Tyler has a great write up on the LHA-8 over at The Drive!

Story here.

I've noticed that its become fashionable to "criticize" individuals for not knowing everything under the sun just because certain people have decided to follow that particular subject closely.

I find that shit distasteful, stupid and pretty fucking arrogant.  It's a big ass world and to expect anyone to know everything while they're trying to make things happen in their real life, not just on the net is beyond me.

Having said that I have to ask.

Why are the islands so big on our LHA/LHD?  That has always puzzled me.  Additionally if you're gonna say to make up for engineering space then again I say bullshit!  Our first LPH didn't have a huge island (didn't have a well deck either but that's a different story) and carried more 5 in guns AND a comparable number of aircraft (slightly fewer and they were definitely smaller but the point is made).

Why can't we simply glob onto the "steel is cheap" idea, move some of the spaces that are contained in the island below deck by stretching and rearranging a few things, putting 5in guns on the corners of the deck on sponsons (like the original Tarawa LHD class) and the anti-air systems ontop of the bridge as they're now proposing?

In my minds eye the only thing you need above deck as far as superstructure is concerned is ship steering/navigation and probably air traffic control, everything else below decks and properly armored.

Last but not least.  Do you know who produced probably the most efficient carrier design of the last 100 years but we haven't seen it since?

The Japanese during WW2.  Every inch of deck was used for flight ops.  Nothing wasted.  Ultra minimal island, smokestacks below decks turned down and nothing but planes on deck.

We should try for the same.