Euronaval Online 2020: CNIM from France displays its full range of Landing Crafts including new LCX.

At the Online Edition of Euronaval 2020, International naval defense and maritime security industry exhibition, the French Company CNIM displays its full range of Landing Crafts including the Landing Craft Assault or LCA, for Ground Forces projection; and Landing Crafts X-missions or LCX for Naval Forces.

LCX Landing Craft is the latest major asset for forces operating from a mothership. (Picture source CNIM)

Using its experience in the field of amphibious operations, the French Company CNIM has developed and designed the latest generation of landing crafts with the Landing Craft Assault (LCA) and Landing Craft multi-mission (LCX) that meet the current needs of modern naval forces.

The LCX – or Landing Craft Multi-Missions was unveiled at Euronaval 2018 by the defense company CNIM. It features a ship-like closed bow and a rear-only landing ramp with a bow-mounted 360° command bridge. 

Operated from a NATO amphibious ship, with extremely high degrees of seaworthiness and maneuverability and designed with a 360° command bridge, the LCX can accommodate anti-submarine and mine warfare detachments to support reconnaissance, identification, and threat-neutralization.

Its high speed (20 to 35 kts) and high payload capacity (40 tons) make the LCX a major asset to Naval Forces. has a length of 29.5 m, a width of 6.4 m, and a draft when loaded of 1.3 m. It has a deck area of about 80 m². Operated by a crew of 4, the LCX has a nominal load of 65 tons and is self-protected by two 20 mm remotely operated automatic cannons.

A superbly versatile vessel, the LCX was also designed to take part in logistics operations conducted by Forces projection vessels such as the L-CAT and LCA. In this particular context, it also has the capability to offload nautical amphibious resources as it approaches the coastline.