On 20 February, a contract was signed in Australia for the construction of eight Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels based on Damen Naval’s LST 100 design. The Australian government signed an agreement with the Australian shipyard Austal Defence Australia for the construction of the eight ships for the Australian Army. Damen will supply the design, and the ships will be built at the Austal shipyard in Henderson Shipyard, Western Australia (WA).

Text: Eefje Koppers

Representatives of Damen Shipyards Group and Damen Naval were present at the contract signing, including Deputy Director Projects Jan de Vries. “Following the licence agreement previously concluded with NAVSEA in the United States, this is further recognition of Damen as a builder of high-quality naval vessels,” he says. “The Netherlands is also benefiting from these agreements, as many of the suppliers who worked on the LST for Nigeria now have new opportunities to supply installations and equipment for a significant number of ships.”

Austal Defence Australia will build eight Landing Craft Heavy vessels based on Damen Naval's LST 100 design. Photo: Australian Department of Defence. Austal Defence Australia will build eight Landing Craft Heavy vessels based on Damen Naval's LST 100 design. Photo: Australian Department of Defence.

The construction contract is a significant investment in Australia’s future warfare capabilities and the national shipbuilding industry. The ships are being built for the Australian Army and will form part of an extensive coastal fleet that also includes medium landing craft and amphibious logistics ships. Each LCH will be capable of carrying more than 500 tonnes of military vehicles and equipment, to deploy and support land forces throughout the region.

Construction is expected to commence this year, with delivery scheduled through 2038.

(From left) Damen Shipyards Representative for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Mark Todd, Area Director Asia Pacific Michiel Hendrikx, Damen Naval Deputy Director Projects Jan de Vries and Damen Naval Structural Engineer Robbin Suiker at the contract signing. Photo: Australian Department of Defence. (From left) Damen Shipyards Representative for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Mark Todd, Area Director Asia Pacific Michiel Hendrikx, Damen Naval Deputy Director Projects Jan de Vries and Damen Naval Structural Engineer Robbin Suiker at the contract signing. Photo: Australian Department of Defence.
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