Quote:
Originally Posted by Botnst
The BB's were originally designed to confront each other and to a lesser extent commerce raider and shore bombardment. During WWII their only effective role was in shore bombardment and they only did that after the opposition sub and air forces were ineffective. I can't imagine that has improved since WWII.
If we need seaborne artillery then we need a whole new, keel- up, concept. Not a 60 year-old design.
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And preferably one that doesn't cost $7 billion apiece, such that you can only afford 3 of them.
If the main requirement is simply to have a floating gun platform for shore bombardment, not refight the battle of Jutland, such that you don't have to fire "expensive" cruise missiles at everything - then what you need is the modern day equivalent of the British "monitors" that were used in both world wars.
The "monitors" were more akin to a self-propelled barge than a ship - just big enough to safely mount a twin 15 inch gun turret on, with just enough armor and just enough of a propulsion system to enable the crew to safely putter along off the enemy coast and lob volkswagen-sized shells at anything worth shooting at.
Build something along the lines of a container or RO-RO merchant ship, with emphasis on flat open deck space. Drive on some self-propelled 155mm or 8 inch howitzers and MLRS launchers from the Army, drop on some containerized VLS systems with land-attack cruise or other type missiles, could even add in containerized SAM systems or Phalanx for self defense even - tailor made when you need it fire support ship.