CAS-12 is a look into the future with no clear plans and it's OK if that remains blank for now. It would have to be in my opinion either massed unmanned attack vehicles or a new technology to visually disguise the ship (maybe some holographic technique). It's essentially a sci-fi plane right now. I may actually drop the model in favor of either a long range tac bomber (F-23??) or long-range stealth but subsonic strategic bomber (discussed as an option for the B-3)
SH-90 was a competitor to the Su-39 and canceled in favor of the latter, so it would be level 11 CAS, not level 12.
A-12N/AW or A-10C should be US CAS 11.
Re CAS-12. Only mentioned the Sh-90 as it was a good design for a stealth-ish modern CAS. In the 90s the problem of aircraft survivability in the face of modern ADS was becoming important. (A-10 vs Tunguska/SA-15 are horrible odds) Stealth was seen as the answer. British FOAS, American A-12 Avenger were seen as the next step in CAS. Sh-90 in itself was not stealthy but its weapons were carried internally & any improved variant (Sh-90B/M) would likely be stealth 4 sure.
However this fell out of favor in the face of 2000s conflicts where HALE/MALE UCAVs (out of range of SHORADS) could effortlessly engage ground targets & provide precision engagement for ground forces. MQ-9 Reaper, IAI Eitan/Heron being prime examples. Follow on stealth designs such as BAE Corax or RQ-3 DarkStar are being examined.
Re swarm UCAVs.
Boeing JITSA/Dominator, Rheinmetall Taifun/TARES are next gen swarm UCAVs. These, especially the JITSA (540 suicide drones with 3 EFP warheads each PER C-17 = 1500 precision warheads/ C-17 sortie!!
) can deliver an especially devestating strike on armored forces (super high hard attack) However they are all suicide drones, as such, they should be considered a cruise missile tech, not a CAS per say.
>>>>>>>>>Amphibious/Transport Ship Tree<<<<<<<<<<<<<
The generic Transport/Generic LR transport/ Generic nuclear transport tree really needs a re-write.. There has been an entire tree of development of amphibious forces in the 20th century thats being completely ignored. Here is my proposition.
Generic Transport, 1936+
the generic flotilla remains as a standard transport ship group. Converted passenger ships etc. Retains all the stats of the current HOI/AOD version.
Attack Transport Ship (APA/AKA), ~1940 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attack_transport
Wartime transport ships, equipped with some additional armor but more importantly decent AA/DP gun armament. These should be as generic GP transports save additional point of or two of air attack, air defence, shore bombardment & possibly surface attack (but short range 10km max).
Notable ship types: Andromeda class, Arcturus class, Charleston class, Tolland class
Hight Speed Transport (APD), ~1942 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_speed_transport
These are refurbished WWI, interwar & newly built destroyer escorts converted into high speed transport. First tried out in campaign of Guadalcanal where it was simply too dangerous to deliver ground forces using standard transports. A high speed armored destroyer with decent defensive armament could deliver couple companies worth of troops onshore & provide fire support at the same time. Less need for escort ships was also a plus. Used mostly by USN & Japanese Imperial Navy in WWII & postwar. Model should be equal in stats on an un-upgraded interwar destroyer flotilla.
Notable ship types: Corsley class, No.1 landing ship, Charles Lawrence class
Landing Ship (LST), ~1944 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Ship,_Tank
Represented by the ubiquitous LST, the Landing Ship is a multi class of several armored vessels. Landing Ship Infantry, Landing Ship Support, & a few others. Delivered ground units directly to shore or close to shore using landing craft. They were heavily armed & armored allowing them to challenge & support beachhead operations directly. Standard amphibious assault vessel since. Model should be a more armed & armored version of an attack transport.
Notable ship types: No.101/103 landing ship, LST Mk2/Mk3, De Soto County class, Newport class, Type 72 Yukan class, Alligator & Ropucha class, many others.
Landing Dock Platform (LPD), ~1960 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibious_transport_dock
Eventually the idea of using large ships to land units directly onshore or even near it became increasingly difficult to do. Coastal anti-ship missiles & development of precision weapons called for offshore basing of units & using landing craft en mass to deliver the ground forces. These landing ships carried less armor but instead a large helicopter landing deck & advanced docking facilities for landing craft to permit a more varied sea assault. A modern point defense SAM/AD system is usually installed.
Notable ship types: Albion class, Ouragan class, Fearless class, Raleigh class, Austin class, Cleveland class, Type-71 class, Ivan Rogov class
Amphibious Assault Ship (LHD), ~1990 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amphibious_assault_ship
An offshoot of a light carrier design tree (should require adv light carrier tech) The LHD combines the LPD docking facilities with a much larger flight deck, increasing its versatility & striking power. Should be relatively equal in stats to a modern 90s+ light carrier.
Notable ship types: Wasp class, Mistral class, Dokdo class, Juan Carlos class, Canberra class
offshoot. "Commando Carriers" ~1955 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Platform_Helicopterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Helicopter_Assault
Landing Platform Helicopter(LPH)/ Landing Helicopter Assault(LHA)
These are simply light carriers with their airgroup modified to hold a marine contingent & associated helicopter transports. No docking facilities are used, only infantry & associated airgroup. In game terms this should probably be a CVL airgroup with large shore bombardment bonus. Prerequisite helicopter & CVL techs would be needed.
Mobile Offshore Base ~2015 tech.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_offshore_base
Advanced future landing ship. Large offshore mega carrier constructed with modules. ~2km long airstrip would permit large transport planes to deliver supplies & goods. Although large it would be slow & constructed of floating concrete to keep costs down. As such it is not a CVH/CVN replacement. However its modular construction & massive size would give it a good defensive ability. Also large missile cells could provide it with superior shore bombardment & air/ship defense capability akin to a missile ship tech. CVN tech required.
OR (both should be included but one would allow the player to block the other)
WIG/Ekranoplan Landing Flotilla.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lun-class_ekranoplanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beriev_Be-2500
Basically a large, advanced & high speed version of the original Caspian Sea Monster
Their speed & fuel economy ensures their ability to rapidly deliver ground forces in a very timely manner. Adv transport plane tech required.
The last two could be secret techs as well. Or simply keep them as a future (2015-2020) tech.
Re short range transports. The numbering system causes the AI to build the latest type of unit, regardless of stats. So far the short range transport models (AAV) but also possible LCAC (Zbur) if holding model #s above the LR transports cause the AI to end up with a very short range transport fleet. Kind of a no-no.
If that can be surmounted than small nations or countries with Brown water navy tech should build SR transports.
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