Bollinger awarded contract for Navy’s Medium Landing Ship program

On Sept. 26, Bollinger Shipyards, Lockport, La., was awarded a contract by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to support the advance procurement of long lead time materials and associated engineering and design activities for Block One of the Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program. 

Work will be performed in Lafayette, Ind. (40%); Griffin, Ga. (19%); Hameln, Germany (18%); Pascagoula, Miss. (17%); and Houma, La. (6%). Work is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2027. For fiscal 2025 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy funding in the amount of $7.1 million will be obligated at award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured. The contract is based on Section 128(b) of the Servicemembers Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2025, Pub. L. No. 118-159.  The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity (N00024-25-C-2415).

On April 7, 2025, the Navy issued a pre-solicitation notice for Bollinger Shipyards to build the first LSM using a non-developmental Israeli Logistics Support Vessel (ILSV) design. The Navy issued the notice using the authority granted in Section 128 of the FY2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

On April 8, 2025, the Navy issued a pre-solicitation notice for the procurement of the technical data package and associated rights for the Landing Ship Transport 100 (LST-100) design from the Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval.

The Navy and Marine Corps want LSMs to be relatively simple and relatively inexpensive ships with the following design features: A length of 200' to 400', a draft of 12', a crew of about 70 sailors, a capacity for carrying 50 Marines and 648 short tons (about 579 long tons) of equipment, 8,000 sq. ft. of deck cargo space, a transit speed of 14 knots and a cruising range of 3,500 nautical miles, a roll-on/roll-off beaching capability for beaches with a 1:40 grade, a helicopter landing pad, two 30-mm guns and six .50-caliber guns for self-defense, and a 20-year service life.

“Bollinger is grateful for the Navy’s continued confidence in our shipbuilding expertise. This investment in next-generation landing ships underscores the importance of readiness and strategic mobility in today’s evolving defense landscape,” Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards, said in a prepared statement announcing the award. “We’re proud to support the Navy’s mission and remain committed to delivering platforms that meet the demands of tomorrow’s fight.”