Health security

The U.S. Navy Wants a New 'Ambulance Ship' to Treat War Wounded

The United States Navy wants a new “ambulance” ship that would have just enough medical facilities to treat lightly or moderately injured troops. The service included a funding request to convert an expeditionary fast transport ship typically used to move troops and equipment around to instead harbor medical facilities and personnel.

The proposal to create such an ambulance ship is in the Navy’s Unfunded Priorities list for fiscal year 2020. Unfunded priorities lists, forwarded to Congress every year by each of the services, consist of “nice to have” items that the service didn’t officially request in the annual budget but would still like to have if Congress is feeling generous. Typically Congress funds many unfunded priorities, depending on the overall budget outlook.