Investments

Austal partners with Damen for local construction of LST 100 for Australian Army

Austal Defence Australia and Damen Shipyards Group have signed a contract to support the local construction of eight Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 vessels for the Australian Army. Under the agreement, Damen will provide the design and associated licenses, enabling Austal to build the ships at its Henderson shipyard, with support from the Australian Marine Complex common user facility (AMC CUF).

Kamil Kusier executive editor 06.03.2026, 09:21 Reading time: 2 min

Rendering of a grey LST landing ship transport underway at sea — fot. Damen

In brief

Austal Defence Australia and the Dutch Damen Shipyards Group signed a contract to build eight Landing Ship Transport 100 vessels for the Australian Army. Damen will provide the design and licences, and construction will start in 2026 at the Henderson shipyard, supported by the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility. The LST 100 vessel is 100 metres long and 16 metres wide, with a payload exceeding 500 tonnes of vehicles and equipment. Austal will deliver the eight ships within 12 years under the fifteen-year Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement.

Proven design with international track record

The LST 100 design was selected in November 2024 as the preferred platform for the Australian Defence Force’s landing craft heavy (LCH) programme following a competitive tender. Based on a proven and operationally successful platform, the vessel has already been built and operated internationally, including adoption by the United States Navy.

Each vessel measures 100 metres in length and 16 metres in beam, capable of transporting over 500 tonnes of military vehicles and equipment. In addition to amphibious operations, the LST 100 supports logistics, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and sustainment missions.

Local construction and delivery schedule

Construction will commence later in 2026. Austal will deliver a total of eight vessels over a 12-year period as part of its fifteen-year strategic shipbuilding agreement with the Commonwealth of Australia. AMC CUF is undergoing significant upgrades to accommodate large-scale defence shipbuilding, strengthening local industrial capabilities and workforce development.

Enhancing littoral and strategic capabilities

The LCH programme supports the Australian Army’s 2024 national defence strategy, enhancing the Army’s ability to conduct agile, distributed, and littoral operations. The vessels will enable rapid deployment, sustainment, and support for land forces across northern Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific region, improving national defence responsiveness and resilience.

Strengthening industrial partnerships

Damen regional director Oceania, Rabien Bahadoer, highlighted the importance of the collaboration.

- Through open and transparent cooperation, we have established a strong foundation for a programme that delivers long-term value for Western Australia and the Australian defence sector.

Michiel Hendrikx, Damen area director Asia Pacific, added, that “working with Austal and our Australian partners allows us to foster long-term industrial partnerships, develop local shipbuilding expertise, and contribute to a sustainable national shipbuilding ecosystem".