#lcac 2019

[teababe27]

Pics from the craftsmanship section of the cosplay contest, part 2.

[xiaorawr]

Who’s your favorite character in Neon Genesis Evangelion? 💕 My fave has always been Asuka!!! Be sure to check out all the photos from this 2019 photoshoot on my Facebook page Xiao Li-Li Cosplay 👍🏼 📸: @simplyfrankpro ___________________________ #cosplay #neongenesisevangelion #evangelion #asuka #anime #eva #nge #asukacosplay #evangelioncosplay #ngecosplay #cosplayersofinstagram #anime #manga #animegirl #cosplaygirl #cosplaybabe #kawaii #tsundere #cosplaymakeup #coser #kawaiigirl #makeup #libertycityanimecon #lcac #animecon #cosplayphoto #model #kumikunai #惣流 #新世紀エヴァンゲリオン #コスプレ (at Click Link in Bio) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQb9IcnLoMU/?utm_medium=tumblr

[nicholassabalos]

We’re coming at you!

                   American and Indian navies working together

BAY OF BENGAL (November 17, 2019) -- Led by a pair of United States Navy landing craft air cushions (LCAC) and Indian Navy UH-3H Sea King and Chetak helicopters....

....U.S. Navy dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) (left) steams in formation with the Indian Navy amphibious transport dock ship INS Jalashwa (L41) (right), amphibious warfare ship INS Airawat (L24) (center), and survey ship INS Sandhayak (J18).

The exercise -- the first in a planned regular series -- between the two armed forces includes training events at-sea and onshore that will enhance U.S.-India military-to-military relations and hone individual and small-unit skills in humanitarian assistance and disaster response.

This is a significant step forward in establishing closer relations between the United States and the Republic of India --  the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy, in the world.

                                          *          *          *          *

The two biggest ships (both with crews in excess of 400) involved in the exercise....

                                       USS Germantown (LSD 42)

INS Jalashwa (L 41), with Chetak helicopters overhead (Formerly, USS Trenton (LPD 14), until sold to the Indian Navy in 2007.)

                                         _______________________

>>CLICK the top photo, and the helos and LCACs will almost leap off the screen at you....

>>Top photo: Indian Navy

[judgemark45]

MANILA BAY (Oct. 9, 2019) Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) 57, attached to Assault Craft Unit (ACU) 5, transits Manila Bay during exercise KAMANDAG 3. John P. Murtha is participating in KAMANDAG 3, a Philippine-led, bilateral exercise with the U.S., designed to increase counterterrorism, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief capabilities through military exchanges that strengthen partnership and the ability to rapidly respond to crises throughout the Indo-Pacific region. KAMANDAG is an acronym for the Filipino phrase "Kaagapay Ng Mga Mandirigma Ng Dagat," which translates to "Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea," highlighting the partnership between the U.S. and the Philippine militaries. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kyle Carlstrom/Released)

[brave-little-taylor]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! 🎃👻🍬 • Soooo... it’s been a minute, huh? I haven’t posted anything since LCAC all the way back in August. Uh. Whoops. Sorry about that, y’all. • BUT! It’s well worth mentioning that this is for a pretty fan-freaking-tasting reason (in this humble cosplayer’s opinion, anyway). Some of you know might that, outside of cosplay, I’m a professional actor based in New York City. Back in September, I booked an international theatre for young audiences tour - and uh, unsurprisingly, it’s occupied pretty much all of my time since then. • The tour ends in mid-December, and after that, I’ll be taking some (well-earner?? Lordy I hope so) time off for the holidays. When the new year rolls around, I’ll start putting together my cosplay/con plans for 2019. • TL;DR: I’m *sorta* on a cosplay/con hiatus - but only because I’ve booked some very exciting professional work! I still love you all dearly, and I’ll be back soon! • ...and yes, I know. I look kinda like what a nearsighted version of #Urahara Kisuke might look like if he tried his hardest to dress up as #Naruto for Halloween. Oof. I told folks at the bars we went to in Nashville that I was a “Naruto #Fangirl.” Shockingly, and grand total of zero humans asked for a link to my #AO3 profile. (at Nashville, Tennessee) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpoBPpChA4o/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=8n836zup1z8o

[adhor]

