Includes supplementary material. / CAPSTONE PROJECT REPORT / System Engineering and Analysis Cohort 18A and Temasek Defense Systems Institute / Approved for public release, distribution unlimited / The aging Whidbey Island and Harpers Ferry class ships, LSD-41 and 49 respectively, comprise just over one third of the amphibious navy. However, a solution to the capability gap created by the loss of these ships is needed to maintain the effectiveness of the amphibious fleet across a broad spectrum of mission areas. This research effort considers future ship designs and fleet architectures to meet the capability gaps left by the decommissioning of the LSD-41 and 49 class ships. With respect to lift capacity, performance capability, cost and a risk assessment, the analysis showed the LPD-17 or a LSD(X) approximately 30% larger than the existing classes to be acceptable replacement classes. This analysis also supports further research to determine the most robust fleet architecture apart from the current eleven LHA or LHD, eleven LPD and eleven LSD paradigm.

The traditional landings with large warships near the coastline have been replaced by means of vessels moving beyond the horizon from the coast where the landing will take place. The old landing crafts have been replaced by transport helicopters and close air support, a threat that the amphibious battalion lacks resources to meet. The Swedish Armed Forces faces a possible acquisition of MANPADS and therefore the main purpose with this study was to examine the systems: FIM-92 Stinger RMP, Mistral and RBS70 NG, in order to assess which one of them who had the greatest potential to be effective when used by the amphibious battalion in a coastal defense operation. The study was conducted as a multiple criteria decision analysis, based on the concept of military utility. The result indicated that the RBS70 NG was the system that best met the requirements and demonstrated the greatest potential to be military efficient, although Mistral with minor exceptions fulfilled the requirements. As the study was delimited to a theoretical study based on three specific scenarios, further studies are recommended with simulations, as well as field trials before the result can be given a higher validity. The result, however, already helps us to understand how MANPADS contributes with military utility in coastal defense operations. / De traditionella landstigningarna med stora fartyg uppträdandes kustnära har ersatts med metoder innebärandes att fartygen rör sig bortom horisonten från den kust där landsättningen/landstigningen ska ske. De gamla landstigningsbåtarna har i hög grad ersatts med helikoptrar som understödda av attackhelikoptrar och flygplan utgör den nya dimensionerande hotbilden. En hotbild som amfibiebataljonen saknar resurser för att möta. Då Försvarsmakten står inför en eventuell anskaffning av ett buret luftvärnssystem till amfibiebataljonen har denna undersöknings främsta syfte varit att bedöma vilket av systemen FIM-92 Stinger RMP, Mistral eller RBS70 NG som uppvisat störst potential att vara militärt effektivt när de nyttjas av en amfibiebataljon i kustförsvarsoperationer. Undersökningen genomfördes som en komparativ analys med multimålmetod och tre olika typfall som grund. Jämförelsen tog sin utgångspunkt kring teoribildningen om militär nytta och då mer specifikt militär effektivitet. Resultatet indikerade att RBS70 NG var det system som bäst mötte amfibiebataljonens krav och därmed uppvisade störst potential att vara militärt effektivt, även om Mistral med enstaka undantag också uppfyllde kraven till synes utan begränsningar. Då studien avgränsats till en teoretisk jämförelse i tre specifika typfall, rekommenderas fortsatta studier med såväl simuleringar som praktiska prov innan resultatet kan ges en högre validitet. Resultatet bidrar däremot redan nu till en förståelse för vad som ökar den militära effektivitetenvid genomförande av kustförsvarsoperationer.