Austal hires Damen to support local construction of Australia’s LST vessels

March 4, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

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.

As disclosed, under the contract, Damen will provide the design and associated licences, enabling Austal to build the vessels at its Henderson shipyard in Western Australia. The signing ceremony took place at the Australian Marine Complex Common User Facility (AMC CUF) in Henderson, on February 20, 2026.

The contract follows the Commonwealth of Australia’s announcement in November 2024 selecting the LST 100 as the preferred design for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) program, following a competitive tender process.

Austal lands massive $4 billion deal to build eight LCH vessels for Australia

Vessels

The LST 100 design was selected based on 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 landing craft heavy vessels will be delivered over a twelve-year period, with construction scheduled to commence later this year.

Each vessel, measuring 100 metres by 16 metres, 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.

“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.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Damen Area Director Asia Pacific Michiel Hendrikx added: “We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside Austal and our Australian partners on this important program.”

“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.”