As August 2019 officially ended, I chose sixteen (16) memorable moments that highlighted my month-long mayhem that perfectly fits the 16th Manaragat Festival of Catbalogan City: - Full-packed calendar; - Karasa ha Plaza Concessionnaires who were cooperative and confirming; - Local Culture and Arts Council (LCAC) who supported our activities; - Birthday Bashes (Blendz, Dennis, Jovic, Angel, and Joel) on their major milestones; - Nightly View of the Plaza; - Our Team Tourism’s Courtesy Call with City Mayor Dexter Uy, thank you Mayor; - Our 2018 Mister and Miss Manaragat (Leslie and Jaztin) who we will surely miss; - Cultural Presentations of the ten (10) elementary districts and eleven (11) secondary/college schools anchored on Fishing Gears Theme; - Our Mutya han Samar 2019 and Miss Millennial Samar 2019 who we are truly proud; - The nine (9) Miss Manaragat: The Search for Miss Catbalogan City candidates and this year’s winners who we are excited to pursue the advocacies; - The nine (9) Mister Manaragat: The Search for Mister Catbalogan City candidates and this year’s winners who we have great things in store; - My 5th streetparty in-a-row since; - Fiesta Day and Feast Day of Señor San Bartolome; - My first Philippine Cultural Education Program Training held in Ormoc City; - The Philippine Travel Mart that I missed but successfully attended by Joyjoy Eroban and Leo Felices; and - Lights and sounds booth who have witnessed our shouts, rants and friendship. Two things that I learned in this year’s month-long, are that (1) we can only control so much and how we react to things is important; and (2) no matter how hard we try to make things better, people will always have something to say. So strive to be consistent and correct in everything, and surround yourself with people who trusts you, believes in you, and who will stick with you all the way. More years to come, bring it on! #teamtourism #manaragatfestival #catbalogancity #derechouswagcatbalogan #missmanaragat #mistermanaragat #captivatingcatbalogan #august2019 #monthlong2019 #mutyahansamar2019 #missmillennialsamar2019 #karasahaplaza #katawhankadagatan #culturalpresentation #instaofis #instadays (at City Tourism, Culture, Arts & Information Office) https://www.instagram.com/p/B13llEoBa8i/?igshid=js9kje6bj3oc

[catchdempaws]

『 liberty city anime con 2019 』 ———— 「 attending this convention was a complete accident—but then i accidentally had the complete time of my life walking around in my slightly updated tsukishima kei cosplay, looking at other cosplays, and of course finally getting a body pillow of best boi todoroki shōto ╰(*´︶`*)╯♡ 」 ———— #libertycityanimecon #lcac #libertycityanimecon2019 #tsukishimakei #tsukishimacosplay #todorokishouto (at Liberty City Anime Con) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1CtgFAhgGh/?igshid=1wu7msm0l8r4i

[saberwingxl]

https://youtu.be/UPcAxtuqyk4 Just a snippet of a video I made today. Anxiety is something we all deal with, some more than others, and I wanted to give my own personal experience seeing as I may be in a small minority of cases . Even so, check it out and make sure to subscribe! I have a lot more videos planned, especially as we draw close to Liberty City Anime Convention! There's no music, no cuts, no edits, just me being myself! AND THAT'S THE PLAN! To be unequivocally ME and put my content up for all of you to enjoy. Little vlogs or poems here or there, to keep my sanity, and I hope the burst of originality and authenticity strikes your fancy. Until next time, Bumbies! #youtube #youtuber #newvideo #contentcreator #content #video #cosplay #cosplayer #cosplayboy #lcac #libertycityanimecon #2019 #model #actor #speaker #publicspeaker #publicfigure #anxiety #socialanxiety #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawareness #ripetika #etika https://www.instagram.com/p/BzO1SGKHWJz/?igshid=12woj9gw7yj68

[teababe27]

Cosplay pics.

[xiaorawr]

Throwback to @liberty_city_anime_con 2019 when I had a quick schoolgirl Asuka photoshoot in @timessquarenyc !! 🗽 I have a big backlog of cosplay photos, so I really need to go through them. 😅 You can find more photos on my Facebook page Xiao Li-Li Cosplay 💕 📸: @simplyfrankpro ___________________________ #cosplay #neongenesisevangelion #evangelion #asuka #anime #eva #nge #asukacosplay #evangelioncosplay #ngecosplay #cosplayersofinstagram #anime #manga #animegirl #cosplaygirl #cosplaybabe #kawaii #tsundere #cosplaymakeup #coser #kawaiigirl #makeup #libertycityanimecon #lcac #animecon #cosplayphoto #model #kumikunai #惣流 #新世紀エヴァンゲリオン #コスプレ (at Times Square, New York City) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQRT1qwLD72/?utm_medium=tumblr

[nicholassabalos]

Hey, we’re at the gas station!

