Two stories of interest regarding work that is being done with Australia's amphibious capability.
The first is Australia putting the Canberra to sea for sea trials. In hindsight its been a rather quick process. The construction went smoothly (from an outside look) and the ship will add much needed capability.
The second story is about Australia sending some of its sailors to the LCM-1E school in Spain. The LCM-1E is quickly becoming the world standard when it comes to landing craft. Take the basic design and upsize it and I'd be happy to call it an LCU(R) candidate. Even in its original design it brings value.
Aircraft are cool, but if you're going to stay for any length of time on the beach you're crossing then you need to bring in heavy supplies by boat/landing craft.
But back on topic. Japan is getting headlines for its move to create a Marine Corps type outfit, but Australia recognized the need first and is well on its way to making the dream a reality.
