PEO Ships Brief. Another Blast from the Past.

Sometimes, it pays to peek back and see what the planning is on important topics.  This briefing fits the bill...of special note is the proposal to do a plug in to LHD class (slide 33)...In this budget constrained era it might become more attractive.
5860 Warner (Amphibious Ship Plan)

Mobile Off-Shore Base. Another great idea abandonded.

It seems that innovation has been alive and well, but for some reason the better ideas are abandoned instead of being pursued.

The current model of sea basing is promising but the idea of the Mobile Off-Shore Base was truly revolutionary.  The idea of having a floating landing strip capable of landing C-17's floating off the coast of a hostile nation is 'awesome'!

Imagine the war in Afghanistan if these were now in service?  A Contingent of Marines/Soldiers would be easily resupplied without jumping through the hoops of crossing and establishing bases in fragile countries...Pakistan would lessen in its importance to the effort and our foot print on land would be dramatically reduced.

As an added bonus, Army forces would more easily surge into trouble spots to reinforce efforts by the Naval community.  It could have been a win-win.

With all the effort being made to field new classes of ships to get the sea base concept going (specifically the Mobile Landing Platform), a better move might be to fully fund this old (circa 2001), but still exciting idea.

LPD-17 Class...now we know why LHA-6 was built without a well deck.

I've been mulling why bloggers (myself included...) always react to situations as if only we are aware of the issue.

Case in point is the LPD-17 and how it will fit with the LHA-6.  When the USS America plans first came out and it was without a well deck, I literally went high and to the right.  What idiot in the US Navy would design an amphibious assault ship without a well deck?  What good will it do?  How will it fit into an Amphibious Ready Group?  What about distributed operations from the sea and the vaunted mini-ARG concepts I keep hearing about?

But with the new Marine Corps Operating Concept, its starting to make sense.  With the numbers of LPD-17 class ships...its starting to make sense.  With the move toward LPD-17's and next gen LSD-X becoming the centerpieces of the amphibious fleet its making even more sense (especially if the LSD is built on the LPD hull form).

The F-35 will require a practically new operating standard when it comes online.  Its size has required revamped aviation spaces and the need for an aviation centric amphib is clear.  We will gain a warplane of tremendous flexibility.  The USS America class will be a platform that will enable it to demonstrate its abilities in full and it still has room for a battalion of Marines in either small boats or helos.

But my real excitement lies in the small picture to the right.  We're gaining a fast (able to keep up with a carrier strike group), flexible (able to land Marines by AAVs, LCVPs, LCACs or helos--many helos at that...) and dedicated amphib.

The SecDef and Admiral Mullen might be stuck on stupid with these partnership missions but its still sea time and its still getting Marines back aboard ship.

One last thing and the LPD-17 class will be perfect (sorry for all the critics but the engine problems and engineer snafus are really in the past...they've been ironed out)...either a 5 inch gun or provisions for NLOS missiles will take it to the next level.

Lastly for the small amphib crowd I kindly remind you that we've been down that road before and the results (from talking to Marines that rode on them) is that the LPH-2 class of ships were good for the times but woefully inadequate for today's equipment load outs.

Height and Weight Standards.

The Navy might want to revise their height and weight standards...

Note:
I was conflicted on whether or not to post this but come on.  This guy is a Naval Officer and is definitely not presenting a proper military appearance....and they're putting him front and center before the public.  Yeah, they need to revise it and put this guy on some type of remedial PT program.

Who says Navy Pilots aren't excited about the F-35?

Hat Tip to ELP Defence Blog.



That Navy Pilot seems pretty jazzed about the F-35.  Add to it that he might have been briefed about some of its capabilities and its easy to understand. 

Misleading the public? 

I think this guy is sold and is ready to strap on the airplane.

F-35 to survive in the UK?

I might be pushing the envelope here but with massive budget cuts in the news in the UK, this story from SkyNews is interesting.

In last month's budget Osborne said cuts would not average more than 25%

The treasury has demanded the "illustrative plans" for cuts of 25% and 40% must be submitted by Cabinet Ministers by the end of the month.
It is the latest step in preparing for what is set to be the toughest spending review since the Second World War.
However, as outlined in the Chancellor's emergency budget last month, health and international aid will continue to receive small increases in their budgets.

Mr Osborne also said education and defence budgets would be "protected".

But the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies estimated that this could leave other departments facing cuts of 33%.
Officials stressed what was being prepared was "initial planning assumptions" and that the cuts on that scale would not actually be implemented in the final settlements in the autumn.

Read the whole thing (personally I'm envious of the approach being taken in the UK, they're acting like adults...there is a problem and they're working to solve it) but the F-35 and other necessary defense programs appear safe...at least for now.

Update:
Jed is calling bogus my claims that the MoD was never offered the source code to the F-35 at the beginning of the program and that when they asked for it years later, it was a change to the agreement.

Anyone know where I can get a syllabus to the F-35 development?