The Navy Put Its Next Amphib on Hold. Good.
The proposal to build a slow and combat-shy Light Amphibious Warship raises questions about a key Marine Corps operating concept.
BRYAN MCGRATH | JANUARY 20, 2023
COMMENTARY NAVY MARINE CORPS CHINA
A updated report on the Light Amphibious Warship program illuminates the Navy’s decision to delay the acquisition of the first LAW from 2023 to 2025—and underlines growing questions about the operational requirements for the nascent ship and its place within Navy and Marine Corps operating concepts. The Department of the Navy should use this time to validate the assumptions that underpin the existing program and, potentially, re-evaluate the acquisition.
WHAT IS THE LIGHT AMPHIBIOUS WARSHIP?
The Marine Corps’ Expeditionary Advance Base Operations concept, or EABO, calls for new kinds of force packages for land-based sea-control activities such as anti-ship missile batteries (primarily for choke-point control) and integrated air- and missile-defense batteries (among other things, they would “funnel” adversary aircraft along flight routes amenable to the U.S. Joint Force posture). These are new missions for the Marine Corps and are force drivers for Commandant Gen. David Berger’s “Force Design 2030.”
These new forces are to be borne to their deployed locations aboard the LAW. Unlike existing amphibious connectors that handle traditional Marine ship-to-shore movements, such as the currently fielded Landing Craft Air Cushion and the just-beginning-to-join-the-fleet Ship-To-Shore Connector, the LAW would transport Marines from shore to shore. It would also be larger, with projected displacement of up to 4,000 tons. (For comparison, the Freedom-class LCS displaces about 3,400 tons.) Other characteristics include a length of 200 to 400 feet, a maximum draft of 12 feet, a crew of not more than 40 sailors and up to 75 Marines, and 4,000 to 8,000 square feet of cargo area. The Navy desires the ship to have a top speed of at least 14 knots, and an unrefueled transit range of 3,500 miles. To control costs, the ship will have a modest command and control suite and few organic weapons (a 25mm or 30mm gun system and .50-caliber machine guns).
https://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2023/01/navy-put-its-next-amphib-hold-good/381999/
