As reported by the Australian Defence Magazine on February 11, 2026, the Australian company SeaTransport has commenced sea trials of the 73-meter Stern Landing Vessel (SLV) Matilda 1 off Batam, Indonesia. The trials precede a three-year charter to the U.S. military forces for Indo-Pacific expeditionary operations. The vessel, which possesses a 550-tonne beaching load, 4,000-nautical-mile range, and diesel-electric propulsion, will likely inform the U.S. Marine Corps' future littoral logistics and Landing Ship Medium requirements. Read full defense news at this link...
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| SeaTransport states that its SLV concept, which includes small modifications to its commercial designs, can achieve 90% of the logistic requirements of similarly sized naval vessels at less than a quarter of the capital cost. (Picture source: SeaTransport) |