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Saving the Battlewagons of the U.S. Marines
HUMAN EVENTS ^ | Sep 15, 2006 | Oliver North

Posted on 09/18/2006 7:41:46 PM PDT by neverdem

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To: Billthedrill

>>> That said, I'd stand in line to stand an underway watch on one.

I have been on the IOWA, at sea. I would gladly join you to do it again.


61 posted on 09/18/2006 9:23:06 PM PDT by quikdrw (Life is tough....it's even tougher if you are stupid.)
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To: neverdem
From the article:
And last week, as President Bush was preparing to remind the world of the threat posed by Tehran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told a cheering crowd of supporters that "Iran has the ability to control the flow of oil the world needs."

I think this is where President Bush should gently remind the Iranian President that the United States has the ability to control the flow of LEAD that the Iranian leadership needs.
62 posted on 09/18/2006 9:23:20 PM PDT by dbehsman (Diplomacy, it's a bitch.)
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To: raftguide

Efficiency. As technology changes, so must the mix and means of employing it. Ask yourself why the F22 was developed. Is it another piece on the chess board, or does it replace one.


63 posted on 09/18/2006 9:24:55 PM PDT by Cobra64 (All we get are lame ideas from Republicans and lame criticism from dems about those lame ideas.)
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To: Pontiac
It's estimated it would take anywhere from 3 to 9 ADCAP's to sink an Iowa class BB. About an equal number to take out a CVN.
64 posted on 09/18/2006 9:25:29 PM PDT by COEXERJ145 (Free Republic is Currently Suffering a Pandemic of “Bush Derangement Syndrome.”)
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To: raftguide
i don't get it.. why are we CONTUNEING to down-grade our military.. STILL closing basses, scrapping military planes, ships and equipment.. i just don't understand, ESPECIALLY NOW.. after 9/11..

Because it's expensive to keep bases open that aren't needed, and expensive to maintain weapons systems that are obsolete or don't fit into the current or future anticipated force structure.

Every dollar spent keeping up old gear or keeping open a underutilized base is a dollar not spent killing naughty muslims.

65 posted on 09/18/2006 9:25:32 PM PDT by cryptical (Wretched excess is just barely enough.)
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To: Billthedrill
And if they are just outdated... then make a NEW class of battleship that is VASTLY superior in every respect. Something hulking that could almost take a tact nuke (shades of Battlestar Galatica ;)

Seriously, massive guns, lots of them, advanced air defenses, massive armor that could take hits.. and lots of them.

Call them sea-hulks for all their raging raw power (damn that just sounds cool).

and yes, it'd scare the crap out of anyone thinking about messing with us.

66 posted on 09/18/2006 9:25:54 PM PDT by sten
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To: Strategerist

There is emotion attached to many weapons systems. But you must ask the Marines why they are still attached to these. I suspect it is simply because they are still useful. Planes have not so far replaced artillery, in part because the air force and navy want to use something other than troop support. Better a knife in the hand than a gun across the room.


67 posted on 09/18/2006 9:26:36 PM PDT by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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To: neverdem

As an architect/inventor, I've got a couple of ideas for much faster and smaller ships, ie, outside the box concepts in marine propulsion : familiar things seen in unfamiliar ways. Will only communicate them privately.


68 posted on 09/18/2006 9:27:42 PM PDT by timer
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To: GladesGuru

Iwoa class Battleships have been in 4 wars WW2, K, V, DS and never damaged by enemy fire. The Iwoa class battleship is probably the finest capital warship ever built. The destructive power of her 16" guns beats anything short of a nuke. Want to get someone's attention? Park an Iwoa class battleship off thier coast.


69 posted on 09/18/2006 9:28:24 PM PDT by jpsb
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To: RobbyS; SW6906

It's not a matter of men as much as it is material. There's no high tech in riveting and welding. The big problem is that the only mill in Pittsburgh that could and did roll armor was converted into a water slide park several years ago.

NAMSMAN sends.


70 posted on 09/18/2006 9:29:10 PM PDT by namsman
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To: Strategerist
Skip the shells, think of the rifled barrels. More effective and efficient shells can be designed.
71 posted on 09/18/2006 9:29:18 PM PDT by BIGLOOK (Keelhauling is a sensible solution to mutiny.)
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To: RobbyS

I think the platform could be built, again. Why not start building the USS Montana BB-67 again? The Montana was slated to have 12 16 inch guns, before it was canceled. The Montana could be built with modern engineering and electonics.


72 posted on 09/18/2006 9:30:52 PM PDT by quikdrw (Life is tough....it's even tougher if you are stupid.)
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To: GladesGuru

Unfortunately (for discussion purposes) and fortunately (for national security purposes), all data relating to the design vulnerability and survivability testing of U.S. Navy ships is classified at the Secret level. Has been that way since the end of WWII.

We build them very strong but we are not about to tell the enemy just how strong.


73 posted on 09/18/2006 9:34:05 PM PDT by Captain Rhino ( Dollars spent in India help a friend; dollars spent in China arm an enemy.)
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To: BIGLOOK

awesome pic


74 posted on 09/18/2006 9:35:05 PM PDT by beebuster2000
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To: sten

"Seriously, massive guns, lots of them, "

What you really want are the new generation railguns that are kinetic energy devices you can maybe rapid fire if you have a big electrical plant.


75 posted on 09/18/2006 9:35:05 PM PDT by FastCoyote
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To: Hugin

If I recall the cost of a Battleship at sea for a year was less than what is spent on one Space Shuttle mission.

I would rather have one less space shuttle mission per year and keep a battleship


76 posted on 09/18/2006 9:35:58 PM PDT by Swiss
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To: quikdrw
I doubt it. Old technology was sometimes better than the new, and now it has been lost in the memory well. A facetious example: we can't make catapults as good as the Romans did. I doubt our shipyards couple reproduce these old Battle wagons. But what do I know.
77 posted on 09/18/2006 9:36:02 PM PDT by RobbyS ( CHIRHO)
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To: BIGLOOK
Look at any Mid East map and you'll see if we owned the coasts, ports and cities, the enemy would inherit the deserts. Let 'em pound sand.

LOL! Thanks for the BOOM!

78 posted on 09/18/2006 9:43:35 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: Jimnorwellwarren

Why can't we get more combat vets into office so this isn't a re-occuring problem?


79 posted on 09/18/2006 9:44:39 PM PDT by interrogatorgirl
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To: RobbyS

I was mostly leaning toward the proplusion system. That could be improved to save money. IOWA and her sisters would have to be almost split in half to do it. That's why I thought it might be better to start with the Montana class.

The reason I said to start with Montana is that USS Montana and USS Kentucky BB-68 were canceled. Kentucky was used for parts for other ships.

In the fifties, the bow on the Wisconsin was damaged when it rammed another ship. The ship-yard cut the bow off of the canceled Kentucky and welded it on to Wisconsin. Years later, the USS Detroit AOE-4 was built with the Kentucky's boilers.


80 posted on 09/18/2006 9:46:02 PM PDT by quikdrw (Life is tough....it's even tougher if you are stupid.)
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