PACIFIC OCEAN (May 28, 2019) -- Military Sealift Command oiler USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) refuels (UNREP) United States Navy amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4).

USS Boxer, her embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and escort ships are deployed to the Western Pacific Ocean (and wherever else duty calls)....for most of the remainder of this year.

While at sea, the warship will need to take on fuel every few days to power it’s own engines and, of course, the thirsty aircraft (rotary and fixed-wing) that operate from its flight deck....and LCACs (hovercraft) and other landing craft that operate from the ship’s stern well-deck.

                                              USS Boxer (LHD 4)

                                             *          *          *          *

For those crew or embarked United States Marines not involved with the refueling operation....the view out of a porthole might be the only indication of something special going on.

The Marine who captured the three photos at the top managed to capture some great perspectives on an UNREP. CLICK on those three photos for a closer view....and look for the thick refueling hoses strung between the two moving ships.

                                     ___________________________

>>Note: The oiler above, USNS Guadalupe (T-AO 200) is capable of pumping 900,000 US gallons (3,400,000 liters) of diesel or 540,000 US gallons (2,000,000 liters) of jet fuel per hour. Some gas station, huh?!

>>Top three photos: Lance Cpl. Dalton S. Swanbeck, USMC

[phgq]

TESDA’s Project RANIAG lights up LCAC-affected village

#PHinfo: TESDA’s Project RANIAG lights up LCAC-affected village

ILOCOS SUR, Mar. 9 (PIA) - - The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) has provided three solar panels to the residents of Sitio Linggawa, Barangay Pidpid, Sta. Cruz under TESDA’s Project Renewable, Alternative and Natural Illumination to Alleviate Global-Warming or Project “RANIAG.”

"Raniag," which means “light” in Ilocano, is one of the projects of TESDA as the chair of the Poverty Reduction, Livelihood, and Employment Cluster (PRLEC) of the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC) to provide the needs of the residents of Communist-Terrorist Group (CTG)-affected and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAS) for them to become conflict-resilient communities.

Twenty residents underwent training on Basic Installation and Maintenance of Solar Powered Lighting Systems, said TESD Specialist II Wendell Botacion.

Among them, 11 were former members of NPA-Underground Mass Organization (UGMO).

The training was an immediate response to the long-term concern of the residents such as the absence of electricity and its high cost, which was raised during the community visitation held on February 18 led by TESDA Regional Director Vincent A. Cifra.

“Through TESDA, we provide you vocational education. Gustong makatulong ng gobyerno, kaya edukasyon ang handog namin para sa inyo, ngunit kailangan din ninyong tulungan ang inyong mga sarili, and that is what we call participatory governance,” Director Cifra emphasized.

In addition, members of the Linggawa Food Processing Association were provided with 30 baking pans which they can utilize in their bread and pastry business.

Prior to this, personnel of TESDA Ilocos Sur along with Regional Director Cifra visited Sitio Kimpatubbog, Poblacion, Suyo for a dialogue with its residents on their training needs and a brief fellowship with the graduates of Electrical Installation and Maintenance NC II and distribution of starter kits to the 15 beneficiaries.

Some heads and personnel of PRLEC member-agencies, along with the residents of Sitio Kimpatubbog, Poblacion, Suyo who received their starter kits on March 5, 2021. (Photo by the 81IB)

Said training is under the Special Training for Employment Program (STEP) 2019 allocation of Ilocos Sur Second District Representative Kristine Singson-Meehan.

Also present during the whole day activity was PRLEC member-agency National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Ilocos Sur headed by Atty. Marvin C. Biligan.

“Ang programang ito ng gobyerno ay resulta ng Executive Order No. 70 o ang tinatawag nating 'Whole-of-Nation Approach' upang labanan ang mga dahilan kung bakit mayroong insurgency. Narito rin ang NCIP upang mag-assist at malaman kung ano ang kailangan upang maproteksyunan ang kultura at tradisyon (ng mga katutubo). Isa sa aming proposal ngayong 2021 ay ang pagbili ng mga musical instrument para dito sa paaralan ng Sitio Linggawa," said Atty. Biligan.

