"Could Super Ghost become the future Littoral Combatant?"

[Kilo_302]

I searched the threads, apologies if this is a re-post.

What does everyone think? I haven't heard anything but bad things about the LCS. Overpriced, under-equipped etc. Could this (or something like this) compliment them, or even be an alternative?

http://defense-update.com/20140824_super_ghost.html#.U_0B-ukg-70

Looks like the USN IS looking for alternatives:

http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2014/August/Pages/LittoralCombatShipWillBeModifiedIfNotReplaced.aspx

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Looks like a one trick pony, it can go fast, but in what sea state, what is the fuel burn and capacity, it likely could not sweep for mines, could not come along side to rescue anyone. I don't think I want to be in it when the main hull takes a green wave.

 

[jollyjacktar]

As the original story links back to at least 2008 and you don't hear of it mentioned I would hazard a guess that it didn't progress in favour of better designs.  An evolutionary tale methinks.

 

[Monsoon]

Looks like a one trick pony, it can go fast, but in what sea state, what is the fuel burn and capacity, it likely could not sweep for mines, could not come along side to rescue anyone. I don't think I want to be in it when the main hull takes a green wave.

Agreed - the comment in the video about having the ship "loiter" for 30 days doing surveillance is a joke. Can you imagine the habitability issues involved in trying to keep even a small crew in a thing that size for 30 days even just 12 miles offshore? Also, it may have a low radar cross-section, but you can bet it gives off one hell of a heat signature and makes the kind of noise that a passive sonar could detect a hundred miles away.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

You forgot to mention that it is fully visible to the human eye, especially during day time.

The real problems with the American LCS, from what I have read, seems to be that no one really knows what it is that it is supposed to do, or what function it is to provide for the local commander. There is otherwise nothing fundamentally wrong with the design or any of the equipment they carry.

 

[Furniture]

It's my understanding that the USN was looking for a modern version of the Flower class corvettes, and ended with a very expensive and poorly equipped purpose built warship.

Corvettes make sense for constabulary role the west has taken on in the Gulf, and in East Africa. We don't need ASW frigates and AD destroyers to chase pirates or make our presence known, those types of tasks seem better suited to corvettes and OPVs.

That's not to say we don't need ASW and AD capable warships, just that maybe the modern world needs more (in classic RN terms) frigates and less ships of the line.

Then again, I just do weather and I hardly even get that right....