If the Pentagon is serious about reorienting the Marine Corps towards distributed operations and shifting from the fleet structure detailed in the Navy’s longstanding 355-ship goal, it is quite possible the Marine Corps could continue to radically shift amphibious vessel requirements, shedding some $20 billion to $30 billion in conventional large, multi-billion-dollar amphibious assault vessel recapitalization costs over the next 30 years. In fact, it may well be time to start planning a commando-oriented Colombia class variant to be added into the production line just as Columbia class ballistic missile submarine production winds down. Procuring a few Columbia class submarines to support a commando/unmanned craft mothership-type mission might be quite useful. The smaller attack submarines will certainly be hard-pressed to embark 70 to 100 Marines, and it will be nearly impossible to accommodate all the various armories, munition storage areas, staging rooms, berthing and mission planning areas Marine raiders need to be fully effective without compromising the attack submarine’s ability to fight other ships and subs. But even though commando gear can now be packed into Virginia Payload Modules, space will still a problem-even aboard the bigger Block V Virginia class subs. Certainly, older Virginia class submarines can, by sacrificing a fully functional torpedo room, take up the slack by berthing a Marine platoon or some 40 special operators. On the other hand, the fate of the Ohios’ legacy commando support mission is not being openly discussed. Lengthened and equipped with big, multi-mission Virginia Payload Module containers, the Navy is eager to use the new subs to reconstitute the lost Ohio class missile tubes, using them to test out the conventional Prompt Global Strike ballistic missile concept. Over the coming years, the Navy plans to purchase at least 12 “stretched” Block V Virginia class attack submarines for missile-carrying duties. To make up for the estimated 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles the four converted Ohio class cruise missile submarines can deploy, the Navy is turning to the legacy Virginia (SSN 774) class attack submarine. Aside from troops, the enormous subs carry a lot of offensive weaponry that the Navy is already racing to replace. The Navy has found that big, flexible missile subs, once converted and freed of the nuclear deterrence mission, are both popular and useful. "We're taking what we already know how to do and combining it together," Houston said, pointing to the payload and speed of the Seawolf class, the electronics of the Virginia class, and the expected service life of the Columbia class.It is time to consider adopting the Columbia class missile boat design for other missions. The new submarine is dubbed SSN(X), indicating that the design is not yet determined, but Houston said the boats would take the best features of the Navy's three previous sub designs: the Seawolf- and Virginia-class attack submarines, or SSNs, and the still-in-development Columbia-class ballistic-missile submarines, classified as SSBNs. Houston is now the head of Naval Submarine Forces, Submarine Force Atlantic, and Allied Submarine Command. Bill Houston said of the new program at a Navy League event in July. "We are looking at the ultimate apex predator for the maritime domain," Vice Adm. US Navy officials are already laying the groundwork for the next generation of nuclear-powered attack submarines, drawing on the current fleet to develop a fearsome new boat. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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