  “Lahat ng ginagawa natin under the program of the PRLEC, Skills and Livelihood Training ay pinagtutulung-tulungan ng ating gobyerno para lamang maiparating namin sa inyo kung ano man ang nararapat at kailangan ninyo sa inyong lugar,” he added.

Lt. Col. Rodrigo A. Mariñas Jr., commanding officer of the 81st Infantry (SPARTAN) Battalion, Philippine Army said, “Your 81st IB will continue to collaborate and support these kinds of activities to bring the different programs of the government to the people in the far flung areas in the province of Ilocos Sur. This is our advocacy, to bring the government closer to the people and help it to look after their well-being.”

Meanwhile, Major General Alfredo V. Rosario Jr.,  commander of the 7th Infantry (KAUGNAY) Division, Philippine Army, cited the importance of delivering government services to the people as part of the "Whole of Nation Approach" in solving the root cause of communist armed conflict in the countryside. (JCR/VHS/JMCQ, PIA Ilocos Sur)

***

References:

* Philippine Information Agency. "TESDA’s Project RANIAG lights up LCAC-affected village." Philippine Information Agency. https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1068957 (accessed March 09, 2021 at 09:14PM UTC+08).

* Philippine Infornation Agency. "TESDA’s Project RANIAG lights up LCAC-affected village." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1068957 (archived).

[defpost]

Textron Awarded $386 Million for 15 LCAC 100 Class Ship to Shore Connector Craft

#Textron Awarded $386 Million by #USNavy for 15 #LCAC 100 Class Ship to Shore Connector Craft. #SSC #LCAC100

Textron is awarded a contract modification, worth around $386 million, from the U.S. Navy for the construction of 15 LCAC 100 Class Ship to Shore Connector (SSC) craft.

This modification is for LCAC 100 Class Craft 109 through 123. The U.S. Department of the Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) is the contracting activity (N00024-17-C-2480).

Work will be performed in New Orleans, Louisiana…

[courtneytincher]

