View source for USNS Bethesda

{{Short description|US Navy vessel}}
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| Ship image = USNS Spearhead (JHSV-1) - 1.jpg
| Ship caption = {{USNS|Spearhead|T-EPF-1|6}}, the [[lead ship]] of the design. ''Bethesda'' will likely be marked the same as a [[hospital ship]], with the [[Hull (watercraft)|hull]] and [[superstructure]] painted all white, and bearing large [[Emblems of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|red crosses]].<ref name="USNS Bethesda"/>
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| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United States|naval}}
| Ship name = ''Bethesda''
| Ship namesake = The Bethesda Medical Center, now part of the [[Walter Reed National Military Medical Center]], in [[Bethesda, Maryland]]<ref name="USNS Bethesda"/>
| Ship operator = [[United States Navy]]{{'}}s [[Military Sealift Command]]<ref name="USNS Bethesda"/>
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| Ship builder = [[Austal USA]]<ref name="USNS Bethesda"/>
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| Ship in service = Delivery planned for December 2026<ref name="USNS Bethesda"/>
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| Ship identification = [[Hull number]]: T-EMS-1
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| Ship status = Announced<ref name="USNS Bethesda">{{cite press release|url=https://www.navy.mil/Press-Office/Press-Releases/display-pressreleases/Article/3395319/secnav-names-navys-first-in-class-expeditionary-medical-ship-after-national-nav/|title=SECNAV Names Navy's First-in-Class Expeditionary Medical Ship after National Naval Medical Center Bethesda|publisher=United States Navy|date=15 May 2023|access-date=15 May 2023}}</ref>
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| Ship class = {{sclass|Bethesda|expeditionary medical ship}}
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| Ship length = {{convert|118.0|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|28.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
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| Ship draft = {{convert|4.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
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| Ship propulsion = *4 × MTU 20V8000 M71L [[diesel engine]]s
*4 × [[ZF Friedrichshafen|ZF]] 60000NR2H reduction gears
| Ship speed = {{convert|43|kn|lk=in}}
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| Ship troops = 312
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| Ship crew = Capacity of 41, 22 in normal service
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| Ship aircraft facilities = Landing pad for medium helicopter
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'''USNS ''Bethesda'' (T-EMS-1)''' will be the seventeenth overall {{sclass|Spearhead|expeditionary fast transport}}, and first of her [[Bethesda-class expeditionary medical ship|Expeditionary Medical Ship class]], operated by the [[United States Navy]]{{'}}s [[Military Sealift Command]]. On 15 May 2023, Secretary of the Navy [[Carlos Del Toro]] announced that the ship would be named after the Bethesda Medical Center, now part of the [[Walter Reed National Military Medical Center]], in [[Bethesda, Maryland]]. She will be the first ship in the US Navy to carry the name.

== Expeditionary Medical Ship ==
Beginning with [[USNS Cody|USNS ''Cody'' (EPF-14)]], the ships will be designated as EPF Flight II, with increased health services capabilities while still maintaining most of the original mission of the ship.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=New Details of Austals EPF Hospital Ship Emerge|date=5 March 2021|url=https://news.usni.org/2021/03/05/new-details-of-austals-epf-hospital-ship-emerge}}</ref> The Flight II variant is designed to bring enhanced medical capabilities at the request of Combatant Commanders, and allows patients to recover onboard rather than in a higher-level facility. They can respond faster, and to more places than the Navy's larger, slower and unarmed [[hospital ship]]s.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/04/21/speedy-ambulance-ships-high-priority-navy-medicine-admiral-says.html|title=Speedy 'Ambulance Ships' a High Priority for Navy Medicine, Admiral Says|publisher=military.com|date=21 April 2021|access-date=21 April 2021}}</ref> The EPF Flight II design includes upgrades to the medical facilities for resuscitation and surgery, enhanced support of V-22 flight operations, and enhanced launch and recovery of 11-meter rigid inflatable boats.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://usa.austal.com/news/MACE-Awards |title=Austal USA Engineering Team Recognized by Mobile Area Council of Engineers |publisher=Austal USA |date=4 February 2022 |access-date=6 February 2022}}</ref>

In January 2023, the Navy announced that three Expeditionary Medical Ships (EMS) had been approved in the [[Military budget of the United States#Budget for FY2023|2023 military budget]]. These will be [[T-EMS-1]], [[T-EMS-2]], and [[T-EMS-3]]. These are planned to be about 118m versus the earlier ships {{convert|103|m|ft}}, and have a [[Draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|4.5|m|ft}} for operations in "austere ports". The EMS will have four operating rooms and 124 medical beds, separated into acute care, acute isolation, [[Intensive care unit|ICU]], and ICU isolation spaces.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=Naval News |date=2023-05-13 |title=SECNAV Names US Navy's First-in-Class Expeditionary Medical Ship |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/05/secnav-names-us-navys-first-in-class-expeditionary-medical-ship/ |access-date=2023-05-15 |website=Naval News |language=en-US}}</ref> Two 11-meter [[rigid-hulled inflatable boat]]s allow for the transfer of patients from other ships or water rescue; the flight deck has room for a single [[V-22]], or an [[H-53]] or [[H-60]] helicopter. ''Bethesda'' is planned for delivery by December 2026.<ref name="ems1">{{cite web|url=https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/01/17/these-speedy-new-navy-medical-ships-are-designed-pacific-mind.html|title=These Speedy New Navy Medical Ships Are Designed with the Pacific in Mind|publisher=military.com|date=17 January 2023|access-date=18 January 2023}}</ref><ref name="USNS Bethesda" />

== References ==
{{Reflist}}{{Bethesda-class Expeditionary Medical Ship}}{{US Navy High Speed Vessels}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bethesda (T-EMS-1)}}
[[Category:Transports of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Spearhead-class Joint High Speed Vessels]]

{{US-mil-ship-stub}}