Deleting hangars creates an amphibious false economy

Removing hangars and other support spaces from amphibious ships transfers costs into deployment and maintenance. The preferred alternative is three LHDs and three repeated Bay-class ships with permanent hangars. The criticism of Albion and Bulwark includes deleted hospital and gym facilities as well as hangars, while the Bay-class criticism concerns hangars. A proper hangar provides cranes, lighting, stores, and shelter for safe helicopter maintenance during long deployments. Without it, aircraft return for longer and more expensive refits, turning a visible construction saving into a larger through-life bill. Procurement economies therefore have to include operational and maintenance consequences.