u/Waste_Priority_6557

As the remaining Ticonderoga-Class Cruisers & Ohio-Class boomers retire the Navy is going to be hit with a reduction in capability by ~2000 VLS cells. The shortage will hurt the Navy’s strike capability and the ability to protect Aircraft Carriers From high end incoming missiles.

To me, it seems the natural stop gap measure would be to have a MUSV with MK-70 VLS containers be Burke wing men so they can provide the magazine to absorb the strike & air defense role that the Cruisers had.

Thoughts?

The Japanese obviously have a great frigate on their hands. After landing a big deal with the Aussies, the Kiwis seem primed to follow. It just so happens that this upgraded Frigate has the same 32 VLS cell outline as FF(x).

If the U.S. joined in on the deal then the economies of scale reaped for all four allied partners regarding development, in theater maintenance, domestic manufacturing, and speed of construction could be immense. Additional allied demand brought F-35a prices down from 100 million to an amazing 82.5 million (context: F-15 EX ~110 million). The Mogami and its future iterations would be no different.