Now we just need some ESSM capability and I'll be happy
Littoral Combat Ships (LCS)
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
My question is that the range being to short for area defense one of the requirements for convoy escort duty
It depends on the nature of the escort duties.
For anti-air coverage it would be...but for ASW escort duties it would not.
For CSG and ESG, as well as large convoys, you will place ASW escorts at times as pickets along the threat axis, and the axis of advance. The LCS and FFs could handle those type of escort duties very well.
I actually did a quick comparison read of the systems on the new frigs to the f125 frigs from Germany and was surprised to find they both are similarly armed except for the caliber of the guns and the German vessels have two ram launchers
The F125 is FAR larger, displacing over 7,000 tons and has a LOT of room for future enhancements and modules. They carry 4 RHIBs and a pad and hanger for two NH-90 helos..
They do have a 127mm gun...over twice the bore of the LCS. And that gun is VULCANO capable, meaning it has a range of over 100 kms. That's a huge difference.
And, in addition to the two 27mm autocannons, which are similar to the 30mm cannons on the FFs and LCS, they have those five Hitrole-NT turrets for 12.7mm guns. Lots of that type of fire power on these German frigates.
They have eight AMSs like the FFs and up-armed LCS will.
The F125s are like a really super LCS.
IMHO, far too under-armed for their size and displacement.
One idea I can't seem to get out of my head is the independence class should be used as a commando ship for ops close to shore and raids on oil wells etc.seems as though they would be ideal for such ops. Maybe need bigger gun though and more specialized weapons for such ops would be ideal in the Persian gulf where range isn't such an issue or the medditeranian
Agreed
I admit though I'm having a harder time bashing them lately especially if they adopt something similar to the Saudi version