The U.S. Navy has announced that construction has begun on the first of a new class of ship known as the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP). The MLP is designed to serve as a transfer point between large ships and small landing craft and act as a floating base for amphibious operations to allow for equipment and cargo to be delivered from ship to shore when there are no friendly bases available.
The first-of-class MLP 1 is based on an existing design, the Alaska-class crude oil carrier, but the design has been modified as a float-on/float-off vessel with the ability to transfer vehicles and equipment at-sea and interface with surface connectors to deliver vehicles and equipment ashore. It will measure 837 ft (255 m) long, have a beam of 164 ft (50 m), a speed of over 15 knots, a range of 9,500 nautical miles, and accommodations for 34.
The platform has an open, reconfigurable mission deck that in its basic form possesses add-on modules that support a vehicle staging area, sideport ramp, large mooring fenders, U.S. Coast Guard certified flight deck, and up to three landing craft air cushioned (LCAC) vessel lanes. The Navy says it also has the flexibility to incorporate potential future platform upgrades, which could include additional capabilities such as berthing, medical, command and control, mission planning, vehicle transfer system, a container handling crane and an aviation operating spot.
In August 2009, the MLP concept moved to a modified design and in August, 2010, the Naval Sea Systems Command awarded a US$115 million Advanced Design and Long Lead Time Material contract to General Dynamics National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO) for the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) program. Construction commenced on June 30, 2011 at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego, California.
The U.S. Navy intends to procure and build a total of three MLPs with the first expected to be delivered in 2013 and be operational in 2015.
This development may make some sense if there was some intention to reduce the number of military bases in a post peak oil and global warming world. Delivery by sea is more economical than flying troops and equipment to an undefined area with potential overflight options limited.
While I think you make a very good point in terms of efficiency, the massive human rights violations this would cause (Granted we currently do very similar) would be a major obstacle. I don\'t see where you get \"Zero dead and zero wounded\" from dropping a bomb either. Maybe if we were to launch a cyber attack, but even then in economic terms all things can be related back to each other and the time lost relates to a certain equality in lives lost, much like the time all Americans have lost thanks to the TSA. At any rate, your view actually makes some sense, and is somewhat logical - unfortunately that means it will not be adopted by the (US) military any time soon. Good Ole boys who play the game make it the top in the existing hierarchical structure, not logical ones. Point in case - Iraq, Afghanistan...
This class of ship is designed to reduce the need to take existing ports. This will save lives on both sides, by eliminating an \"At all cost target.\"
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Killing unconstitutional government programs, and agencies is a good thing no matter how popular the agency is.
Not any more. All over the world U.S. Navy ships are welcome in fewer and fewer places. Which is why they are trying to create their own floating, self contained, friendly ports.
The big question -at a time when multi-million dollar of extra expense on projects like this is most unwelcome- is why is it required?
Might U.S. foreign policy in the last twenty years have something to do with it. Why are there so few friendly ports???
Message to Uncle Sam: stop building junk like this and start making friends again.