Navy trims its plan to build new warship

San Diego Union - Tribune ^ | 2/17/08 | Paul M. Krawzak - CNS

[b4its2late]

“On top of that, the ships were being built in shipyards that had little experience with building complex surface combatants,” Thompson said.

Real intelligent!

[Hacklehead]

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but I cant believe the Military channel ranked an Iowa class battleship as a superior Warship to a modern aircraft carrier. I was simply astonished.

[squidly]

I cant believe the Military channel ranked an Iowa class battleship as a superior Warship to a modern aircraft carrier

Well if you're just talking about the ship itself, the battleship is certainly superior. Maybe they weren't including the aircraft in the comparison, which is the only way they could reach such a conclusion.

[Strategerist]

Honestly the only answer may be something suggested in a recent issue of the Naval War College Review...

Building hulls in South Korea and integrating the combat systems here. They can do it for 1/4th the cost; their yards are much more technologically advanced and efficient.

Clearly the protection of the US shipbuilding industry isn’t working.

Of course the LCS was a unique disaster right from conception; almost no analysis, arbitrarily stupid design decisions (like the pointlessly high speed), etc.

[Strategerist]

If the Navy dramatically slows its littoral purchasing plan, it might be better to cancel production altogether and spend the money on other ships the Navy needs, said Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
“Let's see if the money might be more effectively spent on the LPD-17,” an amphibious transport ship used to deliver Marines, or the T-AKE, a cargo and ammunition carrier, Hunter said.

While canceling LCS is a good idea, everything else from Hunter above is immensely stupid. The LPD-17 is pretty damn expensive themselves, and neither the LPD-17 and T-AKE remotely meet the glaring need the US has - a frigate-sized combatant for the littorals.

I'd chuck the LCS, start over with a new-design for a frigate (simpler and cheaper than LCS) and in the interim buy a dozen or so German MEKO modular frigates (who did modularity right) to fill the gap.

[Mr. Jeeves]

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but I cant believe the Military channel ranked an Iowa class battleship as a superior Warship to a modern aircraft carrier. I was simply astonished.

After the wars to come, and once the traces of radioactivity fade away, they will make equally wonderful artificial reefs and fish habitats. ;)

[redstateconfidential]

We are stuck with idiots and China smitten admirals who will make sure America will be the #1 marine habitat contributor in the future.Can I buy a super carrier at Walmart? Nope, but the Chinese can because of Walmart!

[patton]

Actually, the Iowa can survive a near miss with a nuke.

The blast will clean the deck, of course, but the ship would survive.

[RetiredArmy]

No problem. The Pentagon and Bush will simply cut retirees and veterans earned benefits more to pay for these and Bush’s socialist program. No worries. Bush to the rescue shortly.

[ReignOfError]

I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but I cant believe the Military channel ranked an Iowa class battleship as a superior Warship to a modern aircraft carrier. I was simply astonished.

If you're talking about the show I've seen, they're considering its importance in its time, its length of service, etc.. -- not which would be more important in a modern navy. For example, they list the Me109 and P-51D as two of the most important fighter planes in history, which they certainly were; but any modern jet fighter would splash them in a New York minute.

[Mr. Lucky]

It depends upon the mission to be accomplished.

For littoral fire support, an Iowa class battleship is without peer.

[rbg81]

Maybe I’m dense, but I don’t understand the requirement for these ships—from the Navy. These seem more useful for the Coast Guard than the Navy. The modern Navy exists to fight deep water battles. Of course, maybe they need ‘em to engage those Iranian speedboats.

[phrogphlyer]

Typical inter-service politics. The Navy is looking for relevance in the current fight. The Marines went through the same thing right after WWI, the Air Force did it in the early 50s. Right now the Army and the Marines are getting all the attention because of the GWOT, and the Navy is looking for a way to contribute. But, too much focus on the LCS and they risk getting their asses kicked in the next blue water fight somewhere down the road.

[Heatseeker]

My cousin, a retired Master Chief, refers to this as “worshipping at the Church of What’s Happenin’ Now”.

[Mr. Jazzy]

I call BS!

This is the Navy Department bending over and grabbing the ankles for Murtha! That fat bastard is going to skewer ANY project in order to pressure Command. He wants VINDICATION on Haditha and to avoid responsibility for being WRONG!!!He wants to see our Marines punished for winning the war! This is also a power play against Hunters district

Murtha is putting the screws to the Navy and the Navy has gone limp!

[gura]

"Of course the LCS was a unique disaster right from conception; almost no analysis, arbitrarily stupid design decisions (like the pointlessly high speed), etc."

And a complete lack of weapons.

[phrogphlyer]

Combine that with the ‘change for the sake of change’ mentality and it’s a recipe for trouble. But I guess that’s the way we’ve always done it.

[Oztrich Boy]

If you're talking about the show I've seen, they're considering its importance in its time, its length of service, etc..

I thought it might be something logical like that

[ReignOfError]

“worshipping at the Church of What’s Happenin’ Now”.