US Marines use Australian-designed stern landing vessel to inform medium amphibious ship requirements

"The SLV gives the marine corps a hands-on opportunity to learn how shallow-draught, high-capacity shore-to-shore vessels can sustain distributed forces across the littorals without relying on fixed ports or large amphibious ships," Aaron Hatfield, the science and technology division's maritime program manager at the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL), told The Australian.

"The value of chartering a platform like this is speed: it lets us put a real vessel to sea now, learn quickly and reduce risk for the capabilities that follow," he added.

MCWL said in its July 17 charter announcement that the SLV will operate across the western Pacific and Oceania in partnership with the Australian Army. It will also support the Australian Army's 1st Division.

MariGuard manages the vessel on behalf of the laboratory, which described Matilda 1 as its second experimental platform. The experimentation is intended to improve procedures, tactics and techniques for operating in littoral and archipelagic settings. It will also provide data for the final design of the US Navy's medium landing ship.