Ok...here's an even more radical, futuristic design that I posted on another thread in response to an enquiry about my fictional novel, "Dragon's Fury - World War against America and the West".
I used this in the latter stages of the war depicted in that novel. A whole Phibron would appear from "nowhere" off an enemy coast.
A submersible LPH, nuclear powered, 40,000 tons. Carriers a small squardon of 4-6 JSFs, a small squardon of 4-6 Attack helos, two AEW V-22 variants, 2 ASW V-22 variants, and 8 assault V-22's or large assault helos, two elevators. Also has four inset well decks for four LCAC, one for each well deck. PARS, 2 X 24 cell VLS aft.
Clearly, the launch rate on the attack aircraft is limited by the single STO run, but in VTOL mode they can launch three at a time. In addition, the operations in particular sea states would be impacted. But that would be offset in a big way by its ability to show up anywhere, anytime, unannounced and unseen where needed as long as the sea conditions allowed.
All of the antennae, railings, etc. are retractable.
[qimg]http://www.jeffhead.com/dragonsfury/USN-SSLPHN.jpg[/qimg]
Later in that fictional tale, a SSCVN variant was created that had two luanch positons no well decks, and carried 36 attack, AEW, and ASW aircraft exclusively. I never made a pic of that, but will do so in the next week to depict it.