This Dual Purpose Navy Ship is More Than Just an Aircraft Carrier

But if the Navy wants to, it could instead cram up to twenty fighters on the LHDs, turning them effectively into light aircraft carriers—a class of ship the Navy hasn’t built since World War II. Were the USS America to cruise alongside the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the average Joe might struggle to distinguish their purposes. Both flat-tops measure longer than two-and-half football fields in length and carry jet fighters and helicopters.But the America and her sistership Tripoli are technically “Landing Helicopter Assault” vessels numbered LHA-6 and LHA-7 respectively: super-sized members of the “gator navy” of amphibious assault ships designed to deploy the expeditionary units of the U.S. Marine Corps onto hostile shores. In addition to the Navy crew of 1,000-1,200 sailors and officers, each LHA can carry nearly 1,700 Marines.Unlike the catapult-launched Rafale-M jet fighters on the Charles de Gaulle, the America and Tripoli can only deploy short-takeoff and vertical-lift capable jump jets from their decks. You can see a video of an F-35B hovering down for a landing on the America here.Rather than using nuclear reactors to achieve brisk speeds of 30 knots, 45,000-ton LHAs use an innovative hybrid electric/gas-turbine propulsion system pioneered in the final Wasp-class LHD, USS Makin Island. The electric propulsion is used for slower cruising speeds while the gas-turbine becomes more efficient near the more modest maximum speed of twenty knots.However, unlike the Wasp-class Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs) they were based upon, America and Tripoli lack floodable “well deck” which can carry landing craft to ferry troops ashore. (This video shows how the Wasp’s cavernous well deck works.) All that space has instead gone to dramatically expanded aviation facilities and fuel stores. The ship’s medical facilities were also reduced by two-thirds.Instead of watercraft, the LHAs rely on squadrons of MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors, sophisticated hybrid aircraft combining the vertical lift ability of a helicopter and the speed and range of an airplane—to insert troops by air.Officially, a “typical” air wing on the America would include a dozen Ospreys, six Harrier or F-35B jump jets, seven AH-1Z “Viper” attack and four CH-53K heavy transport helicopters to support troops ashore, and two MH-60S choppers for anti-submarine and search-and-rescue duties.But if the Navy wants to, it could instead cram up to twenty fighters on the LHDs, turning them effectively into light aircraft carriers—a class of ship the Navy hasn’t built since World War II. Like the lower-end escort carrier, the concept was that there were many missions like aircraft delivery and convoy escort that would benefit from air support, but didn’t require the massive firepower of a full carrier air wing with seventy to a hundred warplanes.Indeed, during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 the Navy used the LHDs Bataan and Bonhomme Richard as pocket carriers primarily to launch Harrier airstrikes in Iraq.However, the subsonic Harrier, though a versatile support platform, was substantially inferior in performance to equivalent land-based or catapult-launched fighters.The new supersonic-capable F-35B Lightning II stealth jets entering service with the Marine Corps are far more capable of taking on fourth- and fifth-generation fighters and launching longer-range strikes. Combined with the F-35’s surveillance capabilities, this means future air wings on LHDs and LHAs will be far more versatile.As the Pentagon’s chief strategic contingency is preparing for the possibility of conflict with China, the Marine Corps sees the Pacific Ocean as its most important likely battleground. A U.S.-China conflict might play out over small islands in the South China Sea in which the Chinese military has installed airfields, missile batteries and naval bases. And it may prove inefficient or risky to delegate a full-sized supercarrier to operations targeting these islands, or defend islands to which Marine and Army forces have deployed their own missile batteries.Indeed, the LHD USS Wasp deployed in April 2019 with ten F-35Bs onboard and buzzed Chinese troops deployed at Scarborough Shoal, an occupied by Chinese troops but claimed by the Philippines.Light carriers might also be appropriate in scale for protecting vital convoys traversing the vastness of the Pacific against sporadic air and submarine attacks using their onboard fighters and helicopters respectively.The cost of the America-class LHAs reflects the efficiency argument well: the three ships ordered together were developed and built for $10 billion. That’s less than a single $13 billion Gerald Ford-class supercarrier.Bringing Back the Well DeckNonetheless, Marines have understandable objections to the removal of the ability to deploy landing craft from a nominally “amphibious” ship.Afterall, air-cushion landing craft (LCAC) can carry up to 180 soldiers, 60-75 tons of supplies on each load, and vehicles as large as an Abrams main battle tank. Meanwhile, an Osprey can only carry 10-15 tons or thirty-two personnel. The only vehicle the MV-22B is certified to carry internally is a Growler jeep.The Marine Corps, however, is increasingly convinced that D-Day style amphibious landings on defended beachheads are less and less likely to be viable in modern warfare. It’s not merely that they fear a bloodbath on the beaches of the sort depicted in Saving Private Ryan or Letters from Iwo Jima. Strategists worry that long-range shore-launched anti-ship missiles will make it unlikely that landing craft, and even the larger LHDs and LHA carrying those landing craft, will be able to approach close enough to even deposit their troops in the first place. Surely, giant amphibious ships stuffed full with over a thousand Marines would be particularly tempting targets. America-class LHAs can at least thin out threats up to thirty miles away with their two Evolved Sea Sparrow missile launchers before having to rely on Phalanx gatling cannons and Rolling Airframe Missile launchers and Nulka decoys for point defense. But none of these systems can even hope to stop anti-ship ballistic missiles entering service in Iran and China.Thus, the Marine Corps recently abandoned its former objective of maintaining thirty-eight amphibious assault ships in service (it currently has thirty-two) which can deployed two full brigades into battle between them, in favor of dispersing troops amongst more numerous, though less capable, auxiliary and even robotic ships.That may explain why the Navy prioritized the ability to launch additional troop-carrying Ospreys from over a hundred miles away which can land behind enemy lines rather than exposed beachheads.But that doesn’t change the issue of logistical throughput: if you need to rapidly reinforce a beachhead with heavy weapons, vehicles and supplies, landing craft are preferable—especially once nearby enemy defenses are suppressed.The Ospreys themselves, while highly flexible, are also expensive to maintain and operate per flight hour. Furthermore, exhaust from both the Osprey and, especially, the F-35Bs inflict heat damage to the flight deck over time, limiting the advisability and increasing the cost of surging high-intensity flight operations over prolonged periods. The Navy has been continuously adapting the ships to prevent heat damage for years.Therefore, in a bid to restore flexibility, the third America-class ship, Bouganville (LHA-8) which was laid down in March 2019 in Mississippi, will see the well-deck restored with a capacity for two LCACS. The island is trimmed down to allow more flight deck parking spot in compensation for lost hangar space. Armament and sensors are re-situated onto the vessel’s “island” superstructure, including a brand-new EASR radar also destined to equip future Gerald Ford-class carriers.The new configuration inevitably requires tradeoffs. According to a chart at Navy Recognition, Bougainville falls squarely in between the Wasp-class LHD and the first two America-class boats with 38,000 square feet of deck space dedicated to aviation, but has less than half the aviation fuel capacity of her sister ships and more limited vehicle stowage. Despite these downsides, the restoration of the ability to carry landing craft should improve the America class’s flexibility. Still, naval planners will hopefully bear in mind the carrier’s secondary potential to serve as economy-size aircraft carriers for missions that don’t require $13 billion supercarriers.Sébastien Roblin holds a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring.Image: Reuters.(This article was originally published earlier this month and is being republished due to reader interest.)

