s defense authorization bill took an opposing approach. The last two EPFs appropriated by Congress were not requested by the Navy or included in the defense authorization bill. In order to prevent “wasteful earmarks,” SASC imposed several limitations on the program, the committee’s summary of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act stated.
If adopted, the bill would prohibit the Navy from entering into a sole source contract for an EPF, effectively blocking it from awarding another contract to Austal Shipbuilding in Mobile, Ala. The service’s secretary can override the restriction by certifying that that the purchase does not exceed fleet requirements listed in the Navy Force Structure Assessment and that fixed price contracting will be used, as well as submitting a report justifying its decision to award a sole source contract.
The EFT ship is able to move 600 short tons with ranges up to 1,200 nautical miles at an average speed of 35 knots, according to information from Austal. The shallow draft vessel is used to transport troops, vehicles and other equipment from the Army, Navy and Marine Corps around the globe.
Austal in May received a $24 million contract to procure long-lead time material for the yet unnamed EFP-12. The funds allow it to begin procurement of the supporting main propulsion engines, shafting and bearings, waterjet propulsors, stern ramp and anchor chains, a Defense Department contracting announcement stated.
The company delivered the sixth EPF, the USNS Brunswick, and christened USNS Carson City (EPF-7) this January. Construction of the USNS Yuma (EPF-8) kicked off in March.