The Australian government announced on 11 November 2026 that construction is now underway on the second of two amphibious landing craft-procurements for the Australian Army. First steel for the Landing Craft Heavy (LCH) was cut in late October, followin a similar milestone for the Landing Craft Medium (LCM)-program one month earlier.
Media release of the Australian Minister for Defence (Link)
11 November 2026
The transformation of the Australian Army into a force optimised for amphibious operations and long-range strike is advancing, with construction in Western Australia of landing craft vessels now progressing to a new phase.
Construction of the Army’s Landing Craft Heavy is now underway and on schedule with steel cut on the first vessels late last month.
The Albanese Government has awarded over $5 billion in contracts to deliver 18 Landing Craft Medium and eight Landing Craft Heavy for Army, a project that has already boosted employment and local economic activity. The project will create 1,100 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs in Western Australia and directly support the Government’s commitment to continuous shipbuilding in the state.
Capable of transporting combined-arms land systems, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, Abrams main battle tanks, and reconnaissance and infantry fighting vehicles, the vessels will strengthen the Australian Defence Force’s ability to hold potential adversaries at risk and secure strategic terrain.
This significant progress demonstrates the Albanese Government’s commitment to delivering Army’s future littoral fleet, while advancing the priorities of the National Defence Strategy and Integrated Investment Program, strengthening Australia’s sovereign defence industrial base, and creating skilled employment.
In a further boost to Australia’s sovereign shipbuilding capability, the Albanese Government’s National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) last month announced a $245 million loan to Austal Defence Shipbuilding Australia Pty Ltd to support the construction and fit out of Landing Craft Heavy facilities within the Australian Marine Complex.
The project – part of the Albanese Government’s record investment in Defence – represents the largest recapitalisation of Army’s littoral capability since the Second World War.
“Progress in constructing Army’s landing craft fleet marks the transition from design into delivery and an important step in building a critical capability for the Australian Defence Force.
Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy MP
As construction activity ramps up, we are creating thousands of jobs for locals, providing businesses the confidence they need to invest and grow their workforce.
These two landing craft projects are critical to the Albanese Government’s continuous shipbuilding plan for WA, which is providing job security for generations to come, and making Australians safer.”
– end of statement –
Naval News comments:
The announcement for first steel cut on the Landing Craft – Heavy (LCH) amphibious landing ships in late October follows a similar milestone met for the Landing Craft – Medium (LCM)-effort on 29 September 2026. As Naval News has outlined in previous coverage, both efforts are now effectively occurring in parallel due to earlier delays on moving LCM from design to construction.
Austal is capable of constructing the LCM-vessels with a displacement of approximately 500 tons within its existing facilities at Henderson and on Hope Valley Road. For the construction of the far larger LCH based on Damen’s LST 100 displacing nearly 4,000 tons however the government-designated strategic shipbuilder will need to utilise facilities within the wider Henderson Defence Precinct, notably the Common User Facility (CUF). The yard intends to move LCH-production to a yet to be established “permanent” production facility at a later date, according to a previous contract-announcement by the Australian government. Australia has ordered 18 LCM and eight LCH for expanded amphibious capability operated by the Australian Defence Force.
