Austal, the Australian shipbuilder, has been awarded a US$4 billion contract for the construction of eight Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels under the Strategic Shipbuilding Agreement (SSA) with the Commonwealth of Australia.
In a press release published on the website Naval News, the company said the contract was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles and Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy.
Construction of the 100-meter LCH vessels, based on the Damen LST100 design, will be carried out using Austal facilities and the Common User Facility in Henderson, Western Australia, and is scheduled to begin later this year, with the eighth and final vessel planned for delivery in 2038.
Paddy Gregg, CEO of Austal, said the contract reinforces the company’s position as the sovereign shipbuilder for the Commonwealth of Australia and a trusted partner of the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
The contract creates a record order book for Austal, providing a long-term demand signal for the Australian supply chain and an incentive to invest in expanding the company’s capacity.
“This contract represents another significant investment in Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability, and Austal Defense Australia is ready to deliver these highly capable vessels to support the ADF’s operational requirements,” Gregg added.
The Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) vessels will provide the Australian Defence Force with critical maritime capability, supporting amphibious operations, logistics, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief across Australia’s area of interest.
Photo: Austal. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
