The Australian government announced that at the end of October, steel cutting began for the first large LCH-type amphibious assault ship designed for the national Armed Forces. According to Naval News, a month earlier, a similar stage was launched under the program for the supply of medium amphibious assault ships of the LCM type.
The Australian government has signed contracts worth more than $5 billion for the supply of 18 medium and eight heavy amphibious assault ships. The project will create 1,100 direct and more than 2,000 indirect jobs in Western Australia and directly support the course towards continuous shipbuilding in the region.
Cutting of the first steel for a large amphibious assault ship of the LCH type, Australia
Austal
The ships are designed to transport combined arms systems, including HIMARS multiple rocket launchers, Abrams main battle tanks, reconnaissance and infantry fighting vehicles.
The program marks the largest retooling of Australian forces' coastal capabilities since World War II.
The cutting of steel for the lead large amphibious assault ship of the LCH type followed a similar procedure for the first medium amphibious ship of the LCM type, which took place on September 29. Both projects are now running simultaneously due to delays in the transition of the LCM program to the construction stage.
According to Naval News, Austal can build an LCM with a displacement of about 500 tons at its existing facilities in Henderson and Hope Valley Road. To produce significantly larger LCHS based on the LST 100 project of the Dutch Damen company, the contractor will need additional facilities at the Henderson shipbuilding complex, primarily the Common User Facility (CUF). Later, they want to move LCH production to a "permanent" site that has not yet been created.
Design of large amphibious ships for Australia
Austal Limited
The LCH–type amphibious assault ships will be about 100 meters long, 16 meters wide, and up to 4,000 tons in displacement. They are designed to carry more than 200 personnel, as well as six M1A2 Abrams tanks or nine Redback infantry fighting vehicles.
The construction of these amphibious assault ships is planned to be completed in 2038.
