LPD: The U.S. Navy’s Most Versatile Vessel Isn’t A Destroyer Or A Submarine (From Forbes)

Last year, the U.S. Navy decided to buy a second flight of the LPD 17 amphibious dock ship, meaning that by mid-century most of the vessels responsible for moving Marines and their equipment will be of that class. It was a smart move and not just because LPD 17 is the most survivable, habitable amphib in history. It is also turning out to be remarkably versatile, a true force multiplier because it can accomplish so many missions from a single hull. That’s important in a world where threats are becoming increasingly diverse and amphibious warships sometimes need to operate independently from other vessels in the fleet. The LPD 17 class of warships has become a big success story for expeditionary warfare, and for U.S. sea power. I have written a commentary for Forbes here.