THE AUSTRALIAN Defence Force’s new fleet of Landing Craft Heavy vessels will be built to a design provided by The Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards Group.

The Damen LST100 was announced by the government on Friday [22 November] as the preferred option for the eight-strong new littoral fleet and, subject to what the ADF says is “acceptable commercial negotiations and demonstrated performance” will be built at Austal’s Henderson yard.

The government says the decision is a significant step in the establishment of a littoral fleet which is expected to create 1,100 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs under its plan for continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia.

“The Government has prioritised the acquisition of new littoral manoeuvre capabilities and infrastructure to meet the aims of the National Defence Strategy. Today’s announcement is the next stage in the transformation of the Australian Army to one focused on littoral manoeuvre and long-range strike,” it said.

“The Damen Shipyards Group’s Landing Ship Transport 100 (LST100) will provide a capability which is essential to the restructure and re-posture of the Army. The vessels, along with Landing Craft Medium and amphibious vehicles, will support a strategy of denial which includes deploying and sustaining land forces with long-range land and maritime strike capabilities in littoral environments.

The LST100 vessel design has a 3,900-tonne displacement, is 100 meters long and 16 meters wide. It will be capable of operating with other vessels to undertake a range of tasks including troop insertion and extraction, logistics movements and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The vessel will be capable of carrying more than 500 tonnes of military vehicles and equipment – it is intended to carry six Abrams Tanks, 11 Redback Infantry Fighting Vehicles or 26 HIMARS – and will be fitted with self-defence weapons systems and Australian military communications.

Construction of the first LCH is expected to start in 2026.  

Funding for new littoral manoeuvre vessels is part of the Integrated Investment Program (2024-34) which Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, Pat Conroy, said “not only underscores the Albanese Government’s commitment to keep Australians safe but also to a safer future made in Australia.

“This project is an important part of our plans for continuous naval shipbuilding in both South Australia and Western Australia, which is creating thousands of well-paid and high-skilled jobs.”