Fincantieri Lands First U.S. Navy Contract for Medium Landing Ship Program Fincantieri has secured its first U.S. Navy contract tied to the Medium Landing Ship (LSM) program, marking a key step as the service pushes to accelerate a new class of vessels central to Marine Corps operations in contested littoral environments. The company announced that its U.S. Subsidiary, Fincantieri Marine Group (FMG), was awarded a $30 million contract covering long-lead materials procurement and early engineering and production readiness work for the first four vessels. The award positions the program for a potential construction start as early as the fourth quarter of 2026. This contract builds on the Navy’s February 2026 Request for Proposal and its earlier designation of FMG to construct the initial ships. Even as it does not yet include full construction, the award is designed to reduce schedule risk and accelerate the transition to production under the Navy’s Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) model. The LSM program is a foundational element of the U.S. Navy’s fleet and of the U.S. Marine Corps’ force design, enabling distributed operations, enhanced littoral mobility, and the rapid maneuver and sustainment of forces in contested environments. Within the initial production phase, FMG is designated to build at least four vessels, reinforcing its role as a central industrial player in the program’s execution. The Damen Landing Ship Transport 100 (LST100) design will be the basis of the U.S. Navy’s Medium Landing Ship. In late 2025, Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan selected the LST-100 design for the program—a roughly 4,000-ton landing ship based on a Damen design—after canceling four Constellation-class frigates that had not yet begun construction due to mounting delays. At the time, Phelan described the LSM program as a more “operationally driven” and “fiscally disciplined” approach aimed at delivering capability to the fleet on a more realistic timeline. The LSM program—previously known as the Light Amphibious Warship—has taken on increased importance as the Marine Corps shifts toward distributed operations under its Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations concept. Fincantieri’s U.S. Operations are expected to play a central role in the program’s execution. Future construction contracts are expected to be awarded under the VCM model, which aims to streamline shipbuilding through commercial best practices, parallel production and tighter program oversight. The award supports the immediate procurement of long lead time materials and the execution of engineering and critical industrial and production readiness activities for the first four vessels, enabling a start of construction as early as Q4 2026. This step represents a material acceleration for the LSM program and precedes a future award of construction contracts through the Vessel Construction Manager (VCM) model, subject to applicable approvals and contractual arrangements.
47