Sydney-based The Whiskey Project Group has received a contract to supply two Landing Craft Light (LCL) vessels for the Royal Australian Navy.
The project supports Canberra’s objective to employ “faster and more capable” watercraft alongside the service’s ADV Reliant Offshore Support Vessel.
For the contract, the company will manufacture the platforms based on its proprietary 15.4-meter (50.5-foot) LCL design.
The system is powered by three 300-horsepower diesel outboard motors for a top speed of 26 knots (48 kilometers/30 miles per hour) in full-load condition.
It can transport up to 4.5 tons of payload, including heavy containers and a light vehicle or up to 30 personnel.
The craft incorporates a bi-fold bow ramp, enabling convenient deployment of equipment and soldiers across different coastal conditions.
The Whiskey Project Group will construct the LCLs at its shipyard in Yamba, New South Wales.
Production of the first vessel will begin in August.
Once completed, the future LCLs will replace the navy’s Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel boats operational since the early 1990s.
“These highly capable vessels will provide the vital ship-to-shore connector capability for the ship to support a wide range of operations in the region,” a statement from the firm said.