Re: How big is a troopship? [DS/FT/SG2] (and what it all means)

A great post by Tom...(per SOP)

Thomas Barclay wrote:

> I went with 1 FB Mass = 25 CS (SG2).
> But then we get into the question of supplies:
> How much does a modern mechanized force consume?
> I believe I got figures like an average of 10 kg a day in low tempo
> operations, 20 kg a day in normal operations, and 40kg a day in high
> tempo operations per man. This includes food, water, medical supplies,
> ammo, gasoline or other fuels, etc. (Owen, Los, anyone else care to
> oppose these figures or suggest some alternates?).
>

I think we talked about this a while ago. Depends on the environment.
Lets
say standard (non-arid non freezing environment.) water consumption
alone
on the ground should be about 2-3 gallons per day which translates to
16-24 pounds (somebody do the conversion). ( I wouldn't rely on
purifying
your own for the first couple of days though that needs to be planned
for
in later days.) In arid operations this is probably 5-8 gallons (@ 8
pounds a gallon) if the guys are really moving. (Quart an hour just
doing
nothing is standard doctrine). As far as rations go three squares (two
in
a bind) all from ration packs can be sustained at least a week before
some
GI kills somebody <grin>. An current MRE weights .025 pounds according
to
FM7-70 but that seems a little light. I figure 3 MRE's plus pogey bait
and
other supplements will come to 3 pounds a day. Other incidentals such as
meds (ala anti-malarial) bug juice, personal kit batteries and what not
should be another pound or two. So not including uniform and equipment,
or
ammo that comes out to about 25 pounds of expendable per day. Then we
have
to deal with ammo, at least 2-3 basic loads a day planned (some days
higher temp than others). I don't know what to say about ammo weight
except it probably won't change to much. Caseless ammo might go down a
bit. NAC ammo might be lighter but then they have to lug binary
porpellant
too. Power guns require power cells. Lets go to FM 7-70 (light infantry
platoon and squad again)

M16A2 w/ 30rd mag , 2 ammo pouches with 6 mags or 30 rounds and 2
grenades
weights 17 pounds. A grenadiers (M203) weight with ammo is 41.35 pounds,
a
SAW= 47.45 pounds and an M60=54.95 pounds (a Saw weights a bit over 20
pounds and M60 weight 23 so the rest is ammo about 25 pounds give or
take
for a basic load. AN M16 weighs over 8	pounds with pouches so a basic
load w/ mags is 9 pounds. (includes 2 frags)

Figure the weight for future ammo about the same even if they carry
more.

Rifleman Basic load 12 pounds (added a few 20mm grenades for the GL)
SAW Basic load 26 pounds
PPG Basic load 25 pounds
MLP=25-30 pounds? (Hey they're carrying 4 rockets.)
IAVR (fire and forget) 4.5 lbs.
Smoke grenades 2.5 pounds
Regular grenades (extra) 2 pounds
60mm mortar rounds (1 each) 3.5 lbs
Batteries (2-3 lbs)

SO to keep an rifleman on ops for a day (without reliable water source)
in
a temperate environment during variable tempo operations plan for:
Water=20 lbs
Food=4 lbs
Incidentals=2 pounds
3 basic loads ammo=36 pounds.
Total=62 pounds
NOTE that this does not need to all be carried by the troop on the way
in.
Some can be pushed forward with the company or platoon supply. The
soldier
probably won't be carrying more than 2 MREs and 1.5 gallons of water and
2
basic loads if he knows the rest is coming down or prepo-ed elsewhere.
Carrying more than 33% of your body weight for	extended periods will
degrade performance more and more every day.  (though everybody does it)
A
200 lb guy. 40 lbs of equipment uniform and weapon., 62 pounds of
consumable per day.

A generic Squad would need
Riflemen x 5=310 pounds
SAWx1=77 pounds
Squad equipment (6 IAVRs, Commo batteries etc)=50 lbs
Total= 440 lbs (rounded up)
SO a standard platoon (3 squads and an HQ with one PPG	and MLP would
need)
1800 pounds rounded up.

A week's supplies planning for whatever contingency is on the planet
carried by the transport for the platoon would be 12,600 pounds per
platoon. Again this is just hip pocket SWAG. I think that assault
transports ought to carry at least that much and then rely on supply
ships
with the fleet for extra stuff.

>
> So, we have two approaches: 1 is to assume the quoted cargo space
> above includes some amount of supplies (a weeks?) as well as the
> marine. Reasonable. The other is to assume supplies are extra.
>

I say factor in a week on the transport. It would be criminally
irresponsible to separate the two completely.

<snipped all the other good stuff>

A word about assault landers. I would never ever land anything bigger
than
a platoon in one ship in any environment that  was dangerous as per the
reason's TOM outlines above. One yahoo with a shoulder fired weapon
who's
been skipped by sensors for whatever reason (remember each tech always
has
a counterbalance to it) can ruin your whole expensive invasion! SO
Chinook
sized landers seem the way to go. Nor do I buy them fulfilling dual
roles
ala the aliens ship. They are too valuable. Have a dedicated fire
support
vehicle.

The exception of course would be you OUT ON THE FRINGE type of patrol
ship
that carries an away team vessel with a platoon of marines. in that case
it is reasonable to roll it into one.

Los