US waits a while longer to lay down the LAW

30th July 2021 - 16:00 GMT | by Peter Ong in California

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Notional design for a LAW-style ship. (Photo: Sea Transport Solutions)

The USMC and USN are undecided on further armament options for the Light Amphibious Warship, as the programme remains at the concept design stage.

Shephard has learned that USMC and USN are still to finalise armament requirements and other survivability features as part of their design concept for the planned Light Amphibious Warship (LAW).

Under the Force Design 2030 modernisation programme, the USN and USMC envisage a fleet of 28-30 LAW vessels — essentially a rear-ramp landing craft with a pointed bow — to operate in the Indo-Pacific littoral region for 30 days at a time.

Each LAW would carry about 40 USN crew plus 75 Marines and their associated ground vehicles, to act as a forward deterrence presence and a ‘ready …