One possible Type 83 path borrows from a past proposal to turn a San Antonio-class amphibious ship into a ballistic-missile-defence command vessel. A large hull could combine command spaces, VLS capacity, a flight deck, and a dock for repairing and rearming uncrewed escorts. The dock would need to accept craft without forcing the formation to stop, perhaps while maintaining an 18-knot cruising speed. Cranes introduce handling risk and limit the size of craft that can be supported. Accepting these constraints would make Type 83 a drone mothership as well as an air-defence escort.
Chapter · 1:28:06-1:31:40
A Type 83 mothership would support and rearm uncrewed escorts
A drone-mothership option combines air-defence command, VLS capacity, aviation facilities, and a dock able to service larger uncrewed escorts while underway.