More flexibility in assistance

The US Navy is introducing a new class of hospital ship. The new units are smaller, faster and more manoeuvrable than the previous US hospital ships.    

In December 2023, the US Navy awarded Austal the contract for the construction of three hospital ships of the new Bethesda class. The new ships are also known as Expeditionary Medical Ships (EMS). These are the first new hospital ships since the introduction of the two Mercy-class units in the mid-1980s. The Bethesda class will complement the much larger USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort ships for the time being, but will eventually replace them.