Austal Cuts First Steel on Landing Craft Heavy for Australian Army

Austal began building the Australian Army's Landing Craft Heavy vessels in Western Australia, cutting first steel in late October 2026 before the government announced the milestone on 11 November. Australia has committed more than A$5 billion across contracts for eight Landing Craft Heavy and 18 Landing Craft Medium, with the medium-craft project also having entered construction. The heavy vessels are designed to transport Abrams main battle tanks, HIMARS launchers and other armoured and combat-support vehicles for littoral movements. The steel-cutting marks the start of physical construction rather than delivery or operational acceptance of a completed craft.