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines

But if the Navy wants to, it could instead cram up to twenty fighters on the LHDs, turning them effectively into light aircraft carriers—a class of ship the Navy hasn’t built since World War II. Were the USS America to cruise alongside the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the average Joe might struggle to distinguish their purposes. Both flat-tops measure longer than two-and-half football fields in length and carry jet fighters and helicopters.But the America and her sistership Tripoli are technically “Landing Helicopter Assault” vessels numbered LHA-6 and LHA-7 respectively: super-sized members of the “gator navy” of amphibious assault ships designed to deploy the expeditionary units of the U.S. Marine Corps onto hostile shores. In addition to the Navy crew of 1,000-1,200 sailors and officers, each LHA can carry nearly 1,700 Marines.Unlike the catapult-launched Rafale-M jet fighters on the Charles de Gaulle, the America and Tripoli can only deploy short-takeoff and vertical-lift capable jump jets from their decks. You can see a video of an F-35B hovering down for a landing on the America here.Rather than using nuclear reactors to achieve brisk speeds of 30 knots, 45,000-ton LHAs use an innovative hybrid electric/gas-turbine propulsion system pioneered in the final Wasp-class LHD, USS Makin Island. The electric propulsion is used for slower cruising speeds while the gas-turbine becomes more efficient near the more modest maximum speed of twenty knots.However, unlike the Wasp-class Landing Helicopter Docks (LHDs) they were based upon, America and Tripoli lack floodable “well deck” which can carry landing craft to ferry troops ashore. (This video shows how the Wasp’s cavernous well deck works.) All that space has instead gone to dramatically expanded aviation facilities and fuel stores. The ship’s medical facilities were also reduced by two-thirds.Instead of watercraft, the LHAs rely on squadrons of MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotors, sophisticated hybrid aircraft combining the vertical lift ability of a helicopter and the speed and range of an airplane—to insert troops by air.Officially, a “typical” air wing on the America would include a dozen Ospreys, six Harrier or F-35B jump jets, seven AH-1Z “Viper” attack and four CH-53K heavy transport helicopters to support troops ashore, and two MH-60S choppers for anti-submarine and search-and-rescue duties.But if the Navy wants to, it could instead cram up to twenty fighters on the LHDs, turning them effectively into light aircraft carriers—a class of ship the Navy hasn’t built since World War II. Like the lower-end escort carrier, the concept was that there were many missions like aircraft delivery and convoy escort that would benefit from air support, but didn’t require the massive firepower of a full carrier air wing with seventy to a hundred warplanes.Indeed, during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 the Navy used the LHDs Bataan and Bonhomme Richard as pocket carriers primarily to launch Harrier airstrikes in Iraq.However, the subsonic Harrier, though a versatile support platform, was substantially inferior in performance to equivalent land-based or catapult-launched fighters.The new supersonic-capable F-35B Lightning II stealth jets entering service with the Marine Corps are far more capable of taking on fourth- and fifth-generation fighters and launching longer-range strikes. Combined with the F-35’s surveillance capabilities, this means future air wings on LHDs and LHAs will be far more versatile.As the Pentagon’s chief strategic contingency is preparing for the possibility of conflict with China, the Marine Corps sees the Pacific Ocean as its most important likely battleground. A U.S.-China conflict might play out over small islands in the South China Sea in which the Chinese military has installed airfields, missile batteries and naval bases. And it may prove inefficient or risky to delegate a full-sized supercarrier to operations targeting these islands, or defend islands to which Marine and Army forces have deployed their own missile batteries.Indeed, the LHD USS Wasp deployed in April 2019 with ten F-35Bs onboard and buzzed Chinese troops deployed at Scarborough Shoal, an occupied by Chinese troops but claimed by the Philippines.Light carriers might also be appropriate in scale for protecting vital convoys traversing the vastness of the Pacific against sporadic air and submarine