Modified Zubr Class

[lobbie111]

Well I guess what I am asking are two things here...

1) Are hovercraft's still viable as a weapons or transportation platforms?

2) Would it also be viable to modify a Russian Zubr Class with say two more powerful engines and ditch the third one..

Replace the CIWS with RAM's and add a phalnax up the top just in case replace the rockets with two batteries of RAM's with say hydra 70's... and add a Mk41 VLS.

Modernize the crafts radar fire control etc...Redesign the hull to use trimaran technology as well as the rubber for example it could travel with the three hulls with the rubber sucked up close to the hull then it could go in for a landing with the rubber fully inflated..

Would this be a good heavy assault craft.

(oh I am still talking same transport capability ie. 3 MBTs or 500 troops etc.)

 

[kato]

replace the rockets with two batteries of RAM's with say hydra 70's

Why would you want 70mm Hydra pods when you already have the two built-in 20-round 140mm Ogon launchers auto-reloading with 160 rockets each?

As for the other stuff... err, no. Do you have an idea how much that stuff weighs? Just for your Phalanx and RAM, with the necessary strengthening and ablative armour, you'd have to drop one MBT from the loadout. If you can mount them at all, that is.

 

[AegisFC]

Mk-41 and its support systems weighs quite a bit. And yes hovercraft are still useful for transport, the USN has had a lot of sucess with their LCAC's.

 

[lobbie111]

you do realise that it alrady has two 30mm gatling guns now thats a lot of weight RAM's don't weigh that much. I'm sure that one will have to be dropped but I think the concept is still good wouldn't you say?

 

[swerve]

you do realise that it alrady has two 30mm gatling guns now thats a lot of weight RAM's don't weigh that much. I'm sure that one will have to be dropped but I think the concept is still good wouldn't you say?

The concept of fitting Mk 41 VLS to a vessel which is far, far, too small for it? Do you have any idea of the dimensions, or weight, of a Mk 41?

 

[kato]

Let's just take the weight

Say the minimum 8-cell, filled with ESSM.
8-cell Mk41, no canisters, no missiles: ~15,000 kg
8 Mk25 Canisters: ~1,800 kg
32 ESSM missiles: ~7,200 kg
One Phalanx CIWS: ~6,100 kg
Two loaded RAM launchers: ~12,400 kg

And, if i understand you right:
Two empty RAM launchers modified for Hydra: ~9,300 kg
plus about 150 Hydra-70 rockets: ~1,700 kg

Full total 40,000 kg, exactly. The two dropped gatlings save you like 10 tons.

... provided the structure won't fall apart when you drop some 20 tons on the topside.