Austal Lands $2.8B Deal to Build Australia’s New Heavy Landing Craft Fleet

Austal Limited has secured a A$4 billion (USD $2.82 billion) contract from the Commonwealth of Australia to build eight 100-meter Landing Craft Heavy vessels, marking one of the largest naval shipbuilding awards in the company’s history.

The ships will be constructed at the Henderson Defence Precinct in Western Australia under a deal signed with Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy. The vessels are based on Damen Shipyards Group’s LST-100 design — a platform that is quickly becoming a go-to solution for modern amphibious operations.

Each 3,900-tonne vessel will be able to carry more than 500 tonnes of cargo, including up to six Abrams tanks, 11 Redback infantry fighting vehicles, or 26 HIMARS launchers. The ships will also feature Australian military communications systems and self-defence capabilities, positioning them as a central piece of Australia’s littoral mobility strategy.

Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer, Paddy Gregg, said the contract contributes to a record orderbook for Austal and reinforces the company’s position Australia’s sovereign shipbuilder, as well as a trusted partner to the Australian Defence Force. 

“This contract represents another significant investment in Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability – and Austal Defence Australia is ready to deliver these highly capable vessels to support the ADF’s operational requirements,” Gregg said. 

Beyond military lift, the program carries significant industrial weight. Conroy emphasized the vessels will be built domestically using Australian steel, reinforcing Canberra’s commitment to continuous naval shipbuilding and thousands of skilled jobs across Western Australia and South Australia.

Construction is set to begin in 2026, following the expected Landing Craft Medium program — creating a steady production pipeline at Henderson. The eighth and final vessel scheduled for delivery in 2038. 

Notably, the LST-100 design is gaining traction internationally. In late 2025, the U.S. Navy selected the same baseline platform for its Medium Landing Ship program, aimed at supporting Marine Corps distributed operations across the Indo-Pacific.

Austal, Australia’s largest defence exporter and the country’s only ASX-listed shipbuilder, has steadily expanded from high-speed ferries into major defence programs. Its portfolio now includes U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ships and Expeditionary Fast Transports, Offshore Patrol Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard, and submarine module work tied to the Virginia- and Columbia-class programs.

With regional security tensions driving demand for amphibious lift and coastal maneuverability, the Heavy Landing Craft program positions Australia — and Austal — squarely in the middle of the Indo-Pacific’s naval modernization push.

Editorial Standards · Corrections · About gCaptain

Subscribe for Daily Maritime Insights

Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update

— trusted by our 107,213 members