Damen LST100 Selected as U.S. Navy Landing Ship Medium

Impression of the Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 design | Graphic: Damen Shipyards Group

Damen Shipyards Group has announced that U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has selected its LST100 landing ship design as the basis for the U.S. Navy’s Landing Ship Medium (LSM) programme. Under the initiative, up to 35 vessels are planned to be built at shipyards across the United States to support Marine Corps mobility and amphibious operations in contested environments.

NAVSEA issued a Request for Information in early 2025 and awarded Damen a Technical Data Package in July. The Navy required a non-developmental, sea-going design to accelerate delivery, and the LST100 met this requirement as a proven operational platform. NAVSEA representatives previously inspected an in-service LST100 during the evaluation process. The design was also selected by Australia in 2024 for its Landing Craft Heavy programme, under which up to eight vessels will be constructed by Australian shipyards.

The LST100 is 100.68 metres long with a beam of 16 metres and a draught of 3.58 metres. It can transport personnel, vehicles and cargo for missions including patrol, landing operations, reconnaissance, survey tasks and humanitarian assistance. The ship includes bunks for 282 personnel and has multiple cargo spaces, including a 500 m² RoRo deck and a 400 m² vehicle deck, as well as a helicopter deck. It reaches speeds up to 14 knots and has an endurance range of 3,890 nautical miles, or up to 7,530 nautical miles at 10 knots.

Damen Area Manager Americas Alan Borde said, “We are delighted at NAVSEA’s selection of the LST100 for its LSM programme. We are very much looking forward to continuing our cooperation with American shipyards during the construction of these vessels in the coming years.

Damen says it has supported international shipyards with licensed designs, materials packages and construction assistance since 1977, adding that more than 150 Damen-designed vessels have been built in the United States, including Sentinel-class and Protector-class patrol vessels for the U.S. Coast Guard.