'Gator' Alternatives

摘要

Noting a requirement for more than 50 amphibious ships, but a projected inventory of no more than 33 into the next decade, Marine Corps Commandant Gen Joseph F. Dunford Jr. said "we have to take a look at what tools are available to us to try to somehow mitigate that gap." 1. Concepts to augment the amphibious fleet are being developed by the Alternative Platform and Payload Council. 2. Among the ships under consideration are new Military Sealift Command-run mobile landing platform ships and the Afloat Forward Staging Base, which is a variant using the same hull, and the joint high-speed vessel. 3. Less familiar candidates include Large, Medium-Speed Roll-on/Roll-off supply ships, T-AKE dry cargo transport ships, Cape M-class heavy-lift ships and Aviation Logistics Support Ships.