Balikatan 2023

[OnMyWay]

I've been out to the airport twice, but no activity when I was there.  Just happened to catch these guys right in the Freeport.  4-5 huge hovercraft on the beach.  I couldn't get a good pic so the second pic is from the web.

Question:. How do they move these huge hovercraft over long distances?  Do they pack them into bigger ships?

[JJReyes]

The US Marine Corp has a 31-ship fleet of large Amphibious Warfare Vessels to ferry men and equipment near a conflict zone.  They look like a hybrid between an aircraft carrier (helicopter landing zone) and a ferry boat.  The military hovercrafts carrying tanks & armored vehicles were probably stored in the belly of the ship.  They then transport the equipment on the beach or shoreline.  Another feature is the ability to flood the interior.  You can also store smaller amphibious assault vessels and submarines that floats once the ship's belly is below sea level.

There is ongoing debate with some in the military advocating for smaller, lighter vessels for the future.  One reason is the current fleet's maintenance budget is around $150 million each, excluding operational expenses.  

[OnMyWay]

25 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

Another feature is the ability to flood the interior.  You can also store smaller amphibious assault vessels and submarines that floats once the ship's belly is below sea level.

I think that must be this one.  We get these in port quite often, but they condemned the main dock where we could easily see them.

Also found this:

Whidbey Island-class
The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship is one of the Navy ship classes intended to transport Marines and their vehicles for amphibious operations. They can carry up to four launch air-cushioned landing craft, the massive hovercrafts that Marines use to carry tanks and vehicles to shore.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whidbey_Island-class_dock_landing_ship

https://sofrep.com/news/whidbey-island-class-navys-eight-dock-landing-ship/

 

[BrettGC]

I've done exercises with these guys.  Amazing to see this massive thing come out the front of another ship, incredible engineering.  They can be carried by any of the amphibious landing ships but were working with the Tarawa.  This was back during Kangaroo 92 or 95, I can't remember which. 

 

Edited April 20, 2023 by BrettGC

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, BrettGC said:

I've done exercises with these guys.  Amazing to see this massive thing come out the front of another ship, incredible engineering.  They can be carried by any of the amphibious landing ships but were working with the Tarawa.  This was back during Kangaroo 92 or 95, I can't remember which. 

 

Do they "compress" and/or "fold" during storage / transport on another ship so they don't take up so much room?

[Mike J]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

Do they "compress" and/or "fold" during storage / transport on another ship so they don't take up so much room?

It would be a bitch to iron out any wrinkles after being folded.   I know what you mean but I could not help myself. 

[BrettGC]

1 hour ago, OnMyWay said:

Do they "compress" and/or "fold" during storage / transport on another ship so they don't take up so much room?

No they don't.  

[BrettGC]

6 hours ago, BrettGC said:

I've done exercises with these guys.  Amazing to see this massive thing come out the front of another ship, incredible engineering.  They can be carried by any of the amphibious landing ships but were working with the Tarawa.  This was back during Kangaroo 92 or 95, I can't remember which. 

 

My memory is slipping, it was a Tarawa class, the USS Belleau wood specifically.  I still have the Zippo somewhere. 

[manofthecoldland]

I misread it the first time thinking it was "Balikistan 2023".  I was wondering where it was located in the PI.....

[OnMyWay]

A few days ago I came to see that there are a lot of Balikatan 2023 videos on you tube, if interested.  Here is one and a link to more.

More:  https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=balikatan+2023

In this one, it shows some the things I went to the airport three times to see, but my timing was bad.  At the beginning of the video, you see an empty tarmac.  The entire airport ended up being filled with equipment.  I think some is still there.  Very cool to see a Mack truck come out the back of a C-17!  A lot of the trucks loaded with equipment rolled through the freeport here on their way to Zambales.  They had to post traffic cops at a few intersections where super long flatbeds had to use the whole road to navigate the turn.