As you know, the key to the Marines idiotic missile sniping
(and ASW!) concept is the Light Amphibious Warship, now being called a Landing
Ship Medium (some admiral-wannabe probably got another star for that
reclassification!) in the latest churn which attempts to look like
progress. The LAW/LSM is already a few
years late as the Marines have already stood up their littoral regiments (they
haven’t explained how they’ll transport those Marines since the LAW/LSM does
not yet exist).
The Navy has seemed reluctant to embrace the Marine’s
concept and has slow-walked the LAW/LSM program, as noted in the GAO annual
report.[1]
So, the Navy is going to purchase ships that they know will not meet the requirements? Do you know what a ship that can’t meet the requirements is called? That’s right, it’s areef, paperweight,
target drone, LCS, embarrassment .
Is the Navy at least moving quickly on the Block 2 version
that fully meets the requirements?
They haven’t even defined the requirements, yet?
I can’t see anything going wrong with this program.
___________________________________
… after years of delays and affordability concerns, the Navy shifted to a two-block acquisition strategy in December 2024 that reduces requirements for the ships in the first block and defers pursuit of a ship that will fully meet requirements to a later block.[1]
So, the Navy is going to purchase ships that they know will not meet the requirements? Do you know what a ship that can’t meet the requirements is called? That’s right, it’s a
… program officials said they have yet to start planning the details of the transition to the second block, such as the timing of the transition or the requirements of the next block.[1]
They haven’t even defined the requirements, yet?
I'm being extra generous when I say this, ok, its not easy to build a new carrier, a new SSBN, a new jet fighter,etc....these are complex machines that cost a lot of money and take time BUT SERIOUSLY, this is a glorified WW2 LSM!!!! This is nothing in terms of engineering, complexity, build,etc....USN should be able to do this sleeping!!!! There's no excuse here!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe USN/USMC Team is lost.
ReplyDeleteWell it seems at least to me. Im not sure I understand the purpose of the USMC. All Ive heard lately is island hopping anti-ship missile teams. Maybe Im being to simplistic.
ReplyDeleteI guess this explains everything:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.marines.mil/force-design/
Personally, I like my own fictional stories better. They're more realistic than the Marine's.
DeleteLOL Then I guess you hated this:
ReplyDeleteFirst to Fight
A Capstone OperationalConcept
https://media.defense.gov/2026/Jun/16/2003949217/-1/-1/0/FIRST_TO_FIGHT_A_CAPSTONE_OPERATING_CONCEPT_MAY_2026.PDF
Ditributed Lethality seems to be the current paradigm and has been talked about for over a decade. Somehow Im not sure the right platforms, sensors and weapons are available or will be soon. And the USN still seems wedded to the Carrier Battle Group. And I truly dont see how the BBGN fits. But Im off topic.
ReplyDeleteI hope the LSM is everything the USMC wants but I understand the first ships will have:
Lower Survivability
Austere C4I
Minimal self-defense weapons
Plus it takes 3 years to build. The design as far as I can tell hasnt been finalised and us based on a Bollinger aAND a Damen design. So earliest 2029. For protection hide innplain sight ie ocean clutter. Then use island geography and be defended by USMC AA and anti-ship umbrella set up on the island(s). And when in the open ocean protected by what else DDG 51s!!! What can possibly go wrong???
DeleteI surely dont know what to make of this:
Delete“The Navy approved the Damen LST-100 base design as the standard fleet architecture for the broader McClung-class. However, it awarded Bollinger Shipyards the contract to build the very first hull using its ILSV package to jump-start domestic manufacturing line setups.“
Ok. Got it. In 2025 Bollinger got a contract to buy raw materials as the requirements are simlar for both designs. Bollinger will build to Damen blueprints adapted to US measurements. What could go wrong. This contract also allowed Bollinger to hirer workers and clear space to build. A ship construction manager instead of USN will oversee. Bollinger builds first ship then Fincantieri Marinette will build next four!!! What could go wrong??? This is built off bits and pieces I could find .
ReplyDeleteFincantieri gets to build four ships to make up for the four canceled Constellations. Three more are in the 2.2B contract for 8 total. Remains to be seen who builds them. TOTE is the name of the construction manager who I understand got the contract that Bollinger and Fincantieri build off of. Hope I havnt confused the issue but in my defense it all seems a bit inherently convoluted.
ReplyDeleteFunny thing about USN ship building:
ReplyDeleteEven though the first restart DDG 51 was commissioned in 2017 but five Ticos were decommissioned in FY 2022 and four in 2023 it took all the new construction to that point to replace them one for one albeit a bit inferior. Even now with another four slated to be decommissioned soon(19 total with three more the next two years)enough Burkes still havnt been built to replace them and wont be quickly. The hazards of sudden decommissioning s for block obsolesence or whatever reasoning.
My bad two soon and 4 next year and the last 2028.
ReplyDelete