The following article was recently published in the Defence Technology Review, a subscription only news publication.
In positioning for the Australian Army’s Littoral Manoeuvre Vessel – Medium (LMV-M) contract, the industry partnership of Navantia Australia and UGL – Landing Craft Australia – has undertaken desktop analysis of two primary mission profiles.
In addition to three other landing craft designs from teams lead by Birdon, Serco and Raytheon, LCA’s LMV-M design is currently competing for Land 8710 Phase 1A. The preferred tenderer will build up to 18 LMV-Ms as replacements for the Army’s in-service and ancient LCM-8 landing craft.
LCA used the example of the January 2023 floods in Fitzroy Crossing, in the remote Kimberley region of north-west Western Australia, as the basis of operational analysis with its LMV-M, a design from Navantia Australia’s Kodal family of landing craft.
The option of transiting the LMV-V from Darwin to Broome without refuelling and then moving supplies by road was canvassed, as was navigating up the Fitzroy River to provide relief to the Fitzroy Crossing township and the movement of evacuees.
At 39m long, the LCA LMV-M design is between 5m and 7m shorter than competing deigns and has been sized to optimise manoeuvrability in confined waters against strong currents. The LMV-M can complete a 360° turn in its own length, an LCA spokesperson said. The vessel also has measures to prevent underwater and river bottom debris from entering the waterjets, such as might be encountered in littoral and riverine environments amidst humanitarian and disaster relief operations.
LCA also evaluated how its LMV-M might conduct lodgement of the on-order M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) as part of joint sea control/sea denial operations in Australia’s region and in support of the Army’s littoral and riverine manoeuvre concepts of operation.
Pictured above: Computer-generated rendering of the LCA LMV-M carrying a HIMARS launch vehicle, 40M truck and Hawkei PMV-L.
The Kodal family LMV-M can transport a maximum of four HIMARS launch vehicles or a combination of reconnaissance command vehicles (Hawkei protected mobility vehicle – light; PMV-L) and munition resupply trucks (such as a 40M tactical truck).
The LMV-M, DTR was informed, can transport four HIMARS launch vehicles a minimum of 615nm at a speed of 15 knots in conditions at the top of Sea State 4 and with a 20% fuel reserve.
– Ian Bostock, Defence Technology Review