Austal to build two more landing craft for US Navy

Austal USA has been awarded a US$55 million contract for two more LCU 1700 landing crafts for the US Navy (USN) in addition to three craft ordered in September 2023. The potential value of the contract awarded last year for up to 12 vessels is $380 million.

The ships are a heavy-lift capability with 170t payload capacity. They will be deployed with the USN’s amphibious assault ships to support a range of military operations including the delivery of tracked and/or wheeled vehicles, troops and cargo from ship to shore, shore to shore and back to ship.

The LCU 1700 amphibious landing craft is being procured to replace the ageing LCU 1610 class. Funding for the class was first awarded in FY 2016, with a contract awarded to Swiftships to build the first LCU in March 2018.

In 2023, given the schedule delays and the need to replace the existing LCU 1610 Class craft in the fleet, the USN established a second source, Austal USA.

The LCU 1700 craft is fitted with a bow and stern ramp for onload/offload with the ability to operate independently at sea for up to 10 days, is designed to transport up to two M1A1 Battle Tanks or 350 combat troops, or 400 persons, or 154.2t of cargo.

The LCU 1700 is to have a full-load displacement of 434.9t, measuring 42.4m in length, have a beam of 9.4m and a draft of 1.3m. The craft are to have a maximum speed of 11kt and a range of 1200nm at 8kt with a crew of 13.

Related Programmes in Defence Insight

Landing Craft Utility (LCU) 1700 [USN]

Related Equipment in Defence Insight

LCU 1700

LCU 1610