Austal USA began construction Tuesday of the future USNS Point Loma, the 15th expeditionary fast transport of the Spearhead class to be built for the Navy.
The transport ship will be the second naval vessel to bear the San Diego community’s name. The first was a deep submergence support ship that was decommissioned in 1993.
The Spearhead-class transports are aluminum catamarans designed to transport an Army or Marine company of up to 250 personnel along with their vehicles within a theater of combat.
The latest versions include a small hospital section and a landing pad for helicopters and V-22 tiltrotors. They can travel at up to 45 knots and unload troops and equipment at rudimentary docks.
Austal has built all of the Spearhead ships and is under contract to build the 16th and last in the class at the shipyard in Mobile, AL.
