USNS YUMA – T-EPF-8 – IMO 9677569

Spearhead-Class Expeditionary Fast Transport

USNS YUMA (T-EPF-8) is an all-aluminium high-speed catamaran operated by the United States Navy's Military Sealift Command and the eighth vessel of the Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport programme.

Built by Austal USA at Mobile, Alabama, YUMA was delivered to the U.S. Navy on 21 April 2017.

At 103 metres long, the vessel was designed for rapid intra-theatre transportation of troops, military vehicles, helicopters, equipment and supplies.

Although widely quoted with a maximum speed of around 43 knots, the U.S. Navy's current fleet specification uses a more operationally representative speed of 35 knots.

Vessel Details

Name: USNS YUMA

Hull Number: T-EPF-8

IMO: 9677569

Call Sign: NYMA

Type: Expeditionary Fast Transport

Class: Spearhead class

Operator: Military Sealift Command

Owner: United States Navy

Builder: Austal USA, Mobile, Alabama

Keel Authentication: 29 March 2016

Christened: 20 August 2016

Launched: 17 September 2016

Delivered / Entered Service: 21 April 2017

Length Overall: 103.0 m

Beam: 28.5 m

Draught: approx. 3.8–4.6 m depending on load

Displacement: approx. 2,400 t

Construction: Aluminium catamaran

Propulsion: 4 × MTU 20V8000 M71L diesels

Drive: 4 × waterjets

Published Maximum Speed: approx. 43 knots

Current MSC Operational Speed Figure: 35 knots

Transport Capacity: approx. 600 short tons

Troop Capacity: up to approx. 312

Range: approx. 1,200 nautical miles at 35 knots

Aviation: Large flight deck suitable for helicopters including CH-53

Current Status: Retained in MSC inventory; Force Generation Risk Reduction status in 2026.

Built by Austal USA

USNS YUMA was built by:

Austal USA

at Mobile, Alabama.

The vessel's keel authentication ceremony took place in March 2016.

She was christened in August and launched the following month.

After successfully completing acceptance trials in January 2017, the U.S. Navy formally accepted delivery on:

21 April 2017.

High-Speed Catamaran

Unlike conventional military transport ships, the Spearhead class uses:

an aluminium catamaran hull.

The wide twin-hull configuration provides:

large internal vehicle space,

a broad flight deck,

and high speed.

The design originated from commercial high-speed ferry technology adapted for military logistics.

43 Knots vs 35 Knots

The original PiraeuShips profile quoted:

43 knots,

which reflects the widely published maximum capability of the design.

Current Military Sealift Command specifications give:

35 knots,

which represents the class's normal high-speed transportation figure.

The two numbers therefore refer to different operating conditions rather than a contradiction.

600 Tons of Cargo

The class is designed to transport approximately:

600 short tons

of military cargo.

That can include:

armoured vehicles,

trucks,

artillery,

containers,

helicopters,

and personnel.

The ship's stern ramp allows vehicles to drive directly between the cargo deck and the pier.

Shallow-Draught Operations

One major advantage of the Spearhead design is the vessel's shallow draught.

YUMA can operate from ports that would be inaccessible to much larger strategic sealift ships.

This gives military commanders a rapid way to move equipment between regional ports without relying exclusively on deep-water terminals.

Mediterranean and European Operations

USNS YUMA has been deployed extensively around:

Mediterranean Europe

North Africa

Black Sea

and NATO partner states.

Operations have included:

Morocco,

Slovenia,

Albania,

Georgia,

Romania,

and Greece.

Keratsini – 2018

The ship has a particularly clear Piraeus connection.

USNS YUMA was documented moored at:

Keratsini on 16 August 2018.

PiraeuShips published the dedicated:

USNS YUMA – T-EPF-8 – IMO 9677569

entry during the same month.

Further Piraeus Calls

The ship subsequently returned to Greece.

A U.S. Military Sealift Command support contract specifically records husbanding services for:

USNS YUMA at Piraeus

during late 2019.

She later played an increasingly visible role in U.S. military logistics around Greece and the Balkans, including calls at Alexandroupolis.

Black Sea Operations

In July 2021, YUMA operated in the Black Sea alongside allied and partner forces.

The vessel visited:

Batumi, Georgia

and later transited south toward the Mediterranean together with USS ROSS.

Current Status in 2026

An important update is required here.

USNS YUMA remains listed in the current Military Sealift Command ship inventory, but the MSC Annual Report states that YUMA was one of several EPFs moved into:

Force Generation Risk Reduction – FGRR status.

In this arrangement vessels are clustered and minimally crewed rather than continuously deployed.

YUMA is grouped in:

Norfolk, Virginia,

and current MSC shipyard-planning information shows FGRR status extending through 2028.

PiraeuShips Record

USNS YUMA (T-EPF-8) was recorded by PiraeuShips at Keratsini in August 2018, little more than a year after the U.S. Navy accepted delivery of the high-speed expeditionary transport. Built by Austal USA at Mobile, Alabama, the 103-metre aluminium catamaran was designed to move troops, vehicles and military cargo rapidly between regional ports and subsequently operated extensively throughout the Mediterranean, Black Sea and NATO partner nations. The vessel later returned to Piraeus and became a familiar participant in U.S. military logistics around Greece. USNS YUMA remains part of the Military Sealift Command inventory in 2026, although she is currently held in Force Generation Risk Reduction status rather than continuous operational deployment. The PiraeuShips footage therefore preserves the vessel during the more active early phase of her U.S. Sixth Fleet career.

Kind of ships