As part of the Landing Ship Medium (LSM) program for the U.S. Navy (USN), Fincantieri Marinette Marine will build four LST-100 type landing units.

The company has been tasked with the building of these vessels, based on a concept and design developed by the Dutch firm Damen Shipyards. Damen’s design—proposed in the U.S. alongside the local Bollinger Shipyards—emerged as the winner of the previous competitive tender to select the construction model. Notably, that tender was restricted exclusively to existing, proven vessel designs. The engineering design for these ships—of which 18 to 35 units are planned (with 9 authorized to date)—is managed by Bollinger Shipyards. Bollinger has also secured the contract for the procurement of long-lead-time items necessary for the LSM production.

A unique aspect of the programme’s management involves the US Navy appointing a Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) to oversee the project. This appointment is expected within the current year, with the contract signing scheduled for 2026. The VCM will interface directly with the Navy and manage subcontracts with various shipyards. This model allows multiple yards to work in parallel, theoretically accelerating the fleet’s delivery. While the VCM was not involved in the construction of these initial four units, for the subsequent three vessels, the manager will determine the optimal construction strategy - either confirming Fincantieri Marinette Marine or opting for an alternative solution.

For Fincantieri, this is a good news that aligns with the recent restructuring of the CONSTELLATION-class frigate program. Under this realignment, Fincantieri Marinette Marine will complete the first two frigates currently under construction before pivoting its focus toward other vessel types, specifically the LSMs. Furthermore, the program received an additional $800 million above the Pentagon’s budget request this year, ensuring the procurement of two additional units.

The Damen LST-100 units are relatively small Landing Ship Tank (LST) vessels, measuring approximately 100 meters in length with a displacement of around 4,000 tons. They feature a maximum speed of 15 knots, a range exceeding 4,000 nautical miles, and an endurance of 15 days at sea. These are Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) units with a modular design, allowing their length to be adjusted based on operational requirements, even during the construction phase. In the U.S. context, they are designed to support the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) in implementing Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO)—a strategic operational concept developed for contested environments in the Indo-Pacific.