1. Who is going to plug the holes in the hull that the enemy is shooting in you?
2. Who will put out the fires?
3. Who will isolate and reroute the battle damage mechanical casualties?
4. Who will pry the lids off the missile cells when they won't open or clear the gun jam?
5. When the computer dies, who will steer the ship or keep the engine shafts turning?    
6. Who will navigate and FIGHT in all of the chaos of battle when 1-5 happens to you ALL AT THE SAME TIME? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) The same smaller crew that is on-board because when the enemy is shooting at you, even a large crew is kept busy until the shooting dies down. 2) Tha same smaller crew using automated fire control systems plus manual systems for back-up. 3) The same smaller crew can do the job. If the battle damage is so significant that you need to do those kinds of "ghetto-rigging" repair work, then you're going to have to wait until the enemy stops shooting. 4) Prying the lids off the missile cells? Clear the gun jam? You don't need a lot of people to do that, if the need ever actually arises. 5) The back-up computer that the smaller crew put online. 6) If 1-5 happen at the same time, you're better off signalling for help so you can concentrate on keeping the ship afloat with a large or small crew. US Navy ships are overmanned for two reasons: tradition and big budgets. We're smart enough to figure out how to run a ship with 1/3 the manpower but the the US Navy has been doing things "the Navy way" for a long time. Now that budgets are getting smaller, it's time to cut personnel costs: training, healthcare, payroll, assorted benefits, berthing, perishables, etc...

Well, in the data center we kept scuba masks, but yes, Halon awareness was a big deal for things like work orders when you had to pull up the raised floor to run cable.  Would it be too hard to equip everybody with a 5 min rebreather?  I suppose James Bond's vest-pocket rebreather in Thunderball was fiction but if you don't need an hour's worth of O2 then perhaps something could be done. 

That said, modern speedboats are practically unsinkable because the fiberglass hull is filled with flotable foam.  Could this not be used in warships?  Either foam in place, or foaming systems to force the water out of the ship or at least to seal the breach, not unlike self-sealing tires?  Pose the question of what would be needed to solve Herald's problems with technology, then go out and develop the technology.  For instance, quad redundant circuits with distributed pathways; explosive bolts to blow off missile hatches.  If VLS cells go $625K apiece (WOW!!!) then you should be getting something for that money.  I don't see why you don't just design them frangible and disposable.  Let the missile blast its way out.  We've given up reloading at sea, reusability is pointless except perhaps in narrow lifecycle costs.

I guess USVs have been considered?  If you want to shell the shore with a 5" gun, what's the smallest 30kt? hull you can mount a gun, autoloader and 100? 1000? rounds in?  Drop it over the side like a lifeboat and send it bravely into the littorals.  If it comes back, it's yours...if it doesn't, it never was ;>  Carry a dozen aboard a big ship; throwaways.  Something like a 24' cabin cruiser for that burthen, maybe?  What would such cost?  They wouldn't have to brave sea state eleven or have transoceanic range or whatever.  No turret, you point the hull.  (Stability?  Punt.  I dunno, outriggers, pods.  Guided shells.)  Damage control is being made of stealth-ish nonflammable composites and being filled with foam and using automated Halon or the like.  Do you need a man in the loop?  Make an armored cockpit with an escape capsule.

Herald, be a good fellow and cost that.  (Then you can tell me why it would suck. )


For that matter - hey, Benelli.  That would be one use for my JSA/mini-C130/C-129 1/.2.  A little Spectre to fly into the littoral, put 105mm (155mm?  5" = 122mm IIRC) shell on target.  Range would be much better fired from on high and an aircraft would be harder to hit than any ship.  I suppose it could even be a seaplane if CATOBAR is impossible.

Aren't you basically describing an All Up Cannister?  No need to reinvent the wheel. If you want to gussy it up then you just make them a dismount with an conformal exoskin .....

Not that I understood your first or third sentence, gf ;>, but that's (I guess) how I thought VLS cells worked before Herald edumacated me with his dollar figure costing the VLSF/T.  I've seen rockets that burst the cover of the tube on launch.  How could some fiberglass or Al pipe and wiring cost $625K?