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Subject: Should the US Navy be building more LHD’s rather than more CVN’s.
John Barry    1/10/2005 3:25:13 AM
With the news about the Tsunami and the relief operations by the USS Lincoln(CVN) and the USS Bon Homme Richard(LHD) it seems that the LHD with it’s 600 bed hospital, well deck and LCAC’s, is more useful to have on the scene to provide relief than the CVN. Should the US Navy be building more LHD’s rather than more CVN’s? You could say “ the Navy can’t organize itself just to support humanitarian assistance missions”. That is true of course, but even in the most likely combat operations the US Navy is going to be facing in the foreseeable future wouldn’t the LHD still be useful? You can shape the airwing for the mission and the well desk can carry small patrol craft,special operations craft as well as the LCAC’s The great configuabitlity of the LHD would make it more valuable in littoral operations, sea control operations, peacekeeping operations as well as the humanitarian mission. I am not calling for the retirement of all the CVN’s just saying we have enough to deal with any high intensity threats we face and we should build a ship better able to meet the needs of our most likely missions. PS: Does anyone know why the US Navy never fit a ski jump ramp to the LHA and LHD like the British and European did? It doesn't seem like you would lose that much deck space and it would be a great help operating the Harriers and the F35 in the future>
 
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EW3    RE:Should the US Navy be building more CVN’s rather than more LHD’s?   2/26/2005 9:14:17 PM
Have to admit the way the numbers work in DC amaze me, but I thought they were budgeting for 2006. Sample article. http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/02/08/news/military.html This article also indicates budgetting for a new carrier.
 
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blacksmith    RE:Should the US Navy be building more CVN’s rather than more LHD’s?   3/1/2005 10:56:18 PM
The politicians are playing with the '06 budget. The Pentagon put its numbers together for the '06 budget last year. Now there is always the possibility of exceptions, such as when the Commanche was cancelled outright in the middle of the year. The money that freed up was reprogrammed to other unfunded needs.
 
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blacksmith    RE:Should the US Navy be building more CVN’s rather than more LHD’s? PS   3/1/2005 10:57:58 PM
The politicians are perfectly capable of funding a ship or aircraft the Pentagon didn't ask for. The Florida delegation is all wound up because of the proposed retirement of the Kennedy which is based at Mayport, FL.
 
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AlbanyRifles    RE:Should the US Navy be building more CVN’s rather than more LHD’s?   3/2/2005 12:48:19 PM
Why? How big is the USMC going to be......and remember that is who these ships are designed to support. The US Army is not going aboard these ships. Not is role or mission and does not train for it. So you have all of this extra space afloat for troops who won't fill the billets.
 
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fitz    RE:Should the US Navy be building more CVN’s rather than more LHD’s?   3/2/2005 6:26:03 PM
Actually, there are more Marines than ARG's to transport them, and historically, the Army has played a crucial role in amphibous assaults. How many Marine divisions were at Normandy on 6 June 1944?
 
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AlbanyRifles    Fitz   3/4/2005 10:27:28 AM
And how many USMC divisions were in the SWPOA? (Answer, except for Pelileu, 0) I know that. But the amount of capacity you would gain with increased LHDs is not worth the cost in personnel and operations. The movement of forces over the shore is a very inefficient way to introduce forces except for intitial entry. Afghanistan showed how a MEU was sufficient to open an airfield which then allowed flow of forces in. My point on all of this is all is feasible but you have to look toward threats and costs. In this world the US get smuch more bang for its buck by CVNs than LHDs.
 
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fitz    RE:Fitz   3/4/2005 6:47:46 PM
I'm not advocating procurement of LHD's in preference to CV's. I think its a rather retarded idea. I was merely answering a question posed by someone about how many Marines there were vs. lift assets.
 
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AlbanyRifles    RE:Fitz   3/7/2005 9:51:04 AM
Got it.....
 
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Wiz    SVTOL aircraft carriers   2/17/2007 3:32:58 PM
LHA/LHD is an option, but SVTOL aircraft carriers may be the trend of the 21st century, if Euopean countries focus on these, and plan purchasing both V-22s and F-35Bs. V-22 and F-35B will be the two major components for SVTOL aircraft carriers. There are also plans for V-22 variations which will be useful for the SVTOL aircraft carriers. UAVs may also be operating with SVTOL aircraft carriers. However, as long as these SVTOL aircraft carriers are non-nuclear ships, it will require frequent refueling.
 
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scuttlebut steve    no cvn reduction   2/17/2007 9:21:25 PM
If the Navy ban build more LHDs then more power to them but you can't replace CVNs with LHDs, not even if it is a 2 for 1 replacement.  LHD's mostly carry helocopters with a small number of vstol aircraft.  even 2 of those ships together would give you less airpower than half of a CVN.  helos are very short ranged and although providing excellent close support for ground forces, have very poor air to air capabilities.  Even the few VTOL fighters (F35 and harrier) dont bring to the table anything resembling the combined might of conventional fighters (like carrier launched F35's and FA-18e/f's plus other vital aircraft like EA-6/EA-18's and E2's) with shorter range and lower weapons load.  I really am not that sure that the USN would even save that much money.
 
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