Posted on 06/18/2005 5:32:42 AM PDT by SLB
The Navy wants to let go of its last two battleships. But a group called the United States Naval Fire Support Association is doing its best to torpedo that plan. Both sides are firing salvos across newspaper op-ed pages.
The issue: Does a weapon that was born in the 19th century and came to maturity in the 20th century still have a role in the 21st?
The answer could well decide whether the battleships Iowa and Wisconsin rejoin the fleet-in-being - or whether they'll join their sister ships Missouri and New Jersey as floating museums to an age gone by.
(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...
More than likely. ;-)
We have 1 1/2 BBs available. The Iowa still has major damage from the powder bag explosion in the 1980s. Only cosmetic repairs were made.
Unless they put a precipitator or scrubber on her stack, the Iowa will be visible and can be targeted from space.
"No, that's not the reason!"
Dented?! It would have merely left a scortch mark that the last poor bastard to drop a cigarette on deck would be scrubbing off...
Assuming the delivery vehicle gets within range in one piece and the CIW system subsequently fails to intercept the missile.
Also, the superstructure won't burn in the area of the strike like an aluminum one would.
Dude, the only people who refer to objects as "phallic" when debating the merits of them are liberals.
If brought out of mothballs and retrofitted I'm quite sure they would fix the turret problems so there would be two BB's
Does al-qaeda have satelites?
The days of a Pearl Harbor type surprise are over.
Even if al-qaeda could see it was coming what are they going to do about it.
They don't have a fleet of battleships to go out and meet it.
It's not as though we are going to surprise their fleet in port somewhere unless tipped off by the smoke.
If they find out we are heading to some hot spot they are in and they leave then we won without firing a shot.
Bingo.
The 17" plating, IIRC, is the main turrets' facial armor, not the hull plating.
You forgot the armored belt around the hull which is 17 inches. And yes you are correct the hull isnt 17 everywhere. Some of the Armor around the gun directors is 24 inches. I hate to see them go but there is no way we can afford to keep them.
The Red Chinese do and they swap spit with the NKs who sell to the Palis and anyone else with cash.
We are at war with al-qaeda right now and should use whatever we can right now.
Win this war as fast as possible and then take on future conflicts such as China and NK.
But like I said it doesn't matter whether they know it's coming or not. If al-qaeda is forced to change it's tactics and give up vital territory then it worked.
You still haven't answered the question of the so called al-qaeda navy where the BB's could be effective.
But if they landed tires down, the range would be greater...
give it a two inch lift, some big sand tires, a gps targetted to ubl's camp and a video camera and watch it on tv.
Al Q doesn't need a navy when the PRC and NK will fish one up for them.
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