Nope, I didnt miss the F-35s in the barn. I think you missed the detail of how you get those jets in the fight because as
@Treetop Flyer pointed out, the barn is usually packed full of broken jets. That neat little drawing also conveniently leaves out all the other stuff the MEU will bring with it and all the SE and other crap that spills over into the hangar. As to you saying the V-22s will live on the LPD where will the HMLA and HMM live? This concept pretty much locks out the rest of the MAGTFery that usually goes with an LHD. Which is fine if all you want to do is play with F-35s. But as soon as you want to move some Marines or poop out some LCACs you start losing out on your mini-carrier.
If you think VARS and an AEW V-22 will work then you're smoking crack. Again, where will you put them and how will VMM feel about not doing Assault Support with those assets?
I think the Marines are hoping MUX will fix all these problems by being all the things but there's no shortage of technical risk in their neat OV-1 slides.
Can an LHD function as a mini-carrier? As others have pointed out, not on its own.
To function as CVL's, you would want some of the same modifications that were added to increase stand-off range for the gators. Designed around the F-35 and V-22, the
America (LHA-6) and
Tripoli (LHA-7) have double the amount of jet fuel, 50% more hangar space, more deck space (but no well deck) and much better radar systems (
LHA-8) from the previous LHD design allows these ships when required to function as CVL's. (The
Bougainville (LHA-8) returns the well deck at the expense of aviation fuel storage but maintains the extra hangar space and the extra deck space.) The ability to carry a couple of squadrons of F-35's is a significant increase in flexibility, amplified by the extended range of the V-22 VARS aerial refueling. (I'm betting the VARS will happen.)
The MEU's ACE loadout was, is and will be mission dependent; in the past some have been skid heavy, some have been $hitter heavy, the Lightning Carrier concept will be a F-35 heavy configuration. In the past with these non-standard configurations, some aircraft have migrated to the LPD, in this configuration it is likely the V-22's will be on the LPD. HML/A and HMH will be ashore, same with a substantial portion of the GCE and/or LCE. That said, the V-22's and a couple of companies of infantry aboard the LPD / LSD still allow some of the MEU's mission set such as TRAP and NEO. The
USS Wasp moved through the South China Sea a few weeks ago with 10 F-35's on the deck which is non-standard configuration.
As to the sketch showing aircraft in the hangar, maintenance (hangar queens, phases, unexpected malfunctions and aircraft awaiting FCF) - I expect a portion of the assets are unavailable - thus the aircraft in the hangar are logical.
Is the Lightning Carrier a replacement for a CVN? No. Can a Lightning Carrier supplement a CVN? Yes.
Note: aircraft carriers and/or helicopter carriers in the Pacific (not counting China.)
Japan : 2
Izumo class (
Izumo, Kaga) at 814 ft, 27,000 tons (no well deck)
2
Hyuga class (
Hyuga, Ise) at 646 ft, 19,000 tons (no well deck)
Australia: 2
Canberra class (
Canberra, Adelaide) at 757 ft, 27,500 tons (well deck)
South Korea: 2
Dodko class (
Dodko, Marado) at 653 ft, 18,800 tons (well deck)
India: 2 aircraft carriers (
Vikramaditya, Vikrant) with arresting gear but no catapults
And in the news... British defense contractor BAE Systems is offering a Queen Elizabeth-class design as a contender for India’s third aircraft carrier, which will be built in India.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/b...india-new-queen-elizabeth-class-carrier-53397