Some more articles, with pics, relating to the USS Freedom transom:
http://militarytimes.com/blogs/scoopdeck/2010/02/16/freedoms-water-wings/
From before the butt cheeks were added (showing side hatch open)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/goatlockerguns/4102693377/
With the butt-cheeks added
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rimpac2010/4821439069/
Googling for “USS Freedom” stern ramp gets some nice images
Stern ramp open
http://www.flickr.com/photos/skyliner72/3613426579/
Discussion of stern ramp
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2010/March/Pages/LittoralCombatShip.aspx
Great links, thanks, esp the bottom one. Terrific article.
The monohull’s stern ramp system seems ideal, but those two “water-wing” boxes welded on either side of the transom might prove to be a liability to boat launch and recovery, or not. The water-wings seem a crude afterthought, probably after the boat weighed in over estimates. If this becomes a class, I’ll bet they revise the hull and eliminate the water-wings.