US Military Needs Common Watercraft Family for Theater Sustainment (warontherocks.com)

• Army watercraft readiness declined from 75% (2020) to 35% (2024) per GAO.
• Navy/Marine Corps selected Damen LST-100; Army pursues separate programs.
• Authors urge Congress to mandate a common hull family review and joint integration.

"Two US Army officers argue for a joint watercraft family across services, centered on the commercial Damen LST-100/120 design, to improve interoperability and production efficiency. Army watercraft readiness dropped from 75% (2020) to 35% (2024). They propose congressional action: designate U.S. Transportation Command as integrator, mandate a formal hull family review, and establish common training and maintenance pipelines."