Shipbucket

I love it but apparently they didnt get serious about the sea king replacement

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Supreme Commander of the Astrofleets

Be nice to see more LCF's
Be interesting to see some other nationalities variations on LCF

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"There was nothing wrong with Titanic when she left the Shipyard" Tim McGarry Belfast Comedian

You say that, but it's not a joke. Sikorsky still hasn't delivered the first new chopper if I'm correct.

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Would you please not eat my gun...

So, some changes. I'm entertaining name suggestions for the second LCF derivative, which has a hangar for two helos, and only 48 + 8 VLS. It's a more ASW focussed version:

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Would you please not eat my gun...

Certainly looks a lot more versatile now. I've always wondered why the Original LCF's were designed to carry only one helicopter. Two helicopters does not only add enchanted ASW, but also ASuW capabilities.

My only question is about the ESSM launching position. With the real LCF's this area is a much lower placed deck with high ''walls'', placing the center of weight of the Mk141 a lot lower on the ship. Is this the same with the ESSM? Otherwise she I'd think she would tend to be top-heavy... also maybe place some scuppers to drain rain water?

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“The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person who is doing it.”

would love to see the LCF design become a NATO and Commonwealth standard ship

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"There was nothing wrong with Titanic when she left the Shipyard" Tim McGarry Belfast Comedian

Mostly because it's an airdefense ship, I think. All large European Air Defense "frigates" carry only one helo.
Well, those ESSM tubes replace the Harpoon missiles, which were located in the top half of that location. Maybe 16 tubes is too much, but as far as weight goes I figure at least one MK41 8 cell system should be viable in that location.

Instead of Harpoon, this ship has LRASM, launched from the forward VLS.

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Would you please not eat my gun...

Even if you could ship an 8 cell block that is 32x ESSM theoretically, which is nothing to be sniffed at. Look at the T23s or even T45/Horizon, they only have 32 Sea Wolf and 48 total cells for ASTER in the latter case...

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AU Projects: | Banbha et al. | New England: The Divided States
Blood and Fire

Well, with CAMM (also quadpacked) on the horizon and with room left for a few more cells, the T45 could get quite a loadout too.

But yeah, these LCF have been lengthened so that there is room for a 64 cell vls up front (although the ASW version only has a 48 cell system with room for an upgrade). Add the 8 cell ESSM system, and you're looking at 72 cells... and at least 96 missiles. That's a lot of dakka.

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Would you please not eat my gun...

Great looking ship with a lot of fire power, sounds good to me.