Diplomatic Analysis: A fragmented US military watercraft procurement strategy presents logistical vulnerabilities; consolidation around a common hull design is crucial.
Overview
The United States military faces a critical challenge in sustaining maritime operations in a future conflict. Increasingly contested sea lanes, potential denial of port access, and the need to support distributed operations demand a robust and adaptable logistical network. Currently, the US Army and Navy/Marine Corps are pursuing largely independent watercraft procurement programs, leading to proliferation of designs, increased maintenance burdens, and duplicated efforts. This analysis examines the drivers behind this fragmented approach, the key actors involved, and the potential benefits of consolidating around a common family of watercraft – specifically, a commercially-derived landing ship design currently being adopted by both the Navy and allied nations. The issue is acute now as decisions are being made with potentially decades-long consequences for US maritime power projection.
Historical Context
Historically, the US military benefitted from economies of scale and standardization during major conflicts. The Liberty ships of World War II exemplify this – a highly standardized design produced in enormous numbers to meet wartime demands. However, post-Cold War procurement strategies increasingly emphasized bespoke, high-tech solutions tailored to specific service needs. This has led to a proliferation of platforms and a corresponding increase in lifecycle costs and logistical complexity. Previous attempts at joint watercraft programs, such as the Joint High Speed Vehicle, have faltered, with assets often transferring to a single service due to perceived redundancy or divergent requirements. This pattern highlights a systemic reluctance to prioritise inter-service interoperability, despite repeated calls for greater jointness. The current situation reflects a long-standing tension between the services’ desire for unique capabilities and the practical necessity for efficient and sustainable logistics.
Key Actors & Positions
The primary actors are the US Army, the Navy, and the Marine Corps, each with distinct operational requirements. The Army seeks vessels capable of delivering heavy equipment – including tanks – to austere ports and shorelines in support of large-scale combat operations. Their current procurement plans include the Maneuver Support Vessel (Light) and the Maneuver Support Vessel (Heavy). The Navy and Marine Corps, focused on littoral warfare and expeditionary operations, have settled on the Damen Landing Ship Transport-100 (McClung-class), a commercially-available design. U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) is the doctrinal authority for intra-theater logistics, but currently lacks the authority to integrate watercraft acquisition across the services. Congress plays a critical oversight role, as evidenced by recent inquiries into the Army’s watercraft modernization plans. Each service prioritises its own operational needs, potentially at the expense of overall joint effectiveness and cost efficiency. The commercial shipyard industry, particularly Damen, is also a key actor, benefiting directly from the Navy/Marine Corps decision and potentially positioned to profit further from a broader, unified procurement.
Analysis
The current path of independent procurement creates significant risks. Proliferation of designs drives up maintenance costs, strains the industrial base, and complicates training. The Army’s pursuit of bespoke designs, particularly the larger Maneuver Support Vessel (Heavy), risks repeating past mistakes with expensive, low-quantity programs. While the stated requirements of the Army’s heavy watercraft – length, speed, payload – differ from the Navy’s chosen Damen design, a larger (120-meter) variant of the Damen ship appears to close the gap sufficiently to warrant serious consideration. The primary advantage of adopting a common hull is the potential for economies of scale in production, maintenance, and crew training. Leveraging a commercially-available design, already in production for other navies, mitigates some of the cost and schedule risks associated with entirely new programs. A modular approach, utilising a common base hull with service-specific modifications, could balance the need for tailored capabilities with the benefits of standardization. However, moving to a common hull requires a degree of inter-service compromise and a willingness to accept potential limitations in specific areas. The risk of replicating the shortcomings of the F-35 program – a complex, costly system attempting to satisfy too many competing requirements – is real, but not insurmountable when focused on intra-theater logistical vessels. Furthermore, a slower yet more numerous fleet, enabled by a readily available commercial design, may be more operationally effective than a smaller fleet of technologically superior yet less readily available vessels. The development of drone surface vessels presents a complementary, but separate, logistical challenge regarding standardization and support.
Outlook
The next 12-18 months will be critical. Congress is already scrutinising the Army’s watercraft modernization plans and possesses the leverage to mandate a formal “hull family review”. A positive outcome – a decision to consolidate around the Damen design – requires the Army to genuinely assess the 120-meter variant against its requirements, and a willingness to accept some compromise on certain specifications. The appointment of USTRANSCOM as the lead integrator for intra-theater watercraft, with authority over requirements validation, is also essential. Failure to address this issue risks perpetuating a fragmented, inefficient, and ultimately unsustainable approach to maritime logistics. While a complete consolidation may prove politically difficult, the pressing need for enhanced logistical capacity in a contested maritime environment should incentivise greater inter-service cooperation and a focus on practical, cost-effective solutions. The most likely scenario is an incremental shift toward greater alignment, with the Damen design gaining increased adoption across the services, although some degree of continued divergence remains probable.
Source References:
Mitchell, P. & Curl, J. (2026). Sinews of War at Sea: The Armed Services Need a Common Watercraft Family. War on the Rocks. [https://warontherocks.com/2026/07/sinews-of-war-at-sea-the-armed-services-need-a-common-watercraft-family/](https://warontherocks.com/2026/07/sinews-of-war-at-sea-the-armed-services-need-a-common-watercraft-family/)
