Sunny wrote:
That's not the way the reference reads, the "replacement" of the five
vessels are hinted to at the bottom of the article.
(We will still require tankers and re-supply ship capability)

An engineer I know who recently retired from Department of Defence
worked on the LSS study. He told me this morning they were quite
definately to do replenishment and supply as well as carry a battaliion
of troops, helos and LCMs.

Aside: In the first version of the LSS study they even proposed flying
F/A-18s off them. Using the US Navy ski jump tests of the F/A-18A in the
late 80s they decided that they could operate the Hornets off a 226m
flight deck (only 14m longer than the Melbourne). This was later dropped
because if Aus was to get the JSF it was unlikely to be the CTOL or
STOVL version so the fast jet capability would end with the Hornet.

Cheers
David