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Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery Pat Conroy has announced the selection of the preferred option for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy under a program that will bolster national defence by establishing a new littoral fleet.
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Defence Connect can reveal the selection of the Damen Shipyards Group LST100 design as the Australian Army’s new littoral manoeuvre fleet, which provides the mobility essential to the restructure and reposture of the Army.
This announcement 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 the Albanese government’s plan for continuous naval shipbuilding in Western Australia.
Eight Landing Craft Heavy vessels, based on the LST100, will be built by Australian ship designer and builder Austal at the Henderson Shipyard in Western Australia, subject to acceptable commercial negotiations and demonstrated performance.
These vessels, along with Landing Craft Medium, designed by Australia-based ship builder and designer Birdon Marine, 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.
Minister Conroy said: “Importantly, these vessels will be built in Australia, from Australian steel. This not only underscores the Albanese government’s commitment to keep Australians safe but also to a safer future made in Australia.”
The LST100 vessel design has a 3,900-tonne displacement and is 100 meters long and 16 meters wide. The vessel 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.
This includes being 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.
“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,” Minister Conroy said.
Funding for new littoral manoeuvre vessels is part of the Integrated Investment Program (2024–34), which is helping to grow the Australian industrial base and supply chains and create highly skilled, well-paid jobs.
Construction of the first Landing Craft Heavy is expected to start in 2026.
More to come.
