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Austal USA has been awarded a concept studies and preliminary design contract by the US Navy for its Light Amphibious Warship (LAW) program.
The program calls for the procurement of a class of 28 to 30 new amphibious ships to support the US Marine Corps. Procurement of the leadship is slated for FY2023.
The medium-sized landing ships will each have an LOA of 196 to 393 feet (60 to 120 metres) and be capable of transporting 75 troops and associated equipment, weapons, and supplies within 3,982 to 7,965 square feet (370 to 740 square metres) of cargo area.
Austal USA is one of five companies approached by the US Navy to develop LAW concept designs, with a follow-on option for preliminary design. A single shipyard will be down-selected for a detailed design and construction contract by the end of the third quarter of 2022.