December 19, 2024: For operations in the Pacific around the Okinawa Islands, the Navy must use shallow draft vessels to move around in these waters carrying suppliers and equipment, supply vessels. The U.S. Army also has its own inshore landing craft for operations in and around the Okinawa Islands. The army appears to be in better shape in this respect than the Navy or Marine Corps.

The Okinawa Islands group is located 780 kilometers southwest of Japan. The 113 islands of the Okinawa group extend 970 kilometers east to west and 388 kilometers north to south. In this area only Okinawa, Miyako, and Ishigaki islands have ports. Getting to the other islands requires shallow draft craft because the average water depth is 2.5 meters. The nearest Chinese coast is 388 kilometers away.

The Navy LCU/Landing Craft Utility and LSM/Landing Ship Medium are slow at 21 kilometers an hour. The Army has 36 MSV-L/ maneuver support vessel-light that replaced 1960s era landing craft. MSV-Ls are 36 meters long with a 1.2 meter draft. Max speed when loaded is 37 kilometers an hour.

The Navy has 73 SSC/Ship to Shore Connector vessels. These are lightweight because of large scale use of composite materials. Combined with four more powerful engines the SSC can attain a top speed of 65 kilometers an hour. The engines are similar to those used in the V-22 tilt-wing transport aircraft.

Useful life of an SSC is 30 years compared to 20 for the 1980s era LCAC hovercraft. Max SSC payload is 74 tons enabling them to carry vehicles. Normally 145 combat troops are transported or 108 casualties on stretchers, plus medical personnel. Top speed is about 65 kilometers an hour. The automated engine management and navigation system can more easily handle rough seas and with less effort from the crew. SSC movement is controlled by a sailor with a joystick and a flat-screen display that displays all relevant information.

The first of the 91 original LCACs was built in 1984, with the last one delivered in 2001. These craft entered service in 1987. LCACs could carry 60 tons, at 70 kilometers an hour, over 350 kilometers from the large amphibious ships they are based on. The major advantage of the LCAC is that it can quickly move over marshes and other coastal obstacles. In this way LCACs, even when carrying an M-1 tank, can land troops on 70 percent of the coastline in the world, versus only 17 percent for conventional landing craft.

In 2001 $35 million was spent to refurbish and extend the service life of the two oldest LCAC vessels the U.S. Navy was using. The refurbishment included an engine upgrade, new side panel skirts and changes to the hull to improve seaworthiness. New communications and navigation systems were installed. All 74 navy LCACs were refurbished at an average cost of $23 million each.

This refurbishment program extended the useful life of the LCACs from 20 to 30 years. Work began in 2005 and was completed by 2023. The refurb replaced engines or extensively upgraded those that didn’t need replacement. Same procedure with replacing corroded structural components. Finally, the updated LCACs get new electronics and other support equipment. All that and a paint job and the refurbs look like new and are actually much improved. The upgraded LCACs were easier to maintain and had better and more reliable performance and were eventually replaced by the SSCs.