China Defense Blog is reporting that the Chinese Navy is commissioning two more Landing Ship Tanks.
Why does a ship that the US Navy/Marine Corps abandoned in favor of reliance on LCACs worry? Easy. The LST allows for the RAPID build up of mechanized forces ashore. No ferrying between LPD to shore at the tune of one tank per trip. No need to pile a bunch of LCAC on a carrier to allow them to get them to theater where you'll have to provide protection for their run in to the beach...a run in that could take anywhere from one to eight hours depending on how far offshore you decide to stage the sea base.
The Chinese will be able to put up to 30 plus vehicles on the beach per ship (depending on type...and this could include tanks).
Consider this another one of those concepts that the US Navy/Marine Corps is continuing to embrace based on the "war on terror" that will be inadequate in a conventional fight against a near/equal peer.
While we're busy patting ourselves on the back for putting a Company Landing Team onto a far off shore where they'll be foot mobile or riding around in all terrain vehicles that fit in the back of a MV-22, the Chinese will be rampaging with tanks and proper IFVs.
Who do you think will win that fight?
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