The EXPEDITIONARY MEDICAL SHIP (EMS) is a high-speed, cost-effective design for a dedicated medical ship optimized to provide a hospital-level medical care in support of Distributed Maritime Operations. The EMS design features a shallow draft which enables greater reach and allows for direct access to shallow austere ports. The flight deck will accommodate military helicopters, including the V-22 and H-53 aircraft.
The design provides the full range of medical capabilities needed to support operating forces including triage/critical care, operating rooms, medical laboratory, radiology capability, blood bank, dental, mental health, OB/GYN and primary care, rapid stabilization and follow-on evacuation of multiple casualties, and combat search and rescue including recovery at sea.
Its primary mission is to support forward deployed forces within the full range of operations including combat operations support. As a high-speed forward deployed medical ship, the EMS provides rapid responsive sea-based and near-shore hospital level critical care and is also capable of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, non-combatant evacuation operations, and special operations.