Australia’s military plans to expand its ship-to-shore capability have been put on hold due to a lack of suitable amphibious assets. The country relies heavily on ageing and limited numbers of landing craft, which are unable to carry the weight of modern tanks.
During Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, the Australian Army observed the use of US military landing craft, including the USAV Paulus Hook, during an amphibious operation in Queensland. The vessel, capable of carrying four M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks and an armoured recovery vehicle, sailed from Japan to Australia in 22 days.
However, Australia’s own plans for new landing craft are facing significant delays. The LCM project, which aims to introduce 18 Landing Craft Medium (LCM) vessels, has been hit with delays of up to two years. The first medium-class vessel is now unlikely to be completed by its original deadline of 2026.
The Australian Army’s Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, acknowledged that the programme is facing significant challenges and that compromises will need to be made to meet the desired capability. The Army has also been using US landing craft for training purposes, including at Fort Eustis in Virginia and the Orient Shield exercise in Japan.
Despite the delays, the presence of USAV Paulus Hook during Talisman Sabre 2025 provided an opportunity for the Australian Army to observe American utilisation of its own medium landing craft. The experience will help prepare the Army for its future needs and allow it to develop its capabilities in preparation for operations in the Indo-Pacific region.
The looming amphibious capability gap highlights the need for Australia to address this issue, particularly given its strategic interests in the region. As Lieutenant Eugene Lynch stated, “It’s extremely important… Our focus is on the Indo-Pacific region, and our near region is characterised by archipelagos and the littoral environment.”
Source: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/07/australias-landing-craft-shortfall-is-apparent-in-talisman-sabre-drills