Drone Mothership for the U.S. Navy? Here’s How It Could Happen

The United States Navy’s fleet of amphibious transport docks – also known as “landing platform, dock” (LPD) – don’t typically get the same level of attention as aircraft carriers or even destroyers. Yet, these vessels remain critical workhorses that provide the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps with modern, sea-based platforms that can ferry troops, aircraft, land vehicles, and landing craft to distant shores.It was just last week on June 11 that the builder of the vessels, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division christened the 13th and final San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, USS Richard M. McCool Jr. (LPD-29). The ship was named to honor U.S. Navy Capt. Richard M. McCool Jr., who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions in rescuing survivors from a sinking destroyer and for saving his own landing support ship during a World War II kamikaze attack. In addition, his rescue efforts took place exactly 77 years before the day LPD-29 was christened.
“Richard M. McCool Jr. truly embodied the spirit of service above self,” said Under Secretary of the Navy Erik Raven, the ceremony’s keynote speaker. “The sailors and Marines who will sail on this future ship carry on that legacy following the example of spirit, patriotism and selflessness set by Richard M. McCool Jr.”
A Drone Mothership or Drone Aircraft Carrier?
In addition to transporting troops and material around the globe, the San Antonio-class LPDs could soon be used as drone motherships. HII announced on Monday that it completed the successful demonstration of capabilities enabling amphibious warships to launch, operate with, and recover HII-built large-diamete …
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