Austal USA has delivered the US Navy’s first LCU 1700-class landing craft, LCU 1710, under a framework agreement signed in 2023. The vessel is intended to replace older landing craft and support ship-to-shore and shore-to-shore transportation. It can carry up to 150 tons of cargo, including Abrams tanks or personnel. The 42-meter vessel has a crew of 14 and reaches speeds of up to 11 knots. It can also support surveillance, humanitarian missions, dive operations, and port maintenance. The Navy’s program includes up to 12 vessels.
