Austal USA recently held a steel-cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction of a new utility landing craft (LCU) ordered by the US Navy.
The future LCU 1713 will be the fourth of twelve LCU 1700-class vessels to be built by Austal USA for the US Navy.
The company was awarded an initial contract for the construction of three LCUs, with options for an additional nine vessels, in September 2023. The potential value of the contract for up to 12 vessels is US$379.7 million.
The LCUs are designed to transport personnel, vehicles, and cargo from ship to shore and across austere environments. These vessels will also be used to support humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts as well as a wide range of military missions worldwide.
Austal said the vessels will provide an essential heavy-lift capability and can carry approximately the same payload capacity as seven C-17 cargo aircraft.
Each LCU in the class will have a length of approximately 139 feet (42 metres), a beam of 31 feet (9.4 metres), and diesel propulsion that will deliver a top speed of 11 knots and a range of 1,200 nautical miles at eight knots. Accommodation will be available for 14 crewmembers while four weapon mounts can be fitted with machine guns.