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Subject: How much amphibious capacity to we have?
Aristotelian    7/23/2004 6:53:14 PM
How much amphibious capacity to we have? Do we have more ship to shore capacity than what the 4 to 4 MEUs? If the Marines took a beachhead, with the help of Army Airborne, could we move an Armored Division a shore? If so, how long would this take?
 
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USN-MID    RE:How much amphibious capacity to we have?   7/23/2004 9:11:10 PM
No I don't believe so. You need ports to drop and supply a fighting armored division. The reason being they're on MPS ships which AFAIK are not LCAC compatible. Right now, LCACs are the only thing we've got that can ship to shore M1s. That's a lot of tanks to move in the first place, and keeping them supplied would be a greater nightmare.
 
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ambush    RE:How much amphibious capacity to we have?   7/23/2004 9:57:36 PM
This is sort of a mixed bag. If I understand things correctly there is enough or plans to have enough amphibous assault shipping for about 2 to 2-1/2 Marine Brigades. This means ships that can transport Marines to seize a beachhead. Moving a whole Armored Division ashore is another story. If we are talking an unprepared beachhead we simply do not have enough Amphibs to do that even if they did not have to haul Marines in first. There is simply not enough deck space not to mention the limited assests to move the tanks from the amphibs to shore like LCACs (Almost all of our LSTs have been retired). Movement of an Armored Division would require merchant ships and that would require a port facility or at least a prepared beachhead (meaning a lot of engineering effort)even for RO/RO ships and using improvised docks like ribbon bridges. This is of course all "doable" but it depends on what type of time line you are looking at. You could also change your variables. Use a single Brigade or even MEU to seize your beachhead then use remaingin amphib assets to move say an armored brigade to beachhead. Or land Mairnes on beach have them move inland to capture airfield (do not forget he Mairnes own verticle envelopment capability) or once ashore move to capture nearby port. Use thee facilities to move in Armored Divison.
 
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ambush    RE:How much amphibious capacity to we have?   7/23/2004 9:58:41 PM
This is sort of a mixed bag. If I understand things correctly there is enough or plans to have enough amphibous assault shipping for about 2 to 2-1/2 Marine Brigades. This means ships that can transport Marines to seize a beachhead. Moving a whole Armored Division ashore is another story. If we are talking an unprepared beachhead we simply do not have enough Amphibs to do that even if they did not have to haul Marines in first. There is simply not enough deck space not to mention the limited assests to move the tanks from the amphibs to shore like LCACs (Almost all of our LSTs have been retired). Movement of an Armored Division would require merchant ships and that would require a port facility or at least a prepared beachhead (meaning a lot of engineering effort)even for RO/RO ships and using improvised docks like ribbon bridges. This is of course all "doable" but it depends on what type of time line you are looking at. You could also change your variables. Use a single Brigade or even MEU to seize your beachhead then use remaining amphib assets to move say an armored brigade to the beachhead. Or land Mairnes on beach have them move inland to capture airfield (do not forget the Marines own verticle envelopment capability) or once ashore move to capture nearby port. Use these facilities to move in the Armored Divison.
 
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Aristotelian    RE:How much amphibious capacity to we have?   7/24/2004 10:18:51 PM
So, basicly then. We could not conquer Iran without the permission of an ajacent nation, that would allow us to build up and then invade from their land. I wonder what got Quadafi so scared of us then? We could not have taken Iraq without Kuwait.
 
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perfectgeneral    RE:How much amphibious capacity to we have?   9/20/2004 10:11:15 AM
I'm shocked. I thought that the US had much more amphibeous assult capability than that. I can imagine that 3 commando (RM) and the RFA could arrange the landing of an armoured division using LCU, RO-ROs and mexaflotes (same as ribbon bridges?). I expected the US to have an ampib. armoured division at least. Spending all your budget on debt interest?
 
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USN-MID    RE:How much amphibious capacity to we have?   9/20/2004 3:25:13 PM
pg...you're overestimating the amphibious capacity of the RN.
 
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