class. The lower two decks would be enclosed and designed for accommo- 
dation of personnel, storage of prepositioned equipment and logistic 
support functions requiring sheltered space. (Note that the runway 
length is directly a function of the takeoff requirements for fully 
loaded C-5B aircraft. Other functional basing requirements may become 
critical to the MOBS configuration should future heavy lift transport 
aircraft be designed for significantly shortened takeoff lengths over 
that provided for C-5 type aircraft. ) 
@ MOBS is conceived as a complete functional alternative to cur- 
rent forward basing infrastructure required for a strategy of "Discrimi- 
nate Deterrence." For example, in specific situations MOBS could be 
designed to serve as a repair/rework facility for carrier-based aircraft 
or, to contain an in-theater dry-docking capability for the carrier 
battle group. It depends on what emerges as a critical need for achiev- 
ing strategic objectives in terms of operational readiness and sustaina- 
bility. The system innovator should not limit his perception of a large 
scale MOBS to that of a single platform. When designing a MOBS configu- 
ration in response to a specified scenario, formulation of first-order 
concepts should include consideration of a localized and interacting 
community of platforms, serving as a single major node within the total 
forward basing network. 
@ Either a single platform or a community of MOBS-type platforms 
will be expected to provide berthing and servicing accommodations for 
small ship-to-shore surface craft as well as normal waterfront require- 
ments (i.e., break-bulk cargo transfer, ammunition and POL handling) as 
part of the logistic support structure for theater operations. This 
provision should be designed to enhance the current NCEL concept of a 
Deployable Waterfront which is viewed as a most likely interfacing sub- 
system with the MOBS array. 
@ On the basis of extensive analytical studies including 1/10th- 
scale model testing by NCEL, the basic MOBS building block is seen as a 
300- by 300-ft three-deck module constructed of buoyant prestressed 
26 
