What-If LPD-17 as BMD

[SumGui]

Good idea or bad idea?

http://blogs.defensenews.com/intercepts ... air-space/

Not a fan of LPD 17 so far, and even if you 'reduce the cost' its still like buying jewelry on a 30% discount after a 70% mark up. Add to that the lack of reliability and shoddy workmanship so far displayed by LPD-17 and....

That being said, there are many traits that would make the hull a reasonable platform for a 'Deterrent Patrol'. If you look at the BMD mission like SSBN patrols, they are long and slow, and the size of the LPD 17 would give room for some creature comforts enhancing the morale of the crew for long, slow patrols. One could also apply the blue/gold approach, of course.

Naturally this would be a big target - but the regimes we are actually trying to repress with this don't really have the capability to reach out to this platform, and in any case, attacking this platform would warn of the impending strike, which still has value as a 'picket'.

Seems it would be cheaper to have the Hangar as LPD-17 rather than adding the complexity of an elevator. 288 cells filled with what? How many SM-3 can we afford?

Some ESSM and SM-2+ means you'd have a problem attacking by air, the Chinese 'wonder' ballistic anti-carrier missile would easily be countered by the BMD equipment itself, surface vessels generally have transit times which allow for reaction to their movement (i.e - here are some LRASM or Harpoons for your trouble) leaving submarine probably the only effective way to hit this. Support it with P-8 and BAMS and you may have something.

[MAJOR-B]

Agree the navy has had some questionable platform designs.
I feel the jury is still out for this class..
But I also agree this design has merit...
By using a hull already being built will save $$$....
Lets not forgot these ships and the LHA's have lot of space for handling vehicles,troops and supplies needed to support combat.
That is wasted space for this design.
Lets discuss some changes for this hull....
I would keep the flight deck and hangar deck then modify the stern well deck for special ops craft.
Also if my memory is correct the LPD design had VLS in the beginning.
This has potential...
What do others feel and think?

[Busto963]

Good idea or bad idea?

I also am not a fan of LPD-17: I wonder if the Navy were not taking so much heat for the LCS, the LPD-17 would be getting even more scrutiny. Surely we can come up with a better hull for the BMD mission.

Also, I wonder in general about the BMD mission: it sounds great in principal, but I wonder at the cost-benefit analysis of deploying combatants to the same areas to protect against the same threat (North Korea). Surely it makes more sense at some point to deploy BMD on something like a floating platform, or even considering land based systems.

[Seasick]

LPD-17, the early units had problems but the most recent units passed trials with few problems. LPD-17 problems were with construction.