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NSW defence shipbuilder Birdon has been selected by the US Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory for development, testing, and evaluation of an advanced Heavy Landing Craft - H260 design.
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The H-260 long-range, shallow draft, independent vessel is expected to complete Marine missions involving littoral warfare, similar to the company’s proposed Heavy Landing Craft (LMV-H) for the Australian Army.
In similar appearance to oil and gas offshore support vessels, but with integrated signature reduction features, the 260-foot-long craft features a payload of 440 short tons, deck space of 8,000 square feet, the ability to accommodate 72 Marines and 26 crew, a range of over 5,000 nautical miles, and a draft of 6.5 feet allowing it to access a far larger proportion of beach and riverine offload locations than similar-sized vessels.
“Its inherent robustness and resilience enable the H-260 to adapt to a wide range of mission profiles and sustain multiple deployments,” a Birdon spokesperson said.
“It embodies Birdon’s extensive knowledge of the Indo-Pacific’s demanding area of operations, both sea states and landing conditions, and Birdon’s understanding of the US Marine Corps and Australian Defence Force littoral warfare concepts.
“Birdon’s experience in the engagement and successful execution of major US Defence programs provides a solid foundation for its partnership with the MCWL.
“This partnership is a testament to Birdon’s track record in delivering the required outcomes for our clients across the US and Australia through an unwavering focus on designing operationally superior vessels that meet the needs of our customers now and into the future.”
The craft will reportedly feature aft loading and forward enclosed ramps to enable rapid load transfer while adding flexibility to cope with a wider range of landing sites.
It will also feature a forward wheelhouse and accommodation distanced from the noise and vibration of the propulsion systems, and combined with the proprietary bow, reduces pitching moment and accelerations on embarked personnel, all of whom have bunks for enhanced habitability.
Crew and commanders will also have extensive visibility for all operational activities.
Late last year, the NSW shipbuilder announced it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Australia-based shipbuilding defence prime Austal to jointly deliver the Australian Department of Defence Landing Craft-Medium (LC-M) Project.
Under the agreement, commenced in late November, both companies will develop Defence shipbuilding capability in Western Australia to deliver the LC-M craft, jointly develop a costed proposal for the LC-M Project and explore potential Defence shipbuilding opportunities.
