Damen laid keel of LST 100 large landing ship for Navy of Nigeria

Nigeria became the first known customer of the Damen LST 100 project’s largest amphibious assault ship.

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas today performed the keel laying ceremony for the construction of Nigeria's latest warship, a Landing Ship Tank in Sharjah UAE. The Ship being constructed by Albwardy Damen Shipyards is expected to be completed in May 2020. pic.twitter.com/MCsnpuiQHA

— Nigerian Navy (@NigNavyToday) December 9, 2019

According to Damen, the ship is equipped with a 25-ton deck crane and bow, stern and side ramps, has a helipad and is capable of carrying two LCVP landing craft. The total area of ​​the landing decks is 960 square meters.

The main missions of the LST 100 are amphibious operations, transport and logistics. Secondary missions include maritime security operations, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, search and rescue (SAR), operations command, mine counter measure (MCM) and hydrographic survey operations and support.

The LST 100 is 100 metres in lenght for a displacement of 1,300 tons. It has a range of 4,000 nautical miles at 15 knots and an endurance 15 days at sea.

Previously, the Nigerian Navy had two medium-sized landing ships of the West German construction Ambe and Ofiom of project 502, which entered service in 1978, but both of them were decommissioned in 2009 after being in non operational for many years.

The amphibious vessel is set to be delivered in May 2020.