The US Navy has released a request for proposals seeking a Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) to supervise the building of the US Marine Corps’ Medium Landing Ship, with the contract anticipated to be awarded by mid-2026.
Under this arrangement, the selected partner will serve as the prime contractor and coordinate subcontracts with shipyards, adopting a commercial-style framework designed to speed up production and enhance cost discipline.
Initial construction responsibilities are split between Louisiana-based Bollinger Shipyards, which secured a September 2025 contract for long-lead materials, and Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin, assigned to assemble four vessels. The VCM will also have discretion over the allocation of three additional ships included in the base contract.
Up to 35 Ships Planned
In December 2025, the US Navy chose the LST-100 design as the baseline for the Medium Landing Ship program. The design was developed by Dutch defense firm Damen Group for amphibious lift, logistics support, and operations in near-shore environments.
The vessel is intended to bridge the capability gap between smaller landing craft and larger amphibious warships, with plans to procure as many as 35 ships. Each vessel will be approximately 100 meters (328 feet) long, feature a 16-meter (52-foot) beam, and carry up to 500,000 kilograms (1.1 million pounds) of cargo or more than 200 troops.
The platform is projected to reach speeds of 15 knots (28 kilometers/17 miles per hour) and operate over a range of 3,400 nautical miles (6,297 kilometers/3,913 miles).
