Damen with contract for US Navy on LSM aircraft

On February 18, the United States Navy Department announced the selection of two shipyards where the construction of the first LSM (Medium Landing Ship) landing ships will begin.

These units will be based on the Damen LST-100 project, which will be adapted to the requirements of American naval forces.

LSM program – faster and with less risk

The start of the construction of the first units is planned this year, and the achievement of operational readiness is planned for 2029. In the target perspective, both the U.S. Navy and the United States Marine Corps assume the acquisition of approximately 35 ships of this type.

The decision to use the final LST-100 project is intended to reduce the risk and shorten the programme implementation cycle. However, the American version will be modified by the implementation of national equipment standards, integration with U.S. Navy weapons systems and ensuring interaction with aircraft used by the Navy and Marine Corps.

The 100.68 m long landing craft was designed as a vessel capable of transporting subdivisions, vehicles, military equipment and humanitarian cargo. The structure provides for exploratory tasks, patrols in coastal areas, landing operations and emergency and natural disaster support. The structure includes a Ro-Ro deck of about 500 m2, a separate deck designed for the transport of 400 m2 vehicles and a helicopter landing site. The range of the unit at 10 knots is expected to reach 7530 nautical miles.

Two shipyards to launch

According to the announced decision, the first contracts will be awarded shipbuilding Bollinger Shipyards, who will build one unit, and Fincantieri Marinette Marine, responsible for building four ships.

In parallel, the search for the person responsible for managing the programme is ongoing. The adopted model, based in part on solutions developed in the commercial sector, is intended to help maintain a timetable and cost control while allowing the available capacity of the American shipbuilding industry to be used. The program's integrator indication is planned in the second half of 2026.

Use of spare capacity

The choice of these shipyards is not accidental. In the case of shipyards in Marinette, this means filling the production gap after correction of the scheme Constellation – in the end only two units are to be completed. In turn, the Bollinger plant in Pascagouli now has a relatively small portfolio of orders, which allows to quickly start production.

The LSM programme is part of a broader concept of restoring the capacity to carry out landing operations and supporting distributed activities, particularly in coastal areas. The choice of a commercial project as a starting point shows that in this segment the Americans focus on pragmatism and the pace of implementation, not on long-term, costly development work from scratch.