The U.S. Navy has awarded a $2.2 billion Vessel Construction Management (VCM) contract to TOTE Services LLC to oversee the its Medium Landing Ship (LSM) construction programme.
Fincantieri’s Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin has been contracted to build four vessels, with Bollinger building a fifth at one of its 14 shipyards; which Bollinger yard will undertake the work has not been disclosed.
The first LSM is expected to be delivered in autumn 2029. Under the terms of the experimental new VCM deal, as the prime contractor TOTE will decide where the remaining three LSMs will be built.
They will be constructed to Damen’s LST-100 design; in Damen’s standard configuration the 100-metre roll-on, roll-off vessels have a range of about 4,000 nautical miles, a crew of 18, and a maximum cargo payload of 500 tons.
Senior acquisition executive for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps Will Mahan commented: “The VCM strategy is an innovative shift in Navy shipbuilding. We are changing the way we do business, and leveraging commercial best practices to improve cost, schedule, and performance.”
“We’re taking a proven design and leveraging congressional authorities to move with urgency and approach shipbuilding differently,” added Christopher Miller, portfolio acquisition executive for Maritime.
“TOTE Services will be an important partner, and we’re excited to work with them to continue the momentum on this programme and begin bending steel.”
The U.S. Navy announced it had selected the Damen design at the end of 2025. Then-Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV) John Phelan said America would acquire “at least 35” of the ships; however, so far only the initial eight have been confirmed.
Fincantieri described the LSM as “a foundational element of the U.S. Navy’s fleet and of the U.S. Marine Corps’ force design, enabling distributed operations, enhanced littoral mobility, and the rapid manoeuvre and sustainment of forces in contested environments.”
- You can read more details on the U.S. Navy website
