So many weeks have passed and I have basically... just rearranged the engine spaces again!
Well, honestly I hit a wall with this one so when I opened it back up today I just kind of started over again with the engines. So thoughts on this update:
1.) This is actually the FFGX as I have been doing a lot of thinking about tactical lasers and I was running myself in circles. Sot he bow mount is gone for now and when I get to the FFLX I will probably just replace the Mk110 with the laser weapon. Before you announce victory I have every intention of drawing that design and believe in that location, it was however contributing to my block and I wanted to move on.
2.) Since the FFLX is what the LCS should have been, I wanted it to have plenty of space for small boats/special warfare staging/working room for any number of MIO and humanitarian missions so for all intents and purposes the hangers extend all the way forward to the exhaust stacks, not moved forward as to not obstruct the boat deck or hangar at all. The hanger deck is actually about a meter higher than the rest of that deck and there is a bulkhead there, but with large slidde away doors it can be opened up to provide clean access between them. The original idea was to be able to house four 7 meter rhibs abreast just forward of the hanger with a gantry type crain in the overhead to move them to doors on either side of the vessel.
Then I got a bug to make enough room for a larger small boat such as a CB90 derivative or other spec ops rigs which would be very helpful in many littoral missions. such a craft would also be invaluable when defending against small boats during straights passages and the like. I probably bit off more than I can chew here with the CB90. The door you see is large enough and there is room between the hanger and the exhaust stack to house one with room for a 7m RHIB abreast on either side, but I am feeling it is too much.
3.) With the stacks moved forward I added a small aft superstructure on top of the hanger which will house a lot of the comms and other electronics to take some of the bulk out of the foward mast and make room for the main sensors. I am not sure what sensors I will use yet.