Are you one of those people that believes what you're being fed about the Ultra Heavy Lift Amphibious Connector?
I hope not, but the HQMC is placing stories about it in the news media to increase interests and to show that they're working on the problem. The latest can be found here, Business Insider of India.
Personally I'm just not buying it. Not only will the vehicle be huge (its suppose to be able to carry three M1A1 MBTs (which makes me wonder how many will be able to fit aboard LPDs) but it doesn't address the speed for distance problem.
No one is paying attention but the beast will be limited to an estimated 20 knots. If you're launching from the Commandant's 200 nautical miles out to sea that's a 10 hour trip!
But what has me seriously shaking my head is that once again, its nothing new. This idea was first dreamed up in the 1950's in the form of the Krisiti KT-4!
I don't know what the end game is for HQMC with this concept but one thing is certain.
These vehicles are not designed for the assault and at best we're looking at pure logistics vehicles.
They're like LCACs only worse. In the role that they're being talked about, they're much worse.
A contested environment and you're sending forces ashore from 200 nautical miles out, aboard a slow, big, unarmed landing craft? Insanity!
Well, at least a LCAC is fast, but this thing is slow as hell.
ReplyDeletenot only that but i'm beginning to wonder what sea state this thing will be limited to. i'd almost guess that at sea state 2 its speed will be further degraded and if you're talking about a 10 hour transit then you're talking about changing conditions. this 200 nautical miles offshore is going to bring more problems than it solves.
DeleteThat is a big problem. This thing is nothing more than a giant Amtrak, and I can really see this vehicle capsize when hit by a big wave. If the Marines really want such a vehicle, they should look into a modernised version of the LAC-V and LAC-LX vehicles.
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