SECNAV ‘Excited’ About New Landing Ship Mediums

 via USNI.News

Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said the Navy and Marines have “got to get the right concept … and design” to move forward with the new Landing Ship Mediums – the vessels projected to augment larger amphibious vessels.

Investing in the new ships did not mean the Navy was pulling back its commitment to larger amphibious warships, Del Toro said Wednesday, speaking at the National Defense Industrial Association Expeditionary Warfare Conference.

There will “probably be more LPDs [landing platform, docks] in the future,” he said. He also mentioned America-class amphibious assault ships LHA-8 [Bougainville] and LHA-9 [Fallujah] as critical to the mix of ships because of the capacity they have to handle aircraft and surface connectors.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger said at last year’s conference the new smaller ships, formerly known as the Light Amphibious Warship, are vital for the service’s missions in an era of Great Power competition. The Congressional Research Service said the construction price tag for LAW would run between $100 million and $150 million. Last week at the WEST 2023 conference, co-hosted by the U.S. Naval Institute and AFCEA., Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith said the requirements were ready.

“We agree on the requirements. Now we’re trying to move,” Smith said.

Here 

Calling bullshit on a couple of points.

* No way they can build these LSMs and additional big deck amphibs.  The money ain't there unless we start an arms buildup in the middle of economic trouble....while cutting back on donations to Ukraine.

* Even if they do build more big decks then for what?  The well decks will be used for everything except forcible entry so why? It would make more sense to use the money to put additional DDGs in the water or aircraft on carriers.

Make it make sense!

Force Design 2030 is all about putting a trip wire force in range of Chinese missiles so that they act as missile sponges.  The amount of firepower that they will deploy against naval targets is negligible at best.

Any capable EABO will be found, fixed and destroyed before they can even refuel/rearm the first aircraft that needs it.

In short Marines will be relegated to the role of coast watcher.

I can name a range of capabilities that will be more useful than FD2030 in the upcoming naval battle.

Even the Army's Multi-Domain Brigades will have more firepower!

This whole push just does NOT make sense.