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Posts: 5761
Feb 18 08 7:05 AM
"The Interdiction Assault Ship: Not sure where this conversation began but you may be interested to know that when 'making the case' for reactivation of the four Iowas in 1978-79, I designed and we had built what we called the 'Interdiction Assault Ship' which was an Iowa with the rear turret removed. We covered the hole with six inch steel and installed a vertical launch missile farm that projected up into a split ski-jump deck for STOVL operations, helos (today V-22s). All five-inch guns were replaced with 155mm turrets. CONOPS was for the ship to act as a hot deck for various air ops. It had a rear deck elevator and could house about eight Harrier-sized aircraft below in the now hangar bay. It attracted a lot of attention and caused a Navy internal study of Battleship Battlegroups to compliment CV Battlegroups. It helped bring about the acceptance of reactivation but was later discarded (excuse was money). Guess how many CM were in the farm: 320!!!!! Plus six 16" guns and lots of 155s. On a platform which could withstand any ordnance existing in the world. A WAR machine which also served as the command/control ship for the force. The hangar bay could also serve as the temporary home for hundreds of marines or SOF forces.. I envisioned that the skyjump deck and hangar deck would serve as a temporary base for whatever mix of air assets were to be assembled for the particular mission assigned. It could be all "lift/insertion" with the hangar deck serving as a temporary residence for 500 grunts who would be lifted from the flight deck by helo/V-22/whatever. It could serve as a forward fire support base for STOVL fighters or armed helos after the insertion or however desired. It was not meant to become a permanent home for an air group as is the case on a CVN. It had two elevators. The ship would also serve as the command headquaters for the operation; great survivability advantage over todays command ships. Had a six foot long model constructed which sat in the Pentagon for about ten years where it was viewed by folks who took the 'tour'. Still a good idea."
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