They are pumping these ships out like candy from a pez dispenser. With the next generation LSD to be built on the same hull this is good news. It appears that production has finally smoothed out and with these ships having demonstrated the ability to keep up with other ships in the fleet (read DDG-51's), they will be an asset for at least 2 decades...
...Designated LPD 22, San Diego is the sixth amphibious transport dock ship in the San Antonio class. As an element of future expeditionary strike groups, the ship will support the Marine Corps "mobility triad,"� which consists of the landing craft air cushion vehicle, the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle and the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft...
...San Diego will provide improved warfighting capabilities, including an advanced command and control suite, increased lift capability in vehicle and cargo-carrying capacity and advanced ship survivability features. The ship is capable of embarking a landing force of up to 800 Marines...
...The 24,900-ton San Diego is 684 feet in length, has an overall beam of 105 feet and a navigational draft of 23 feet. Four turbo-charged diesels power the ship to sustained speeds of 22 knots.
The new 'battleships' have arrived.
ReplyDeleteno. its the arrival of the true multipurpose ship.
ReplyDeletethe Navy is spastic. they hate these ships so much but the stark fact is this....they've proven to be the most flexible, most necessary ships in the fleet.
no other asset can provide the hospital facilities, aviation facilities, and the ground forces to stabilize or build friendships off the coast of a third world nation. DDG-51's can't --- Perry's can't---- Subs can't---aircraft carriers can't....only amphibs can!
would this be classified as a "mothership" concept that has been talked about as being needed for the fleet for a host of smaller vessels?
ReplyDeleteJoe, the US Navy is flailing around looking for a reason to justify a bigger fleet.
ReplyDeleteWhat kills me about the mothership designation is that no one has defined exactly what makes a mothership...historically its been a ship where small boat crews could rest, relax and replenish expended stores (fuel, food, and ammunition)....if we're following the historical president then their is no reason in the world why we should take an amphib that is carrying a battalion of Marines off the line for such trivial duty.
Naval advocates that are pushing for that are simply looking for a way to diminish the role of Marines in the post cold war war....think of it as the fight between the Air Force tech guys that are pushing for more F-22's and the US Army guys that are pushing to win the wars we're fighting today.
What kills me even more is the fact that if they try and tie all this nonsense to sea control then the analysis is even more silly.
Rickover knew that sea control was best performed by aviation assets----that's why he wanted to test the LHA in the sea control role....not small boats.
even during WW2, the US Navy used JEEP CARRIERS as sea control ships, not PT Boats.