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Australian Army enhances littoral reach with new landing craft

30th July 2024 - 10:45 GMT | by Gordon Arthur in Darwin

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The Australian Army’s LCM-8 fleet, an example of which is seen here, will be replaced by the LMV-M. (Photo: Gordon Arthur)

The Australian Army is set to enhance its amphibious capabilities with the accelerated delivery of new, long-range Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels-Medium (LMV-M) by 2026, as announced by Pat Conroy, the country’s minister for defence industry, in response to the Defence Strategic Review.

The Australian Army has relied on 15 ageing LCM-8 landing craft for more than five decades, but two new types of domestically built, independent, long-range landing craft will give the army a much-needed amphibious shot in the arm.

Responding to strident calls in last year’s Defence Strategic Review for littoral sealift, Pat Conroy, minister for defence industry in the country’s government, announced on 23 July that delivery of 18 49m-long Littoral Manoeuvre Vessels-Medium (LMV-M) was being accelerated.

The first LMV-M under Project Land 8710 Phase 1A will now be ready by 2026 with the AU$2 billion (US$1.3 billion) project set

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