See Below. Post 93 from Page 3
At the bottom of Page 408 and the top of Page 409 it also says that ln late 1965 a study showed that 6 LFS were required to support an opposed invasion of North Vietnam (Vin A) which would require a total of 12 to ensure the presence of 6 at H-30 because 3 would be lost in the approach to the target area and 3 more would be lost in the target area. This LFS would be armed with two 175mm guns and four twin 5in/54 lightweight guns.
The above seems to have evolved into the LSFR (because it was armed with guns and rockets) illustrated on Page 411. The date of the design was 29.11.68 and its characteristics were as follows:
- Armament:
- Twelve 5in rocket launchers on the foc'sle;
- Two single Major Calibre Lightweight Gun Mountings (still 175mm) in A & Y positions;
- Four single 5in lightweight guns (Mk 45s) in B, C, W & X positions superfiring the big guns;
- Two Mk 86 directors for the guns, one forward in D position and one atop the aft "mack";
- One BPMS launcher in V position, superfiring the aft 5in guns;
- There was a helipad on the quarterdeck, but no hangar.
- Dimensions:
- Displacement:
- 5,487 tons light;
- 7,258 tons full load.
- Machinery and Maximum Speed:
- Diesel engines producing 15,600bhp, driving twin screws for a speed of 20 knots.
- Endurance:
- 10,000 nautical miles at 20 knots.
- Accommodation for 18 officers and 291 enlisted men for a total of 309 all ranks.
That's the most powerfully armed version of the LFS in the chapter and as this is a money-no-object thread, this is the design that would have been built, with the 8in Mk 71 MCLWG in place of the 175mm version.
That is, it was the most powerfully armed version apart from a late 1967 design for a ship armed with a triple 16in/50 turret, one MCLWG (175mm) and two single 5in guns. The illustration of the ship on Page 409 has two side drawings, one with two 5in Mk 42s and the other with two 5in Mk 45s. There was only one Mk 86 fire control system, no rockets and no BPMS. There would be a landing area sufficient for one HU2K (SH-2) helicopter. The hull dimensions were (480ft x 72ft x 16ft 11in) making it shorter and beamier than the 29.11.68 design. Its displacement at 9,000 tons, was larger than the 29.11.68 design, but Friedman didn't say whether that was the light or full load displacement. Her diesel propulsion was to be sufficient for 20 knots on two shafts, with an endurance of 10,000 nautical miles, which I presume was at 20 knots, although he didn't say so specifically. The ship would accommodate 14 officers and 288 enlisted men for a total of 302 all ranks, which was about the same as the 29.11.68 design.
IIRC another reason why they wanted some Inshore Fire Support Ships was that modern destroyers couldn't get as close to shore as World War II destroyers, due to their increase in size and to avoid damage to their sonar domes.
