The U.S. Navy is seeking a vessel construction manager, or VCM, to lead the procurement and buildout of medium landing ships, a key platform for future Marine Corps operations. Naval Sea Systems Command said Wednesday that the selected VCM will manage work at Bollinger Shipyards and Fincantieri Marinette Marine, which secured contracts in September 2025 to provide procurement and ship engineering design activities and construct four ships.
Proposals are due April 2, according to a notice posted on SAM.gov Wednesday. NAVSEA intends to award a contract to the VCM in mid-2026.
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How Will the VCM Execute the Medium Landing Ship Program?
Under the planned structure, the selected VCM will serve as the Navy’s prime contractor and oversee subcontracting arrangements with shipbuilders, assuming direct responsibility for yard performance. According to NAVSEA, the arrangement is designed to contain costs and mitigate schedule risks by placing day-to-day construction oversight under a single commercial entity.
“The VCM approach not only accelerates construction timelines but also strengthens our industrial base by engaging multiple shipyards,” Rear Adm. Brian Metcalf, program executive officer, ships.
The Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act allows the Navy to use VCMs to oversee the construction of the first eight Medium Landing Ship and to build future light replenishment oilers and other auxiliary ships. The U.S. Maritime Administration also used a VCM for the construction of five national security multi-mission vessels at Philly Shipyard, now Hanwha Philly Shipyard, USNI News reported.
The Navy will provide a finalized, production-ready design derived from Dutch shipbuilder Damen Naval’s LST 100.
“By providing a mature, ‘build-to-print’ design and empowering a VCM to manage production, we are streamlining oversight for this acquisition,” Metcalf explained. “This approach accelerates the timeline and strengthens our industrial base, ensuring we have the capacity and expertise needed for sustained maritime advantage.”
Why Is the Medium Landing Ship Central to Marine Corps Strategy?
The Medium Landing Ship is intended to support distributed maritime operations by transporting Marine Littoral Regiments and sustainment equipment between islands and coastal areas, a key capability to maintain operations in the Indo-Pacific. The platform fills a capability gap between small landing craft and large amphibious ships.
