Overview
- Fincantieri Marinette Marine won a $30 million contract for long‑lead materials, engineering, and production prep for the first four ships.
- The award starts phase one of the Medium Landing Ship effort, which is designed to move Marine units and gear to shore without relying on ports.
- The work enables construction to begin as early as the fourth quarter of 2026, with activities under this award running through September 2027.
- The Navy plans follow‑on build contracts under a vessel construction manager model that uses commercial practices and lets multiple shipyards build in parallel.
- Fincantieri was selected to build Block I ships based on Damen’s LST‑100 design, while Bollinger has also received early funding as the Marine Corps targets about 18 to 35 vessels.