Shipbucket

I consider doing a submarine rescue ship for my AU and being between two designs:

1) convectional layout with an A-frame at stern
2) Middle crane like Japanese Chijoda and Chiyaya and well for the DSRV

Question is if a ship of second layout could be built with crane for a 55 ton DSRV (derivative of Swedish URF). Japanese DSRV and US Mystic one weighs 40 and 38 tons respectively.

I don't see why not. It might not be technically optimal or the most efficient layout, but it's hard for me to imagine that it would pose an insurmountable naval architecture challenge.

Actually this layout offers safe DSRV launching in 4 m waves instead of 2m with the A-frame.

This was a Japanese study of early 1980's and the new South Korean submarine rescue ship has also middle position of the DSRV.