Local air-defence weapons differ from an offensive strike load on an ordinary transport. Quad-packed defensive missiles protect an amphibious ship without giving it the same immediate ability to attack distant land or surface targets. A San Antonio-sized hull has room for more than a token defensive installation, potentially two sixteen-cell sets carrying a large number of quad-packed rounds. Self-protection helps the transport reach shore, whereas Tomahawk or anti-ship weapons change what the enemy must neutralize first.
Notable Point · 2:54:12-2:54:55
Defensive VLS does not create the same target priority
Self-defence missiles can protect an amphibious transport without giving it the immediate strike role that moves it up an enemy's target list.