Vosselhiem Nautical Industries- Amphibious Support Vessel 'Echo Base' Class *WIP*

Amphibious Support Vessel (Large, Aircraft, Lighterage, RO/RO)

Concept: A conversion of the Kor-Interfreight Echo Class Cargo ship by Vosselheim Nautical Industries with drop in modules for troop accommodations, vehicle storage and maintenance, flight deck and hanger, as well as transfer systems such as a crane, a side loading steel beach, and vehicle transfer ramp. The concept is like the proposed Maersk Lines S class conversion to an Afloat Forward Staging Base. Phase 1 Ships are conversions of existing merchant hulls. Phase 2 Ships are built as Amphibious Support Vessels at the yard and contain minor structural and mechanical changes to make the ship a better transport.

General Characteristics:
Length: 397 meters
Width: 56 meters
Draft: 15.5 meters
Displacement: Approximately 250,000 Tons full load.
Propulsion:
Combined Diesel Electric and Gas (CODAG)
2x 40MW Powerdyne Gas Turbine Generators
6x 25MW Powerdyne Diesel Generators
2 Reversable pitch propellers on 2 Shafts
Speed:
30 Knots max, 25 Cruising
Range:
15,000 nautical miles.
120 Days foodstuffs
30 Days Ammo/Fighting Stores
Complement:
Crew: 1,500 ship’s company, air wing, etc.
4,500 Marines
25 MBT/SPG, 70 APC/IFV, 120 LUV, 20 Trucks
Airwing:
Hanger Capacity
14 V-22 Osprey tilt rotors OR 6 MV-44 Pegasus OR Combination of above. Capable of supporting Attack Helicopters, Other heavy lift helicopters Mi-26 Sea Halo, CH-53K, and transport helicopters.
Flightdeck
Can launch and recover 14 spots at once for VTOL
Transfer Equipment:
Steel Beach loading area and docking for 2 LCAC/LCMs, ability to ballast down to accommodate craft.
Steel Pier allows other vehicles with loading ramps to dock with ship.
100 Ton Side Lift can lift up to hanger deck or down to sea level to allow swim off discharge of vehicles or transfer to landing craft.
2 150 Ton cranes able to be used in tandem.
6 75 Ton cranes.
1 Rear Loading ramp for RO/RO deck, capacity of 120 tons. Able to angle down to sea level to allow offloading onto lighterage, other ships or swim off of vehicles.
2 LCAC
6 LCM
4 RHIB 10m
20 Mexiflote/Improved Naval Lighterage System Sections
Armament: 8 Sea-Ram Point Defense Missile Systems, 10 Millennium Gun Turrets, 20 Hardpoints for mounted machine guns.

Design:
After the War of Unification the Imperial Navy found itself light on available Assault ships so a number of merchant ship conversions were undertaken until proper dedicated vessels could be designed. One of the results of this first phase was the Echo-Base Conversion of a large container ship. The Resulting Amphibious Support Vessel could carry aircraft, embark a large number of troops, cargo, and vehicles to support the second echelon of Assault Operations. Although undertaken as a stop gap measure the class proven popular and may remain in service for some time.

Phase II:
As the Phase I ships proved popular with commanders in the field, a follow on run of ships was commissioned. The major difference between the two is the flight deck and the well deck. On the Phase I ships the superstructure of the merchant ship was unmodified, with a large superstructure cutting across the width of the flight deck. Also, the well deck area was created by cutting a large door in the side of the vessel. The Phase II vessels were constructed years after the initial run and incorporated a lot of feedback from the field. First of all the superstructure was re designed. Having moved the superstructure to the port side as on a traditional aircraft carrier the whole 390 some meters of the flight deck was available uninterrupted or obstructed for air operations. This increased the efficiency and safety of the class as compared to the originals. The engine rooms were moved around, additional ballasting and pumping capability was added to the ship to allow it to launch and recover heavy landing craft from the stern. Most other features remained the same.

Operation:
The Echo-Base Class are designed to travel with an Assault Squadron or Amphibious Preposition Squadron and provide the following:
- Heavy Sealift Capability
- Troop Transport
- Heavy VTOL Operations
- Landing Craft Operations
- Equipment and Supply storage

Heavy Sealift
The Echo-Base Class can carry heavy equipment such as main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles on its RO/RO deck. This area consists of several decks in the rear of the vessel that is attached to the vehicle ramp, side lift, and hanger deck. Vehicles can be discharged directly to the water from both the lift and the ramp.

Troop Transport
The ship can carry a total of 4,500 Marines, configured with large birthing areas, mess halls and hygiene and relaxation space for long deployments. The ship also features virtual training and mission planning areas, work out spaces, armory areas, and other spaces for the upkeep of the embarked Marine unit’s skills. The ship’s accommodations are designed with long term deployments in mind.

Flight Operations
A large flight deck runs the full length of the vessel, with an interruption for the central island bridge. The deck allows for landing spaces for 14 V-22 sized aircraft at once, or 4 MV-44 at once. The hanger can provide capacity for the largest VTOL heavy lift assets. A pair of lifts services the flight deck and the hanger deck, with the side lift being able to travel all the way to the water line. The ship can also operate a great many smaller helicopters and can embark attack helicopters and UAVs. Lastly the LSV can also launch various Mesolite types.

Landing Craft Operations
Carried aboard the ship are a number of small boats, 10m RHIB, Landing Craft Mechanized and LCACs. Naval lighterage for ship to shore connection or seabase transfers of equipment is also carried. The ship has a side opening for the LCAC and this area forms a steal beach with the ability to support the LCM. The LCM are carried externally and are launched via crane. The ship can dock with other ships while at sea through the use of the stern vehicle ramp or the designated steel pier area on its side.

Equipment and Supply Storage
Containers and palletized freight can be carried aboard the ship and transferred via crane, loaded into aircraft or landing craft for transfer to shore. The ship’s heavy cranes are designed to pick up containers, but can also lift military vehicles and lower them to the waterline for waiting connector ships. The ship carries 30 days of stores for a its embarked unit in heavy combat. Vehicle and aircraft fuel is carried as well as refrigerated stores.

Cost:
Phase I ships cost about $250 Million Each
Phase II ships cost about $300 Million Each