The United States Marine Corps has released new visual material outlining the design and intended operational role of its emerging Medium Landing Ship (LSM), a platform central to the service’s evolving littoral warfare concept. According to the release, the LSM is designed to transport personnel, equipment, and sustainment supplies directly to austere shorelines without reliance on established port infrastructure. The vessel is based on the Damen Shipyards Group Landing Ship Transport 100 (LST-100) design, a commercially derived platform offering an operational range of approximately 3,400 n miles. The ship is capable of beaching operations and can deliver more than 800 tonnes of cargo, including vehicles, embarked forces, and long-range fires systems. Measuring approximately 100 m in length, the LSM configuration also incorporates a flight deck to support operations involving unmanned aerial systems, enhancing its utility in distributed maritime environments. The Marine Corps has designated the platform as the McClung-class, positioning it as a complementary asset rather than a replacement for traditional amphibious warfare ships.
Service officials emphasised that the LSM is not intended for large-scale forcible entry operations. Instead, it is designed to provide intra-theatre lift, logistics, and manoeuvre support across dispersed island chains and contested coastal regions. This concept aligns with the Marine Corps’ broader shift towards distributed operations, particularly in the Indo-Pacific theatre. The introduction of the LSM comes amid ongoing readiness challenges within the United States Navy amphibious fleet. A 2025 assessment highlighted declining availability rates driven by maintenance backlogs and ageing platforms, reinforcing the requirement for more flexible and resilient logistics vessels. The Marine Corps also linked the LSM to its emerging “sea denial” construct, whereby forward-deployed forces establish expeditionary bases to control key maritime terrain and hold adversary naval assets at risk. This operational focus reflects increasing strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific, particularly in response to China’s expanding maritime capabilities.
In December 2025, US Navy leadership approved the LSM design as part of a broader fleet modernisation initiative. The programme is also associated with the so-called “Golden Fleet” concept, a proposal originating under the administration of Donald Trump that includes the introduction of large “Trump-class” battleships. However, the concept has drawn scrutiny from analysts, including the Center for Strategic and International Studies, who have raised concerns regarding cost, survivability, and development timelines. To advance the programme, the US Navy has issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a Vessel Construction Manager (VCM), who will oversee LSM acquisition and coordinate production across multiple shipyards. This approach is intended to leverage commercial shipbuilding practices to accelerate delivery schedules, improve cost control, and expand the domestic industrial base, with contract award anticipated in mid-2026.
Under the initial production plan, construction will be distributed between Bollinger Shipyards and Fincantieri Marinette Marine. Bollinger was previously contracted in September 2025 for long-lead material procurement and lead-ship design activities, while Fincantieri is expected to construct four vessels. The appointed VCM will retain authority to determine contracting arrangements for the remaining ships under the base programme. The VCM will hold the prime contract with the Navy and manage subcontracting directly with participating shipyards, providing centralised oversight of performance. This model, combined with the adoption of a mature “build-to-print” design, is intended to mitigate cost growth and schedule risk while reducing the requirement for extensive Navy programme management personnel. The LSM programme is expected to deliver a fleet of up to 35 vessels, filling the capability gap between short-range landing craft and larger amphibious assault ships. As such, it will play a critical role in enabling distributed manoeuvre and sustainment for Marine forces operating in contested littoral environments.
