[Delhi Rebels]

I seriously doubt that the U.S. used asbestos on the larger boiler-fired amphibious ships or on our carriers, and none of them seem to suffer from boiler melt-down. Why didn’t India tell the Russians to use what we use? I can’t imagine it’s any sort of deep, dark military secret.

[PowderMonkey]

"Why didn’t India tell the Russians to use what we use?"

Probably did. Third World govt. contracting requires one to navigate through an arcane labyrinthine system of meaningless rules, regulations, corrupt kleptocrats, and contractors who simply don't understand that a bill of materials, and deliverables schedule means exactly what it says. Dealt with it all over the world myself. The stories would make a terrific comedy movie.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

I’ll bet dollars to donuts that the early Nimitz class all used asbestos. There is absolutely nothing wrong with asbestos, properly handled. In the ship building crash during World War II, when standards were looser, a lot of asbestos was blown in without proper safeguards for workers and handlers.

Once asbestos is installed, it’s harmless. The danger from asbestos is inhalation of airborne fibers. It’s only as an aerosol that asbestos poses any danger. The entire “asbestos remediation” project was a farce, the best thing you can do with installed asbestos is leave it alone. They used to put tiny jars of asbestos in Gilbert chemistry sets.

It’s another example of the triumph of hysteria over facts.