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The U.S. Navy's Seawolf-Class Submarine Nightmare
National Interest ^ | 3/7/24 | Brandon J. Weichert

Posted on 03/07/2024 7:04:51 PM PST by hardspunned

The U.S. Navy's Seawolf-class submarines, with a cost of $3.5 billion each, represent some of the most advanced undersea warfare technology ever developed, boasting capabilities that remain a concern for Russian and Chinese military strategists. Despite their intended role to supersede the Los Angeles-class attack submarines and counter Soviet Akula class submarines, only three Seawolf-class submarines were built due to their substantial cost, consuming a quarter of the Navy's construction budget in the 1990s. This decision to limit production came as investments shifted towards the more expensive Ford-class aircraft carriers, despite the increasing effectiveness of anti-access/area denial strategies by adversaries that potentially undermine the utility of carriers in conflict zones.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: Military/Veterans
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To: hardspunned

The author is about the only one who will miss SEAWOLF. The Navy is rolling out 2 VA Class subs a year and new Columbia Class SSBNs are under construction in Groton. It’s nice to have a couple of old spook boats around, but no one is saying we need more.


21 posted on 03/07/2024 8:54:05 PM PST by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91. )
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To: montag813

I like Ike... I was born during Ike.


22 posted on 03/07/2024 9:10:51 PM PST by Bullish (...And just like that, I was dropped from the ping-list)
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To: TexasGator

You miss my point. In the desperate condition the Japanese were in, using all manner of substandard planes, pilots with no experience, flying into incredible amounts of anti aircraft and American fighters at Okinawa (the most deadly battle the USN ever fought) and the Philippines, they were able to hit 30 aircraft carriers. If in 1942, when they were our equal at sea, had they sent most of their 250 top of the line aircraft at Midway at our carriers as kamikazes, they would have sunk all of them. A trained kamikaze pilot in a top of the plane (a manned cruise missile), when deployed in waves would have shown the extreme vulnerability of aircraft carriers. Exactly what Iranian or Chinese missiles will reveal if our carriers are deployed against them in a non proxy war. The kamikaze plus V2 rocket were the very early harbingers of the demise of the carrier.


23 posted on 03/07/2024 9:19:43 PM PST by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: Thrownatbirth

That is very reassuring to hear.


24 posted on 03/07/2024 9:20:35 PM PST by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: hardspunned

The nightmares of the most supreme nation on earth.

This article is complete nonsense as per usual.

www.forex.com

takes ten minutes to load up on rubles.

why not back this twice sometimes three times a day allegiance to Iran, Russia and China>?


25 posted on 03/07/2024 9:20:49 PM PST by Freest Republican (This space for rent)
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To: Freest Republican

Off the meds again, huh? Isn’t someone responsible for looking after you? Better you release your demons here than on the street somewhere.


26 posted on 03/07/2024 9:24:13 PM PST by hardspunned (Former DC GOP globalist stooge)
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To: hardspunned

What is it called in Detroit when a guy hypes something endlessly but refuses to take a stake in the outcome?

Aren’t Russia and Iran winning? You’re 10mins and a credit card number away from endorsing this conviction.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s POV from Teheran, Moscow and Beijing.


27 posted on 03/07/2024 9:30:06 PM PST by Freest Republican (This space for rent)
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To: hardspunned

It’s possible that they might have won the battle. We had fewer carriers than they had during that battle so they could have concentrated more aircraft on fewer targets. As I remember, they couldn’t find our carriers until later in the battle.

We learned how to best protect the carriers by picket lines of destroyers and destroyer escorts and anti-submarine tactics. That was standard operating procedure and was refined as the war went on.

A Japanese victory at Midway would have been a terrible defeat. But as Admiral Yamamoto told the Imperial Japanese Staff, he could hold the Americans off for a year or maybe two, but after that, the war would be lost.

So an American defeat at Midway would only have prolonged the inevitable.

Regards-


28 posted on 03/07/2024 9:36:26 PM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: hardspunned

One more thing which is in agreement to your points on carriers: I would not want to be stationed one.

If the USA survives the next few years as a viable nation, we’ll have a much smaller carrier force and drones will replace most manned aircraft.


29 posted on 03/07/2024 9:46:13 PM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: hardspunned
If in 1942, when they were our equal at sea, had they sent most of their 250 top of the line aircraft at Midway at our carriers as kamikazes, they would have sunk all of them.

They didn't know at the time. But if they used that tactic, we would be able to shoot down some of the planes but not all of them, you're right.

30 posted on 03/07/2024 9:50:38 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: laplata
If the USA survives the next few years as a viable nation, we’ll have a much smaller carrier force and drones will replace most manned aircraft.

Aircraft carriers are obsolete. We should be building drone carriers now. Or maybe we should call them "motherships".

31 posted on 03/07/2024 9:51:48 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: MinorityRepublican

I agree. But it remains to be seen if we are even in the position to need or able to have a fleet 3-10 years out.


32 posted on 03/07/2024 9:56:49 PM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: laplata

Our admirals are fighting the last war. The Houthis are showing the world how to take on the U.S. Navy. Cheap drones. We are using expensive missiles to destroy cheap drones. We can’t be making that kind of trade off in an actual war with a formidable enemy.


33 posted on 03/07/2024 11:08:23 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: montag813

Twenty years ago I complained on FR that, as Bill Mauldin put it, ‘A moving foxhole attracts the eye.’ And a carrier is a slow moving foxhole.


34 posted on 03/08/2024 1:15:28 AM PST by Bookshelf
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To: laplata

Plus the fact that the Kimakazi air craft would have been loaded with explosives and not carry the muniuion or fuel required for air-to-air combat. This is the scenario that resulted in the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot.
Wanna buy some cheap hydrogen peroxide fueled torpedoes? You have to wonder about military logic sometimes.


35 posted on 03/08/2024 3:04:18 AM PST by .44 Special (Taimid Buacharch)
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To: hardspunned

The author is a misinformed idiot.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/04/u-s-navy-to-get-new-unique-submarine-virginia-ssw/


36 posted on 03/08/2024 6:20:23 AM PST by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
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To: MinorityRepublican

That’s right.


37 posted on 03/08/2024 7:59:19 AM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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To: .44 Special

That’s right.


38 posted on 03/08/2024 7:59:52 AM PST by laplata (They want each crisis to take the greatest toll possible.)
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