The US Marine Corps has selected Birdon’s advanced Heavy Landing Craft – H260 design to be part of a test and evaluation exercise focused on the missions it envisions Marines executing in the future.
The H-260, a long-range, shallow draft, independent vessel, shares a common lineage to Birdon’s proposed Heavy Landing Craft for the Australian Army LMV-H. It embodies Birdon’s extensive knowledge of the Indo-Pacific’s demanding area of operations, both sea states and landing conditions, and Birdon’s understanding of the US Marine Corps and Australian Defence Force littoral warfare concepts.
Looking outwardly similar to many oil and gas offshore support vessels, but with integrated signature reduction features, the 260-foot-long craft features a payload of 440 short tons, deck space of 8,000 sq ft, the ability to accommodate 72 Marines and 26 crew, a range of over 5,000nm, and a draft of only 6.5 feet allowing it to access a far larger proportion of beach and riverine offload locations than similar sized vessels. Its inherent robustness and resilience enable the H-260 to adapt to a wide range of mission profiles and sustain multiple deployments.
The aft loading and forward enclosed ramps enable rapid load transfer while adding flexibility to cope with a wider range of landing sites. Its forward wheelhouse and accommodation are distanced from the noise and vibration of the propulsion systems, and combined with the proprietary bow, reduces pitching moment and accelerations on embarked personnel, all of whom have bunks, delivering an enhanced habitability. Crew and commanders have extensive visibility for all operational activities.
Birdon’s experience in the engagement and successful execution of major US Defence programs provides a solid foundation for its partnership with the MCWL. This partnership is a testament to Birdon’s track record in delivering the required outcomes for our clients across the US and Australia through an unwavering focus on designing operationally superior vessels that meet the needs of our customers now and into the future.
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