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We need to develop fast, drive-on, drive-off sealift that can load and deliver a heavy armored division to any coast in the world at the same speed a carrier task force can deploy.

We already have Fast Sealift Ships. The ships can travel at speeds of up to 30 knots and are capable of sailing from the U.S. East Coast to Europe in just six days, and to the Persian Gulf via the Suez Canal in 18 days, thus ensuring rapid delivery of military equipment in a crisis. Combined, all eight Fast Sealift Ships can carry nearly all the equipment needed to outfit a full Army mechanized division. The Fast Sealift Ships are roll-on/roll-off ships equipped with on-board cranes and self-contained ramps which enable the ships to off-load onto lighterage while anchored at sea or in ports where shore facilities for unloading equipment are unavailable. The vessels are specially suited to transport heavy or bulky unit equipment such as tanks, large wheeled vehicles and helicopters.

With speeds up to 33 knots, they are the fastest cargo ships ever built.

Pics of USNS Algol

We have plenty of sealift, but ships are slow and vulnerable and nobody has the patience to wait while the sealift is activated, manned, loaded and in transit.

Seems like 2 or 3 of these Fast Sealift Ships could haul an M1 & Bradley-mounted Armored Cavalry Regiment. Park an embarked Armored Expeditionary Force in Perth and another in Djibouti and they could bring down hellfire and scunnion on whoever deserved it in less than a week

"We already have Fast Sealift Ships."

Good. I hadn't realized they had finally gotten around to building them. I do remember that when I was stationed in Germany in the early 80s these things were barely on the drawing board. As was the C-17.

As for the "too slow" part, even if every bit of our airlift were put into action they can't lift enough "light" armor anywhere to make much of a difference against a heavy mech threat. They would require just as much time. Furthermore, cargo aircraft are infinitely more vulnerable than a cargo ship protected by a naval battle group.

On further examination of the Algol, its big design flaw is that it lacks a well deck that can accomodat LCACs for drive-off beach delivery. The Algol may be able to get anywhere in 6 days, but the LSTs it needs to off-load equipment on a beach can't.

What makes more sense to me, for rapid deployment, is to equipe a "rapid deployment" weapons brigade out-fitted with HUMVEEs toting heavy weapons platforms like TOW's, stingers, Mark-19s, 50 cals. Every company would have a mix of each type of HUMVEE platform (everybody rides, each squad would consist of 2 vehicles). Fast, mobile, and hard-hitting enough to keep things under control till the heavies arrive. A c-130 can carry two HUMVEEs with crews, ammo and suplies for a week or two of operations. But only one stryker, dry.

Makers of light armor systems always say that the key their survivability is the ability to move fast. Nothing on the battle field is as fast and mobile as the HUMVEE and it is no more or less vulnerable than a Stryker. Better to put more trigger-pullers with x-tra firepower on the ground with your airlift than waste lift capacity trying haul a behemoth like the Stryker. And certainly cheaper. IMHO.