Austal Defence Australia and Damen Shipyards Group have signed a contract supporting the local construction of Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 vessels for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) on Friday, 20 February.
“It has been a pleasure to work closely with Austal throughout this process. By maintaining an open, transparent, and constructive partnership, we have been able to establish a strong basis for a programme that delivers lasting value for Western Australia and Australia’s defence capability," Damen Regional Director Oceania, Rabien Bahadoer, said.
Under the agreement, Damen will provide the design and associated licences, enabling Austal to build the vessels at its Henderson shipyard in Western Australia.
The signing ceremony has taken place at the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility (AMC CUF) in Henderson and was attended by representatives from industry and government.
“We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Austal and our Australian partners on this important programme. Around the world, we actively seek long-term cooperation with strong local shipbuilders and industrial partners, combining shared expertise, mutual respect, and a commitment to quality. This approach allows us to contribute to sustainable national shipbuilding ecosystems while learning from our partners and growing together. We are confident that this collaboration will support the Australian Army’s operational needs for many years to come, and we are proud to be part of Australia’s shipbuilding future," Damen Area Director Asia Pacific, Michiel Hendrikx, highlighted.
The contract has followed the Commonwealth of Australia’s announcement in November 2024 selecting the LST 100 as the preferred design for the ADF’s Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) program, following a competitive tender process.
The LST 100 design was selected based on its proven operational credentials and successful service history. An earlier model has already been constructed and delivered, and its performance has contributed to further international adoption, including selection by NAVSEA for the United States Navy.
For Australia, the vessels will be built by Austal as part of the company’s fifteen-year Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia. A total of eight LCH vessels will be delivered over a twelve-year period, with construction scheduled to commence later this year.
The vessels will be constructed in Henderson using Austal facilities and the AMC CUF, located 23km south of Perth. The complex has been undergoing major upgrades to be able to facilitate large-scale defence shipbuilding projects in the coming years.
The LCH program has supported the Australian Army’s contribution to the 2024 National Defence Strategy (NDS), which includes enhancing the Army’s ability to conduct agile, distributed and littoral operations as part of an integrated force.
Each vessel, measuring 100m by 16m, will be capable of transporting more than 500 tonnes of military vehicles and equipment.
In addition to supporting amphibious operations, the ships will enable deployment, sustainment, logistics movements, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief missions.