Greenert then showed photos of and described the two types of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) and the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) variant of it, and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV), and explained how they could be used as alternatives to the “gray hull” amphibious ships.He said the LCS “replaces our frigates, our mine sweepers and our patrol craft. It’s not a replacement for a destroyer. It’s not a destroyer, not a combat ship,” but could conduct counter-piracy, anti-submarine, mine countermeasures and other missions.Greenert noted that the MLP can ballast down so landing craft could come aboard to transport supplies and vehicles ashore, and the AFSB version has a landing platform that could carry the heavy CH-53 helicopter and the MV-22 tiltrotor troop transport. He said it also “will be strong enough to carry an F-35B for vertical takeoff and landing.”The CNO said the JHSV can carry up to 300 troops “with backpacks, with their guns, some ammo” on a shuttle of 300, 400 miles, and has feeding facilities and a space “that can be upgraded for command and control.”

http://www.seapowermagazine.org/stories/20131025-cno.html

Greenert then showed photos of and described the two types of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), the Mobile Landing Platform (MLP) and the Afloat Forward Staging Base (AFSB) variant of it, and the Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV), and explained how they could be used as alternatives to the “gray hull” amphibious ships.He said the LCS “replaces our frigates, our mine sweepers and our patrol craft. It’s not a replacement for a destroyer. It’s not a destroyer, not a combat ship,” but could conduct counter-piracy, anti-submarine, mine countermeasures and other missions.Greenert noted that the MLP can ballast down so landing craft could come aboard to transport supplies and vehicles ashore, and the AFSB version has a landing platform that could carry the heavy CH-53 helicopter and the MV-22 tiltrotor troop transport. He said it also “will be strong enough to carry an F-35B for vertical takeoff and landing.”The CNO said the JHSV can carry up to 300 troops “with backpacks, with their guns, some ammo” on a shuttle of 300, 400 miles, and has feeding facilities and a space “that can be upgraded for command and control.”