USNS Fall River

For other ships with the same name, see USS Fall River.

USNS Fall River (JHSV-4/T-EPF-4) is the fourth Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport, which is operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC).^[1][2][3] Fall River was built by Austal USA in Mobile, Alabama.^[1][2]

USNS Fall River in Hambantota on 7 March 2017
History
United States
Name	Fall River
Namesake	Fall River
Operator	Military Sealift Command
Awarded	12 October 2010[1]
Builder	Austal USA[1]
Laid down	20 May 2013[1]
Launched	16 January 2014[1]
Sponsored by	Diane Bemus Patrick
Christened	11 January 2014
In service	15 September 2014[1]
Reclassified	T-EPF-4, 2015
Identification	IMO number: 9677521 MMSI number: 367864000 Callsign: NMIA Hull number: JHSV-4
Motto	Fast, Fearless, Faithful
Status	Active
General characteristics
Class and type	Spearhead class Expeditionary Fast Transport
Length	103.0 m (337 ft 11 in)
Beam	28.5 m (93 ft 6 in)
Draft	3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)
Propulsion	4 × MTU 20V8000 M71L diesel engines 4 × ZF 60000NR2H reduction gears
Speed	43 knots (80 km/h; 49 mph)
Troops	312
Crew	41
Aircraft carried	Medium helicopter
Aviation facilities	Helipad

Capabilities

The EPF will be able to transport US Army and US Marine Corps company-sized units with their vehicles, or reconfigure to become a troop transport for an infantry battalion.^[2]

It will have a flight deck for helicopter operations and a loading ramp that will allow vehicles to quickly drive on and off the ship. The ramp will be suitable for the types of austere piers and quay walls common in developing countries. EPF will have a shallow draft (under 15 feet (4.6 m)).^[2]

Construction and career

On 23 March 2010, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced in Fall River, Massachusetts that the fourth Expeditionary Fast Transport will be named USNS Fall River. Because the ship will be operated by the Military Sealift Command and not the United States Navy itself, it will carry the USNS prefix instead of USS.^[4][5][6]

The ship was christened on 11 January 2014 by First Lady of Massachusetts, Diane Bemus Patrick, at Austal USA's Shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.^[7] The ship was launched seven days later on 16 January.^[8] Fall River completed acceptance trials on 25 July 2014. Following delivery and Final Contract Trials (FCT) later in the year,^[9] Fall River was accepted into MSC service on 15 September 2014.^[10]