Diplomatic Analysis: A consolidated, commercially-derived watercraft family offers the U.S. military a more sustainable and affordable path to intra-theater sustainment than disparate, bespoke designs.
Overview
This analysis examines the ongoing efforts by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps to modernise their intra-theater watercraft fleets. Despite shared operational needs – sustaining forces across vast distances, potentially contested environments, and limited port access – each service is pursuing largely independent acquisition programs. This fragmented approach risks duplicated effort, increased costs, and logistical complexities. A recent shift by the Navy and Marine Corps towards a commercially available landing ship design presents an opportunity for consolidation. This piece assesses the key actors, examines the potential benefits of a common hull family, and outlines the challenges to achieving such a joint solution, ultimately arguing that a unified approach offers the most pragmatic pathway to enhanced maritime sustainment capabilities. The current situation demands attention due to escalating geopolitical tensions and the increasing likelihood of high-attrition conflicts spanning significant maritime domains.
Historical Context
For decades, the U.S. military has relied on a diverse fleet of watercraft for intra-theater logistics. The Army’s legacy fleet, including the Vietnam-era Landing Craft Mechanized-8 (Mike Boat) and the aging General Frank S. Besson-class Logistics Support Vessels, are reaching the end of their service lives. The Navy and Marine Corps have similarly struggled with ageing platforms and ambitious but ultimately unsuccessful attempts to develop bespoke landing ships. The 2010 Joint High Speed Vehicle program, a joint Army-Navy initiative, illustrates a past attempt at collaboration which ultimately saw the Army relinquish its share of vessels to the Navy.
This history of fragmented development stems from distinct service cultures, differing operational priorities, and traditionally siloed acquisition processes. However, recent lessons from conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East – particularly the vital role of maritime logistics – have highlighted the vulnerabilities of dispersed supply chains and the need for resilient, scalable sustainment capabilities. The legacy of successful mass production during WWII, exemplified by the Liberty Ships, offers a compelling counterpoint to contemporary bespoke designs, emphasising the strategic benefit of standardised, readily available platforms.
Key Actors & Positions
The primary actors in this debate are the U.S. Army, seeking replacements for its Mike Boats (Maneuver Support Vessel (Light)) and Besson-class vessels (Maneuver Support Vessel (Heavy)); the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, who recently adopted the Damen Landing Ship Transport-100 (McClung-class); and U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), possessing doctrinal authority over intra-theater logistics.
The Army prioritises the ability to transport heavy equipment, including tanks, directly to austere shore locations. Their initial requirements leaned towards larger, faster vessels. The Navy and Marine Corps, focused on Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, initially pursued a dedicated medium landing ship, but financial pressures led them to select the commercially available Damen design. USTRANSCOM, currently lacks the authority to dictate acquisition decisions, advocates for a unified approach to improve interoperability and reduce logistical burdens.
Congress is emerging as a key player, expressing concern over the Army’s watercraft modernisation plans and questioning the cost-effectiveness of pursuing separate acquisition paths. They have called for greater integration and a thorough review of potential commonality with the Navy/Marine Corps design.
Analysis
The proliferation of distinct watercraft designs poses significant challenges. Each new hull type introduces unique maintenance requirements, specialised training pipelines, and separate supply chains, increasing costs and reducing operational efficiency. The Army’s current plans, while addressing specific tactical needs, appear to disregard the potential benefits of leveraging the Navy/Marine Corps’ decision to adopt a commercially available platform already in production for allied navies.
The 120-meter variant of the Damen ship presents a particularly compelling case for further evaluation. While initial Army analyses dismissed the Navy’s earlier selection (the 100-meter vessel), the larger derivative potentially meets many of the Army’s heavy lift requirements. Although the Damen 120-meter hull is slightly slower than the Army’s stated target speed of 18 knots, the speed difference may be offset by increasing the number of vessels deployed.
The key risk lies in recreating the pitfalls of past joint acquisition programs, where attempts at universal solutions resulted in compromised platforms that satisfied no service fully. However, the Damen design benefits from being a proven, commercial product. The decision to move toward “transformation in contact” – leveraging existing commercial solutions – demonstrates a pragmatic shift in the Navy’s approach. Focusing on a common hull family, even with minor modifications, prioritises scale, interoperability, and wartime replacement capacity – attributes crucial in a high-attrition conflict. The estimated cost variations for the Damen-based ships underscore the need for rigorous cost analysis and the potential savings offered by a unified procurement strategy.
Outlook
In the near term, a formal review of the Army’s heavy watercraft requirements against the 120-meter Damen variant is essential. This review should be mandated by Congress and overseen by USTRANSCOM. While the Army is likely to retain some unique requirements, a common hull family, possibly with modular modifications, appears increasingly viable.
Longer-term, successful implementation hinges on overcoming institutional biases and establishing a joint acquisition framework for intra-theater watercraft. Elevating the authority of USTRANSCOM to oversee these programs, and establishing a unified maintenance and training pipeline at Fort Eustis are vital steps.
Despite potential resistance from within the services, the economic and logistical advantages of a consolidated approach are substantial. A failure to embrace commonality risks perpetuating the current cycle of fragmented acquisition, escalating costs, and diminished readiness. The lessons of past successes – like the Liberty Ships of WWII – remain relevant. Building a robust, sustainable maritime sustainment capacity requires prioritising production scalability and interoperability over bespoke designs and siloed approaches.
Sources:
* Mitchell, Peter, and John Curl. “Sinews of War at Sea: The Armed Services Need a Common Watercraft Family.” War on the Rocks, 7 July 2026. [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/)
