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US Navy and Marines expand their expeditionary horizons
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| 21 December 2000 |
Mention
'expeditionary' to many people and their vision is of Marines weighed down
with equipment, struggling through the surf to face defensive positions.
This thinking is out of date, as Scott C Truver explains. Being there is important. These were the words of General William Whitlow, Director of the US Navy's (USN's) Expeditionary Warfare Directorate (N75), last September.
"As key elements of America's Joint forces, the Navy and Marine Corps Team - the only truly 'expeditionary' forces available to the President - must remain in forward areas, in the littoral, to help shape, respond, and prepare for any eventuality. As the CNO [Chief of Naval Operations] has made clear," Gen Whitlow expanded, "'Virtual Presence' equals 'Absolute Absence'.
"And
it's important to remember that 'littoral' does not mean 'brown water'.
We conduct 'littoral operations' from the sanctuary of the high seas, well
beyond the reach of our adversaries on the shore." In that regard,
it is not an overstatement to say that today 'littoral ops' begin when US
naval forces are some 600nm away from an objective area. As Gen Whitlow said: "Tomorrow, with advanced weapon systems, 'littoral ops' will begin more than 1,000 miles from an adversary's coastline. And, because we're expeditionary, we bring with us virtually everything we need to conduct high-tempo, long-endurance operations without the need for access to land-based facilities.
"In the end, however, 'littoral' does mean that eventually we might have to land forces to ensure that vital US interests are protected. In this regard, 'land-attack' means more than just tactical air power and strike weapons; it means putting Marines and sailors ashore to seize important objectives and help to assure access to the region of other land-based US and coalition forces.
"Under our evolving concepts of OMFTS [Operational Maneuver From The Sea] and STOM [Ship-To-Objective-Manoeuvre], we do not look at the beach as an objective per se. Rather, our 'mobility triad' - the LCAC [Landing Craft Air Cushion], 'Triple A-V' [AAAV, Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle], and MV-22 [Osprey Tiltrotor aircraft] - will allow us to use the sea as a manoeuvre area to directly attack far inland. We can avoid the beach altogether if the situation warrants." Much depends on assuring that the required platforms are in place. That will dictate provision of a solid commitment for future resources.
The
12 ships of the San Antonio (LPD-17) Amphibious Transport Dock Ship class
will be critical elements in future expeditionary ready groups. As Captain
William Luebke, LPD-17 programme manager explained: "They will incorporate
advanced performance and warfighting technologies that enhance the fleet's
operational flexibility and capability to support emerging concepts like
Operational Maneuver from the Sea and Ship-to-Objective Maneuver. "The LPD-17 programme has been structured to ensure a seamless integration of Navy and Marine Corps assets. With the goal of designing the ship from the keel up for 21st century expeditionary operations, under the rubric of 'Design for Ownership', we have had extensive and intensive interaction with our 'customers' in the operating forces - the Navy and Marine Corps operators who will ultimately have to use what we deliver."
The design calls for a medium-sized ship 684ft in length, a beam of 105ft, and a maximum displacement of 25,000 long tons, manned by a crew approximately 360 strong. Four turbocharged diesels with two shafts and two outboard rotating fixed-pitch propellers will generate a sustained speed of more than 22kt.
Other ship characteristics include 25,000ft2 of space for vehicles, 36,000ft3 for cargo, accommodation for approximately 720 troops (800 surge), and a medical facility (24 beds and four operating rooms - two medical and two dental).
An
aft well deck can be ballasted down for the launch and recovery of traditional
surface assault craft as well as two LCACs - capable of transporting cargo,
personnel, and Marine vehicles and tanks - and the Marine Corps' new AAAV.
The LPD-17 aviation facilities include a hangar for a mix of helicopters,
MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and a large flight deck capable of supporting
all Marine rotary-wing aircraft operations. Other advanced features include reduced-signature composite-material enclosed masts, other 'stealth' enhancements, state-of-the-art C4ISR and self-defence systems, a Shipboard Wide-Area Network (SWAN) that will link shipboard systems and embarked Marine Corps platforms in a virtual 'information superhighway', and improved habitability.
Construction of LPD-17 is under way with a keel-laying ceremony set for 9 December. Initial delivery is expected in 2003. The ship is being built by the Avondale Alliance - a consortium comprising Avondale Industries, Bath Iron Works, Raytheon, and Intergraph. Although funding constraints and schedules have already changed the lead ship's profile, and may slide the next two ships slightly to the right, delivery is expected to be completed by 2009. Programme officials point out that the delay has allowed them to resolve all issues with the lead ship and then apply the lessons learned to the remainder of the programme. "We have made several important design changes in 'digits', at a relatively small cost, which would have been much more extensive and expensive to accommodate once we started to bend metal," Capt Luebke outlined.
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| The Marines' new Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) undergoing trials. The LPD-17 design team has linked directly with the AAAV Program Office to ensure compatibility between the two. (Source: GDLS) |
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| US Marines fast rope from a CH-46E to the flight deck of USS Boxer (LHD 4). These ageing aircraft will be replaced by the MV-22 Osprey. (Source: US DoD) |
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| Completing the Navy-USMC's new mobility 'triad' - together with the MV-22 and AAAV - is the LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushion), pictured here loaded with equipment and entering the well deck of the USS Wasp. (Source: US DoD) |
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| The San-Antonio (LPD-17)-class Amphibious Transport Dock Ship programme (cutaway diagram, inset) has been structured to ensure a seamless integration of Navy and Marine Corps assets. (Source: Avondale Alliance) |
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| The San-Antonio (LPD-17)-class Amphibious Transport Dock Ship programme (Source: Avondale Alliance) |
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| The MV-22 Osprey will replace the CH-46 helicopter - offering twice the speed and four times the range of its predecessor. It is pictured here landing on the flight deck of the second Wasp-class LHD, USS Essex. (Source: US DoD) |