US Navy Receives First-of-its-Kind Medical Trauma Transport Vessel
A New USNS Cody Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel is equipped with life-saving medical and surgical capability
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By Kris Osborn, President, Center for Military Modernization
The US Navy has added a first-of-its-kind high-speed medical transport vessel capable of transiting through dangerous littoral areas in support of maritime war efforts, while operating a floating hospital and casualty trauma ward.
It is the latest delivery of the Navy’s fast-growing Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel, a transport vessel equipped with life-saving medical and surgical capability called the USNS Cody
“The delivery of the first Flight II EPF is a significant milestone. The ship’s enhanced medical capabilities will ensure that it provides critical support to our sailors and marines, while still performing its other mission sets.” said Tim Roberts, Strategic and Theater Sealift Program Manager, Program Executive Office (PEO), Ships, said in an essay published by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA).
Built by Austal USA, the USNS Flight II EPF introduces high-speed, combat trauma medical capabilities to an existing class of high-speed EPF Transport ships. Should a Marine be shot or massively injured during a maritime combat operation, the USNS Cody is would be able to perform emergency, life-saving surgery.
“Cody is the US Navy’s first EPF to include enhanced medical facilities that enable a broader range of surgical procedures to be undertaken at sea, with 2 operating rooms and an onboard pharmacy, blood bank and laboratory to support missions.” Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said in a company statement.
While the Navy does operate several floating hospital ships such as the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy, these ships might not be fully ruggedized for maritime combat and would likely be at risk operating in closer proximity to enemy fire. They would need to operate at standoff distances and be surrounded by warships and other air and surface protection to defend against attacks.
Any kind of island-hopping maritime warfare engagement between China and the US in the South China Sea or other parts of the Pacific theater would likely generate a very high number of casualties given the precision, range and scope of weapons systems and platforms operated by both the People’s Liberation Army and the US Navy. Multi-domain sea-to-land kinds of island and coastal warfare would also likely involve amphibious attack and ship-to-shore kinds of combat with US Marines, operations also likely to generate casualties.