Construction begins on heavy-lift landing craft for US Navy

Austal USA has begun construction on the first vessel in a new class of utility landing craft (LCU) ordered by the US Navy.

The construction of the first LCU 1710-class vessel is being undertaken in fulfillment of a US$91.5 million contract, which also covers three additional vessels and associated support efforts.

The LCUs are designed to be carried aboard the navy’s amphibious assault ships to an objective area and used across a range of military operations to deliver vehicles, personnel, and cargo from sea-to-shore and back. Austal said the vessels will provide an essential heavy-lift capability and can carry approximately the same payload capacity as seven C-17 aircraft.

Each vessel 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.

Accommodations will be available for 14 crewmembers while four weapon mounts can be fitted with machine guns.