Again, we will have to disagree with you regarding usefullness in those scenarios. I feel you woul be more receptive if you did the math on platform numbers in both real life and in my AU.
TODAY/2012
DDG - 61
CG - 21
FFG - 28
LCS - 3
TOTAL - 113
REAL WORLD/2017
DDG - 66
CG - 17
FFG - 10
LCS - 12
TOTAL - 105
AU/2017
DDG - 66
CG - 14
FFG - 6
LCS - 8
TOTAL - 94
AU + FFLX/2017
DDG - 66
CG - 14
FFG - 6
FFLX - 0
FFGX - 0
LCS - 8
TOTAL - 94
REAL WORLD/2022
DDG - 72
CG - 13
FFG - 0
LCS - 24
TOTAL - 109
AU/2022
DDG - 72
CG - 0
FFG - 0
LCS - 8
TOTAL - 80
AU + FFLX/2022
DDG - 72
CG - 0
FFG - 0
FFLX - 4
FFGX - 3
LCS - 8
TOTAL -87
Note:
- Not a singe Flight III has been ordered, the most optomistic start date for first construction is 2016. If it has a shake down resempling the LCS or DDG 1000 it will have inital operating capablity in 2020 or 2021.
- LCS construction has been spotty and ordered hulls have no real production schedule to speak of. I assumed two a year after 2017.
- 4 CGs are slatted to decom this year, selected due to the maintenance costs of those specific hulls relative to the rest of the class. The current lifespan for each unit is 35 years, which is where the numbers decommed beyond these four came from.
- FFG decommission is not finalized past this year, but the SECNAV has stated they will not serve past 2019 and rejected Congressional pressure to keep them in service longer.
- DDGs are currently suffering a delay in production stoppage between 112 amd 113, the soonest we will see an startup Burke operational is 2015.
- DDG51s had a built service life of 30 years, which means they will start decomming in 2021. There is an initiative to extend their life to 40 years by fiat with no budgeting provided to provide for elderly and heavily abused hulls. It could happen though.
Now to be honest the budget issues from my AU aer exagerated for effect. However, they are very real and you will see the LCS truncated severely (its already happening) and if an order isn't placed for the Flight III soon 2016 for construction is a pipe dream. I also don't see the cruisers around much longer, the early retirement of the four this year is a glimpse into the future.
With the real numbers, however, you can very much see that the fleet is being hollowed out, left with either the capable Burkes or the near useless LCS. There is no replacement for the CGs in the near future even if the Flight III makes it. Also bare in mind that the missle dense requirement set by Congress is 94 BMD ships by 2025, something we aren't going to hit by a long shot no matter what. So in this light, in real life or my AU, thats where the FFLX makes sense. It helps fill the gap caused by decomming DDGs and CGs while freeing up the BMD (and STRIKE) capable Burkes to fulfill that mission.
Also, another pic of the inards of a large tactical laser to help me with fitting into the hull properly:
The emitter on the nose of the aircraft is similar in form and function to what the Lanser emitter will be. I believe the ability of this thing to be able to withstand the airodynamic and pressure forces of that location speaks well to its generally survivability against normal conditions, including waves.
![[ img ]](http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/05/MSF06-1488-2.jpg)