CONGRESSMAN DUNCAN HUNTER CHRISTENS U.S. NAVY'S NEW SEA FIGHTER (2004)

House.gov ^ | Feb 5, 2004 | staff

[pissant]

The X-CRAFT becomes the Navy's newest littoral surface craft:

On February 5, 2004, Congressman Duncan Hunter and his wife, the ship's sponsor, christened the experimental X-CRAFT "Sea Fighter" and designated it as the Navy's first "Fast Sea Frame" during a ceremony at the Nichols Bros. Boat Builders Plant in Whidbey Island, Washington.

The high-speed, experimental vessel will test a variety of technologies that will allow the U.S. Navy to operate more effectively in littoral, or near-shore waters. The Sea Fighter will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structure behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system efficiency of high-speed vessels, while serving as a test bed for similar developmental mission packages.

The keel of the Sea Fighter was laid in June 2003. It is 262 feet in length and displaces 950 tons. The ship has a beem of 72 feet and a navagational draft of 11.5 feet. The Sea Fighter's crew will consist of 16 Navy sailors and 10 Coast Guardsmen. Two gas turbine engines, two propulsion diesels and two waterjets will power the Sea Fighter to speeds reaching 50 knots.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE NAVY'S NEW FIGHTER

Congressman Hunter delivered the following remarks during the christening of the X-CRAFT:

“America is at her best when her citizens are working together for the common good, using all their God given talents to advance our nation’s interests. This X-CRAFT, the Navy’s new sea fighter, represents our ability to project force from the sea, over enormous distances in the advancement of freedom.

“Since the birth of our nation, our naval capabilities have been one of our greatest assets. Our early ships where built from white oak on the hills of Virginia, manned by men that were just as tough as the oak hulls of the vessels they built. Over the last century, our oceans have been reduced by technological developments including the submarine, the aircraft carrier, the torpedo and the battleship. With these platforms, and through the brilliance of our innovators and the character of our people, we have engaged and prevailed against the deadliest enemies imaginable.

“Today, the forces of freedom, led by America, have found this new century to be a dangerous one, filled with unpredictable threats. Thus, we realize that American sea power must become increasingly adaptable, capable of fighting in littorals as well as deep water, armed with an array of specialties that can be focused on any rapidly emerging threat.

“Transformation is the big word that we have used in a thousand speeches to describe what must be done. All of you here today have played a part in the first step of building something that really does what we all talked about. The X-CRAFT, the Navy’s new sea fighter, is transformational.

“A battleship was manned with 1700 personnel, a destroyer – 350, and a future DDX will have a crew of only 178. The Sea Fighter can shrink the oceans at 50 miles per hour, armed with affordable weapons with a 600 mile range and a 200 pound payload, delivering with precision 10 times the firepower of a battleship. The Sea Fighter’s crew of 26 is less than 2% of a battleship crew.

“The capabilities provided by the X-CRAFT could not come any sooner. For years, I’ve made speeches about swift – high firepower, multi-role, low crew, transforming ships. Yet, when the reporters catch me at the end of the speech and say O.K., nice speech on transformation, but what are you buying this year? I have to answer, OH... an aircraft carrier, an attack sub, a couple of surface ships and a ro-ro.

“Now, we can finally say that our actions are matching our rhetoric, that we are putting transformational technology in the water. All the people here who have made this happen deserve great credit, including my great friend Duke Cunningham, our top gun in Congress who worked so hard on Defense Appropriations to fund the X-CRAFT. I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis, Senator John Warner, Ted Stevens, Dan Inouye, and our great CNO, Vern Clark, whose steadfastness is manifested in this christening.

“I would also like to thank Tony Batista, former research and development leader of the House Armed Services Committee staff, who had been a quite force behind the project because he believed in it. And of course, the not so quite voice of the late Tom Taylor, whose two pound cufflinks were matched with a great intellect and a colorful personality. We will never forget Tom Taylor. Tom, I want to dedicate this speech to you.

“Behind every successful system is a project officer with a determination. I know everyone will agree that Tom Taylor had all the great traits of a successful project leader and a streak of individuality that mad him a perfect match for the X-CRAFT. I also know that each one of the services here today will be the greatest beneficiaries of the X-CRAFT.

"I visited our wounded Marines in Bethesda yesterday and saw the wounds of the ambush, the improvised explosive device, the fire-fight and the door to door urban battles. These young men, these heroes, bear the brunt of close proximity fighting. With Cheerful determinations, they take on the enemy at arms length, up close and personal, and for the Marine Corps in Iraq, over 400 young men have been killed in action.

“We have in this shipyard, the ability to help. Armed with precision and the ability to get close at high speed, the X-CRAFT and its successors will provide our Armed Forces with greater mission flexibility and delivery. As we prepare for a new century of warfare, the X-CRAFT will certainly emerge as one of the Navy’s most lethal assets.”

[pissant]

Hunter's comments are, as usual, right on target. We need this man in the oval office.

050204-N-7676W-193 Whidbey Island, Wash. (Feb. 4, 2005) – The Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (X-Craft), christened Sea Fighter (FSF 1), at Nichols Bros. Boat Builders in Freeland, Whidbey Island, Wash., will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system of high-speed vessels. The X-Craft is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will test a variety of technologies, which will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral or near-shore waters. U.S. Navy photo by John F. Williams (RELEASED)

050205-N-8497H-004 Whidbey Island, Wash. (Feb. 5, 2005) – Ship Sponsor, Lynne Hunter christens the Navy's newest ship, the Littoral Surface Craft-Experimental (X-Craft), Sea Fighter (FSF 1), at Nichols Brothers Boat Builders in Freeland, Wash. Sea Fighter will be used to evaluate the hydrodynamic performance, structural behavior, mission flexibility, and propulsion system of high-speed vessels. The X-Craft is a high-speed aluminum catamaran that will test a variety of technologies, which will allow the Navy to operate more effectively in littoral or near-shore waters. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Lewis S. Hunsaker (RELEASED)

[pissant]

A friend of mine worked on building this craft.

[pissant]

Hey Sam, here’s a pic of your mother. ;o)

[Bigg Red]

FYI

[ExcursionGuy84]

The way Mrs. Hunter is swinging that White Bubbly, I’d have thought she was fending off a pack o’ rabid Dobermans instead of christening a USN ocean-going vessal.

[pissant]

Bet she got no lip from Duncan jr and Sam when the boys were growing up.

[jazusamo]

LOL! I’ll bet you’re right.

Dang, that’s a great looking craft even if a little strange.

[pissant]

could it be SPECTRE?

[rbosque]

I hope she does well on her tests.

[pissant]

Has so far.

[neodad]

Did some battle exercises using ships with similar technology. Very capable.

[tanuki]

We should send a picture to Iran. ‘Yo, mullahs, try to jack THIS boat!”

[pissant]

I hope they get a production run going soon.

[pissant]

Put that in your turban, you freaks!

[Paperdoll]

LOL! I think you really have to give it a hefty crack or be embarrassed because the bottle doesn’t break!

[Yo-Yo]

There is a family resemblance.

[pogo101]

A bit more about the craft. Can’t vouch for WikiPedia, but for what it’s worth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_Fighter

[pissant]

Indeed.

[pissant]

Thanks

[pipecorp]

Looks like them southern boys was on ta somethin'