Navy choice of Damen LST standard design is part of major procurement rethink

Image: Damen Shipyards

Following major changes to the Constellation frigate program, Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan said in a December 5 post on X that he was taking the second major step in an effort to fundamentally reshape how the Navy builds and fields its fleet; ”selecting the design for our Medium Landing Ship, an operationally driven, fiscally disciplined choice that puts capability in the fleet on a responsible timeline.”

The design selected is the Damen Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 design.

In his post on X, Secretary Phelan announced that the Navy would “competitively award a vessel construction manager (VCM)” to oversee the LST program.

He argued that with the VCM-model and selection of an existing design (LST-100), the Navy is “embracing commercial practices and speed” — aiming to reduce costs, avoid repeated delays, and limit the kinds of design changes that have historically complicated U.S. shipbuilding.

The VCM’s responsibilities are expected to include “configuration management of the vessel design across multiple build yards,” and oversight of quality control, scheduling, and budgeting.

USNI News reports that, speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum on Saturday, Secretary Phelan said that the Navy chose the LST-100 because it’s a proven design and would require not many, if any, design changes.

“We have settled on a design we It’s a well-known ship. The requirements are going to be put in and done before we start building the first one,” he said. “When we start building the first one, any change order will have to be put through me. So I’ve reserved Friday at 5 p.m. for my change order meeting. If you want to change it, fine; if not, just write it down. And then when we build the next one, you can make those changes.”

Announcing the selection of its Landing Ship Transport (LST) 100 design by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Damen Shipyards Group says that, according to the Navy, up to 35 LST100 vessels will be constructed at shipyards in the United States for the Medium Landing Ship programme (LSM). This U.S. Navy initiative aims to enhance capability to transport and land Marine Corps units in contested environments.

Proven standard platform

NAVSEA released the RFI (Request for Information) to the industry at the beginning of 2025. Following this, in July, Damen received a Technical Data Package (TDP) award from NAVSEA for the LST100. The design has now been selected as the basis for the LSM class.

To ensure speed of delivery to the fleet, notes Damen, the Navy was seeking a non-developmental sea-going vessel design. Damen has previously delivered an LST100 to the Nigerian Navy, providing the opportunity for NAVSEA representatives to visit an in-service example for themselves.

Additionally, last year, the Australian Government announced its selection of the LST100 for the Australian Defence Force’s Landing Craft Heavy program. With this, up to eight of the vessels will be constructed by Australian shipyards.

International shipbuilding support

Damen has supported shipyards around the world with the construction of its designs since 1977.

“We provide everything from a licensed design to a materials package, to building support,” says the company.. “In this way, over 150 Damen-designed vessels have been built in the U.S.A. to date. This includes the Sentinel Class and Protector Class patrol vessels in operation with the U.S. Coast Guard.”

Diverse operational scope

The LST100 is 100.68 meters long with a beam of 16 meters and a draft of 3.58 meters. It is suited to a diverse range of operations. With its ability to transport personnel, vehicles, equipment and cargo, the vessel can be used in patrol, landing, survey and reconnaissance operations, as well as for the delivery of humanitarian aid & disaster relief.

In its standard design it features bunks for 282 personnel. Cargo can be transported on the 500 square meter RO/RO deck, the 400 square meter vehicle deck and on the helicopter deck. The vessel is able to sail at speeds of up to 14 knots, with an endurance of 3,890 nautical miles. At endurance speed of 10 knots, it can reach up to 7,530 nautical miles.

The LST100 features extensive flexibility. Its modular design enables straightforward adaptation and upgrade without compromising the benefits of standardization. For example, with the addition of a standard, 20-meter modular block, the vessel can be enlarged to the LST120 design during construction.

Damen area manager Americas Alan Borde said, “We are delighted at NAVSEA’s selection of the LST100 for its LSM program. We are very much looking forward to continuing our cooperation with American shipyards during the construction of these vessels in the coming years. We enjoy long-standing relationships with a number of these yards, having supported their construction of our vessel designs over the last decades.”