attacks using their onboard fighters and helicopters respectively.The cost of the America-class LHAs reflects the efficiency argument well: the three ships ordered together were developed and built for $10 billion. That’s less than a single $13 billion Gerald Ford-class supercarrier.Bringing Back the Well DeckNonetheless, Marines have understandable objections to the removal of the ability to deploy landing craft from a nominally “amphibious” ship.Afterall, air-cushion landing craft (LCAC) can carry up to 180 soldiers, 60-75 tons of supplies on each load, and vehicles as large as an Abrams main battle tank. Meanwhile, an Osprey can only carry 10-15 tons or thirty-two personnel. The only vehicle the MV-22B is certified to carry internally is a Growler jeep.The Marine Corps, however, is increasingly convinced that D-Day style amphibious landings on defended beachheads are less and less likely to be viable in modern warfare. It’s not merely that they fear a bloodbath on the beaches of the sort depicted in Saving Private Ryan or Letters from Iwo Jima. Strategists worry that long-range shore-launched anti-ship missiles will make it unlikely that landing craft, and even the larger LHDs and LHA carrying those landing craft, will be able to approach close enough to even deposit their troops in the first place. Surely, giant amphibious ships stuffed full with over a thousand Marines would be particularly tempting targets. America-class LHAs can at least thin out threats up to thirty miles away with their two Evolved Sea Sparrow missile launchers before having to rely on Phalanx gatling cannons and Rolling Airframe Missile launchers and Nulka decoys for point defense. But none of these systems can even hope to stop anti-ship ballistic missiles entering service in Iran and China.Thus, the Marine Corps recently abandoned its former objective of maintaining thirty-eight amphibious assault ships in service (it currently has thirty-two) which can deployed two full brigades into battle between them, in favor of dispersing troops amongst more numerous, though less capable, auxiliary and even robotic ships.That may explain why the Navy prioritized the ability to launch additional troop-carrying Ospreys from over a hundred miles away which can land behind enemy lines rather than exposed beachheads.But that doesn’t change the issue of logistical throughput: if you need to rapidly reinforce a beachhead with heavy weapons, vehicles and supplies, landing craft are preferable—especially once nearby enemy defenses are suppressed.The Ospreys themselves, while highly flexible, are also expensive to maintain and operate per flight hour. Furthermore, exhaust from both the Osprey and, especially, the F-35Bs inflict heat damage to the flight deck over time, limiting the advisability and increasing the cost of surging high-intensity flight operations over prolonged periods. The Navy has been continuously adapting the ships to prevent heat damage for years.Therefore, in a bid to restore flexibility, the third America-class ship, Bouganville (LHA-8) which was laid down in March 2019 in Mississippi, will see the well-deck restored with a capacity for two LCACS. The island is trimmed down to allow more flight deck parking spot in compensation for lost hangar space. Armament and sensors are re-situated onto the vessel’s “island” superstructure, including a brand-new EASR radar also destined to equip future Gerald Ford-class carriers.The new configuration inevitably requires tradeoffs. According to a chart at Navy Recognition, Bougainville falls squarely in between the Wasp-class LHD and the first two America-class boats with 38,000 square feet of deck space dedicated to aviation, but has less than half the aviation fuel capacity of her sister ships and more limited vehicle stowage. Despite these downsides, the restoration of the ability to carry landing craft should improve the America class’s flexibility. Still, naval planners will hopefully bear in mind the carrier’s secondary potential to serve as economy-size aircraft carriers for missions that don’t require $13 billion supercarriers.Sébastien Roblin holds a master’s degree in conflict resolution from Georgetown University and served as a university instructor for the Peace Corps in China. He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. He currently writes on security and military history for War Is Boring.Image: Reuters.(This article was originally published earlier this month and is being republished due to reader interest.)

