The US Marine Corps has selected Birdon’s advanced Heavy Landing Craft – H260 design to be part of a test and evaluation exercise focused on the missions it envisions Marines executing in the future.The H-260, a long-range, shallow draft, independent vessel, shares a common lineage to Birdon’s proposed Heavy Landing Craft for the Australian Army LMV-H. It embodies Birdon’s extensive knowledge of the Indo-Pacific’s demanding area of operations, both sea states and landing conditions, and Birdon’s understanding of the US Marine Corps and Australian Defence Force littoral warfare concepts.
I'm just locking into how diabolical the Berger followers/designers of FD2030 were when they put this together.
Notice that they're pushing hard on the Landing Ship Medium? Notice how the "attack" portion of the MLR is so lacking and behind what would seem a realistic schedule for a unit that is supposed to be warfighting?
It's because they're stacking the deck.
The LSM is priority for one reason.
Once its in service, the entire Marine Corps is locked into FD2030 with no off ramps.
Oh and don't be confused. The battle in the Pacific WILL be a totally Navy and Air Force affair. Remember. This will be a DEFENSIVE type effort. There will be no need (and most assuredly no political will should the Chinese be successful) to seize/take back lost territory.
So with that in mind. With the US Navy running their own war games. With the DoD doing their own analysis.
Once the USMC gets this precious little LSMs that can't keep up with the fleet. That are not built to warship standards. That have a paltry carriage capability, the LSDs and LPDs will go away.
The only big decks the USMC will have will be the LHA/LHD class.
The justification will be easy.
1. The LHA/LHD can help with the sea battle. The LPDs/LSDs can't.
2. The LSM is too slow and too lightly armed to survive modern naval combat.
3. The sea battle will require sailors onboard warfighting ships...that means destroyers and frigates and subs and aircraft carrier...maybe the LHAs...but certainly not on LPDs.
Long story short?
By going so light the USMC has placed itself into a position where IT WILL BE STUCK with the FD2030 plan or something similar for at least 30 years.
The generals fighting this thing are all jacked up.
If they want to delay this shit then they need to go after the LSM. No parts of this idiotic plan make sense but the advocates will win if they get the Navy to go forward with the LSM.
If they can get the LSM across the finish line then it doesn't matter if Congress changes its mind and says its bullshit. It will be baked in and the budget will not allow reversal.
That's why the advocates are pushing for such a quick production. That's why they want the money for the LSM programed now.
The LSM is the shatterpoint for FD2030 and how the LSM goes is how the fight over FD2030 goes.
