Balikpapan-class

The Balikpapan class consists of eight heavy landing craft ordered in 1969 as a replacement for the Australian Army's LSM-1 and ALC 50 vessels. All units were constructed by Walkers Limited in Maryborough, Queensland, between 1971 and 1974. Although the lead ship initially entered service with the Australian Army, a reorganization of military watercraft responsibilities resulted in the class being operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

The design features a flat, box-like keel, which causes the vessels to roll in sea conditions other than calm, affecting their suitability for long voyages. The ships are equipped with a bow ramp designed to mate with the stern loading docks of larger amphibious warfare ships for ship-to-shore operations. Internal capacity allows for the transport of tanks, armored personnel carriers, or amphibious cargo vehicles. As a troop transport, the class can move up to 400 soldiers over short distances or accommodate 60 soldiers in temporary berthing for longer transits. Between 2005 and 2007, the vessels remaining in Australian service received updated diesel engines to replace their original propulsion systems.

The RAN formed the First Australian Landing Craft Squadron in 1973 to operate the class. Early service included Operation Navy Help Darwin following Cyclone Tracy in 1974. In November 1974, the vessels Salamaua and Buna were transferred to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) ahead of that nation's independence. Australian units were later deployed in support of the Peace Monitoring Group in Bougainville from 1997 to 2003, INTERFET operations in East Timor starting in 1999, and RAMSI operations in the Solomon Islands from 2003. One vessel, HMAS Balikpapan, completed a 5,400-nautical-mile transit to Malaysia in 1984, the longest voyage recorded for the class.

The RAN decommissioned its remaining six vessels between 2012 and 2014. Following their retirement from Australian service, the ships were transferred to regional navies. One vessel joined the PNGDF as a training ship in 2014. Five vessels were transferred or sold to the Philippine Navy in 2015 and 2016 to enhance its sealift capability. These units underwent refurbishment and were fitted with new navigation and safety equipment before commissioning into the Philippine Sealift Amphibious Force. The original PNGDF vessels, Salamaua and Buna, were decommissioned in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Current operators include the PNGDF and the Philippine Navy.