August 24, 2019 at 07:30AM via IFTTT

[amenhotepilianaus]

“阿納多盧”號准航母發生火災！土耳其海軍夢想崩塌的開始？

近日，發生在伊斯坦布爾圖茲拉的賽德夫造船廠的大火，或許會像一盆從天而降的冷水，澆滅土耳其的萬丈雄心。

因為，在該廠建造的土耳其“阿納多盧”號兩棲攻擊艦，發生了火宅。雖然，火勢在周二就得到了控制，但是“阿納多盧”號的建造計劃將會大大延遲。這艘原本預計在2019年下水，2021年服役的“巨艦”，一旦加入土耳其海軍必將成為中東北非地區，以及黑海海域最大的戰艦。要知道，埃及雖然擁有兩艘“西北風”級兩棲攻擊艦，但是艦長不過199米，舷寬為32米。與“阿納多盧”號的長232米，寬32米相比，整整小了一號。雖然阿爾及利亞和卡塔爾也從意大利採購了兩棲攻擊艦，但是長不過142.90米，最大寬度僅為21.50米。

如果說到綜合作戰性能，那麼“阿納多盧”號��是傲視該區域其他國家。畢竟“阿納多盧”號可以在輕型航母與兩棲攻擊艦之間靈活轉化。作為輕型航母使用之時，可搭載12架F-35B戰機，滿載排水量24000噸；如果作為兩棲攻擊艦將搭載2艘氣墊船（LCAC）、2艘人員登陸艇（LCVP），或者運輸13輛坦克，27輛兩棲裝甲車（AAV），以及一個全副武裝的營級（700人）兩棲作戰兵力，滿載排水量28000噸。如此“多用途”的作戰能力，別說阿爾及利亞和卡塔爾兩國不足萬噸的兩棲攻擊艦無法相比。就是埃及滿載排水量達到21000噸的“西北風”級，由於只能搭載直��機和武裝直升機也是相差頗多。

別說中東北非地區，就是整個地中海地區，或許也只有意大利的“加富爾”號航母和西班牙的“胡安.卡洛斯一世”號戰略投送艦方能與之相比。當然，如果法國的“戴高樂”號來到地中海，也會讓地區力量發生巨大改變。不過，如今一把大火讓這些“紙上談兵”般的比對變得沒有意義。或許，此次“阿納多盧”號發生火災之後，這艘戰艦不僅僅是延期完工的問題了，而是能否順利完成建造。

為何會出現這樣的結果，很重要的原因就是因為土耳其與西方的關係出現了嚴重的裂痕。當然，西方犯不著採用“陰謀”手段，放火去燒毀這艘戰艦。因為，西方國家有的是“陽謀”來打壓或者說限制土耳其發展兩棲攻擊艦。 “阿納多盧”號雖然採用的是西班牙的技術，但是很多核心設備卻是來自美國。雖然“阿納多盧”號放棄了來自美國的LM-2500燃氣輪機，但是新選用的西門子柴油機來自西方陣營的德國；SMART-SMK2輕型相控陣雷達是法國人研製的；艦載機方面，無論是支奴干直升機，還是F-35B“閃電”都是美國貨；自衛武器中，拉姆近防導彈系統和“密集陣”系統，同樣來自美國。

可以說“阿納多盧”號土耳其人只是造的一個殼子，很多核心技術來自西方國家。如今，埃爾多安政府因為宗教問題，以及採購S-400等一系列問題，使得土耳其與西方國家越走越遠。所以，“阿納多盧”號此次遭遇火災之後，西方國家還願意提供相��技術幫助土耳其進行維修建造嗎？即便是土耳其通過自身努力，完成了“阿納多盧”號的��後維修工作。那麼西方國家會向土耳其提供F-35B和支奴干等飛機嗎？答案當然是否定的。而且，除了“阿納多盧”號之外，土耳其未來重點打造的TF2000護衛艦和x-TF-4500護衛艦，其核心同樣需要來自美國“標準2”型防空導彈。

以如今土耳其與西方之間的關係來看，想要獲得西方的技術似乎比登天還難。那麼土耳其雄心勃勃的海軍計劃，或許將成為鏡花水月。那麼，“阿納多盧”號的火災是土耳其海軍夢想崩塌的開始，還是土耳其與西方國家重修舊好的開始？

from http://bit.ly/2VErqjL

[militaryleak]

K1 88-Tank Disembark

A Republic of Korea Type 88 K1 Main Battle Tank drives off a U.S. Navy Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) throughout a simulated amphibious attack on Pohang Beach, Korea