Australian-made ship could reshape how Marines resupply troops

Matilda 1, an Australian-made stern landing vessel leased to the U.S. Marine Corps, is testing a beach-resupply maneuver that a purpose-built military landing craft has not previously achieved. On July 8, the 73-meter (240-foot) ship conducted its first beach landing and “de-beaching” at Dundee Beach, southwest of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory, backing stern-first, extending an extra-wide ramp, holding position, then reversing out of the surf and returning to open water in under 60 seconds. SeaTransport says it was the first beach landing completed by an SLV built specifically for military use. The design aims to avoid hull suction seen in traditional bow-ramp craft by using a tri-hull and a ship-shaped bow for open-ocean travel. SeaTransport states Matilda 1 can carry up to 550 tonnes across 4,000 nautical miles, with a cargo deck of about 670 square meters.