Analysis: Australia experiences embarrassing amphibious gap

31st August 2017 - 07:16 GMT | by Gordon Arthur in Hong Kong

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The Australian Army has a vexing problem. How can it deliver its M1A1 AIM Abrams main battle tanks (MBTs) ashore from the Royal Australian Navy’s (RAN) two Canberra-class landing helicopter dock (LHD) ships?

VADM Tim Barrett, the Chief of Navy, admitted at a Budget Senate Estimates hearing on 29 May, ‘We are yet to prove the ability to carry an Abrams tank.’

The crux of the matter is that the LCM-1E landing craft, built by Navantia and embarked aboard the LHDs, is struggling to handle the weight of the Abrams MBT.

Australia acquired 12 LCM-1E landing craft from Spain, …

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