U.S. selects Damen LST-100 landing ship design for new Marine Corps troop and equipment transport.

The U.S. Navy has selected the Damen Group LST 100 design as the foundation for its Medium Landing Ship program, announced by Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan on December 5, 2025. This decision marks a significant change in the Navy's approach to supporting Marine Corps operations in contested littoral zones.

On December 5, 2025, the U.S. Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan released a video on his official X account to announce that the Dutch Damen Group LST 100 platform will serve as the Navy’s baseline for the Medium Landing Ship program, a long-awaited effort intended to provide the Marine Corps with agile and survivable connectors for littoral missions. Phelan said the selection reflects extensive design evaluations and fleet input, noting that the LST 100 configuration aligns with the Marine Corps requirement for dispersed maritime operations and rapid offload capability.
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Nigerian Navy’s LST 100 landing ship NNS Kada transits through the Gulf of Guinea. The U.S. Navy has selected the Damen-designed vessel as the foundation for its future Medium Landing Ship to support U.S. Marine Corps operations in contested littoral environments. (Picture source: U.S. Department of War)

The Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program was originally conceived to fill a long-standing capability gap between large amphibious ships and smaller landing craft. The need was clear: the U.S. Marine Corps required a scalable, survivable platform for independent operations in underdeveloped areas, especially across the Indo-Pacific. After initial request-for-proposal (RFP) efforts stalled in 2023 due to over-budget and overly complex industry responses, the program's schedule was significantly impacted.

Rather than abandon the requirement in 2021, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps reassessed the program from the ground up. The restructured approach was tactical, focusing on agility, cost-efficiency, and mission-specific performance rather than generalized multi-role capability. The goal was to field a simple, robust vessel that could be procured rapidly, operated flexibly, and maintained affordably in theater conditions.

Secretary Phelan’s announcement confirms the adoption of the LST-100, a 100-meter vessel displacing about 4,000 tons with a range of over 3,400 nautical miles. Originally designed by Damen for export, the LST-100 has proven itself in service with partner navies and is designed for littoral transport, amphibious delivery, and logistics. Features include a bow ramp for beach access, a stern ramp for port operations, onboard cranes, and a flight deck for rotary-wing aircraft. These directly meet the Marine Corps’ requirements for distributed operations when traditional piers are unavailable.

In addition to the U.S. Navy selection, the LST-100 design has already gained traction among U.S. allies. In November 2024, Damen Shipyards Group’s LST-100 was officially selected as the preferred design for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy program. The Royal Australian Navy intends to procure the LST-100 to replace its aging Balikpapan-class landing craft, underscoring the platform's growing strategic relevance among Indo-Pacific partners. Australia’s decision was based on the LST-100’s proven capabilities, operational flexibility, and rapid production-readiness—factors that closely align with U.S. expeditionary mobility goals.

From an operational standpoint, the LST-100 fills a critical role in future expeditionary maneuver schemes. It is designed to operate independently or in dispersed flotillas, enabling commanders to conduct small-unit landings, logistical resupply, and even limited command-and-control functions in austere forward environments. With sufficient deck space to carry light armored vehicles, unmanned systems, and mission-tailored cargo, the platform serves as both a connector and a tactical enabler for Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO).

The LST-100 is a modern landing ship tank with a cargo capacity of over 1,500 tons. It carries a crew of 18 to 20, plus berthing for U.S. Marines. Its shallow draft allows access to coastal and contested areas. The 630-square-meter vehicle deck and cargo deck feature integrated loading ramps for roll-on/roll-off operations. The vessel supports logistics, humanitarian, command, and maritime security missions when up-armed.

This type of ship is notably absent from the current U.S. naval inventory. At present, the U.S. Marine Corps relies on large LPD, LHD, and LHA-class ships such as the San Antonio-class (LPD-17) and America-class (LHA-6), designed for larger-scale amphibious operations. These vessels, while highly capable, are few in number, expensive to operate, and not optimized for small-unit maneuver or operations within the weapons engagement zone (WEZ) of a peer adversary. Smaller platforms such as the Landing Craft Utility (LCU-1700) and the Ship-to-Shore Connector (SSC) provide tactical mobility but lack the range, endurance, and autonomous operational capability of a true medium landing ship.

The introduction of the LST-100, therefore, addresses a long-recognized mobility gap. In particular, it provides the U.S. Marine Corps with a theater-level maneuver asset that is both tactically versatile and logistically independent. In future Indo-Pacific contingencies, U.S. Marines will need to maneuver across hundreds of miles between island chains, establish forward bases, and remain operational without assured sea control. The LST-100 provides the needed reach and flexibility for distributed force posturing, enhancing survivability and complicating adversary targeting.

Importantly, the U.S. Navy is not procuring the LST-100 as-is. Instead, it will use the mature, complete 3D design provided by Damen and adapt it to U.S. military standards through a build-to-print approach. This method involves incorporating class-wide U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps systems such as communications suites, weapon mounts, and habitability standards before the design is handed off to U.S. shipyards for construction. The intent is to eliminate design ambiguity, reduce integration risk, and ensure production can begin quickly using existing American shipbuilding infrastructure. The U.S. Navy will competitively award a Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) contract to oversee production and coordinate work across multiple yards. This award is planned to occur after technical preparations, with construction to begin as soon as the design is finalized. By bypassing lengthy R&D phases, the LSM program is positioned to reach early operational capability for forward-deployed U.S. Marine Littoral Regiments by the early 2030s.

According to U.S. Navy Secretary Phelan, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps plan to acquire no fewer than 35 ships of this class to support the full spectrum of naval expeditionary operations. These vessels will be especially vital in scenarios where U.S. Marines must maneuver within the adversary’s weapons engagement zone, avoiding predictable chokepoints and relying on flexible, dispersed basing strategies.

This design choice also reflects a growing understanding of the nature of modern amphibious warfare. Rather than relying on large, heavily crewed vessels that require protected sea lanes and port facilities, the LST-100 enables U.S. Marines to establish, supply, and reposition expeditionary outposts in denied environments. With a smaller crew requirement, modular deck space, and proven durability, the vessel brings meaningful operational resilience at a scale and cost suitable for high-volume procurement.

With this announcement, the U.S. Navy has not only revalidated the LSM requirement but also demonstrated a clear tactical shift toward survivable, distributed amphibious platforms. This is a recognition that future conflicts will likely demand persistent mobility, decentralized logistics, and rapid maneuver across contested maritime terrain. These are conditions for which the LST-100 is specifically designed. As construction timelines develop, the U.S. Navy is expected to finalize the technical data package with Damen and prepare for yard selection by FY2027. Target dates include awarding the construction contract upon completion of the technical package, achieving initial operational capability by 2029, and scaling serial production to fulfill the Marine Corps’ force requirements through the early 2030s.

Written by Alain Servaes – Chief Editor, Army Recognition Group
Alain Servaes is a former infantry non-commissioned officer and the founder of Army Recognition. With over 20 years in defense journalism, he provides expert analysis on military equipment, NATO operations, and the global defense industry.