"Small Combatant Naval Force for the US" Topic

Writing in Proceedings magazine, John Goff argues that the U.S. Navy needs to develop a missile patrol boat force for areas such as the South China Sea. He proposes using a larger version of M80 Stiletto experimental ship.

Do you agree?

I think the LCS, given an 8 pack Harpoon launcher and a VLS system of say 24 cells, would be more than capable of performing in that role. It is fast and would fit the bill perfectly for a role like that. In fact I'd market the LCS to nations like The Phillipines and Vietnam armed this way as a further force multiplier.

The Stiletto is too small and would only result in a needless boondoggle if we tried to develop it into an offensive weapon rather than a SEAL delivery system for which it was originally designed.

Yes, though I'm not sure what it should look like.

The M80 is a very interesting design.

If I had to buy one off the shelf, I'd go for an upgunned Visby-class vessel, with RAM, Harpoons, a fore-deck gun, and other VLS weaponry under the aft deck, instead of a helo pad. Add a helo-drone instead, and perhaps some lasers for self-defense too, if it has the power needed for them.

Instead of enlarging the M80, they should use the 'Sea Fighter (FSF-1)' as a base.
Add some of those nice 35mm Oerlikon CIWS cannon. The inside of the ship has a massive amount of usable space to have VLS mounts or having the missile fire out of flanks.
The prototype was cheap to produce, can out run LCS, has better sea keeping than monohulls.

I think it's a terrible idea.

One of the main problems with the USN is that it threw all $ & development into vessels meant to fight small boats that Iran or terrorists might throw at us. What happened is that development focus went towards small, fast, but undergunned naval craft.

As actual threats such as Russia and China emerge, small craft are unsuited to take-on large modern fleets.

What's the point launching gunboats into the SCS? They don't have the range to reach it, so will depend heavily on vulnerable tenders. I don't see the point in defeating islands, fortifications and air-power with gunboats.

Niether do I see a comparison in US power projection requirements and small, poor nations using FACs to protect their coastlines.

We already have ships capable of operating in the South China Seas and owning it. They're called fast attack submarines.

Cwlinsj, you do realise the USN has like 10 mega huge carriers with coresponding mega huge carrier fleets?

I don't think the USN is in any danger of loosing naval superiority.

Provide the Phillipine navy with the small ships, training, maintence etc and data links and keep the USN as the big stick.
Thus building regional partnerships and capabilities.

Gunfreak, why don't you reread my response to the original post.

Now what are you talking about and what does it have to do with my comments to the OP?

You said the USN spent to much money on smallships, it seemed you forgot the us has plenty of medium to mega huge ships.

You made it seem like the entire USN consisted of ruber dingies with a guy standing in front with a 9mm as the main gun.