USS Tripoli (LHA-7) Commissioned. The ground side should just give the wing the carrier it wants...

via Business Insider.

The US Navy on Saturday will christen the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), its latest America-class amphibious assault ship that will pack Osprey helicopters, F-35 fighters, and thousands of Marines for rapid deployment from sea to shore.

Former Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus will break the ceremonial bottle of wine across the bow of the 844-foot warship during a ceremony at Huntington Ingalls Industries in Pascagoula, Mississippi.

Once it hits the fleet around 2018, the Tripoli will join the USS America (LHA-6) on the high seas, with the pair of ships packing unique capabilities among the expected total 11 ships of this class. Besides their power-plant and technology upgrades, the Tripoli and America will not have a well deck for launching small boats filled with Marines to the shore.

Story here. 

I am so tired of the Wing, the transformation-ist, futurists and all their camp followers that I can't see straight.

I'm also tired of cowardly Ground Component Officers that won't stand up for their side of the Marine Corps.

Just surrender that piece of ground.  Give Amos his ditch to die in and let the wing have the LHA-6 and LHA-7 as F-35 or Harrier carriers.

Don't fight it.  Encourage it.

Let them float without a ground component and when they're eventually gobbled up then let it happen.  Without a doubt the carrier navy will be out with the long knives and when they're left bleeding in the ditch beside Amos, we sit back...assess the situation...and keep marching down the road.

When they fail.  AND THEY WILL FAIL.

We don't allow them back into the tent.  We simply modify our way of doing business.  We go all rotary.  AH-1Z will be our attacker.  UH-1Z our utility.  CH-53 our lift.

In my way of thinking MV-22's will go along with the "Lightning Carriers" and they can make their bones serving as SOCOM's bitch.

But enough of this stupidity.

LHA-6 and 7 were mistakes on a drastic scale.  We're stuck with those monstrosities for the next 20 plus years.  

Better to send them on their way than see the MEU head out with an understaffed, under equipped, impotent ground combat element.