The DDS has announced an Amphibious Support Carrier / Primary Casualty Receiving Ship will be developed as part of the DDS' power projection ramp up. The ship will be SUP based and may well be derived from the Missileer in that it will have extensive docking bays for shuttles like the SROPS and future UCVs like Ferret. The ship will also be a Primary Casualty Receiving Ship able to receive battle casualties which can then be treated or sent to the future class of hospital ships expected to start arriving next year.
The ships would operate in conjunction with the now building Pangaea class LPDs. Specifications are now being drawn up with a possible first build late next year.
A rumoured purchase by the DDS is of 2 Utrek Hyper Speed Transports off the HCS. These small ships have often been used by special forces as they are capable of 900c. It is thought the 2 ships bought are ex-ODS. These ships are small enough to be operable from a Missileer docking bay, though are expected to be deployed from Marconi class ships when they receive their Sigint / Special Forces upgrades.
