[Jeff Head]

The USS Chung-Hoon is a Burke flight IIA ship. Top of the line.

The US Navy is punctuating with this deployment that the Impeccable is operating in international waters and can and will continue its surveillance mission.

Here's a pic of the USS Chung-hoon, DDG-93.

And her specs:

Propulsion: Four General Electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower

Length: 509½ feet (155.29 meters)

Beam: 59 feet (18 meters)

Displacement: 9,496 L tons (9,648.40 metric tons) full load

Speed: In excess of 30 knots.

Crew: 276 (24 officers)

: Standard Missile (SM-2MR); Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) missiles; Tomahawk®; six Mk-46 torpedoes (from two triple tube mounts); Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM)

: Two LAMPS Mk III MH-60 B/R helicopters with Penguin/Hellfire missiles and Mk 46/Mk 50 torpedoes.

The Chinese will have to think very hard before taking on the Chung-hoon. But they do have four very modern DDGs of their own in the South Sea fleet that would be capable of doing so.

Clearly the US is punctuating, with this deployment, that the USS Impeccable is operating in international waters and can and will continue with her surveillance.

IMHO, we should send the Stennis Carrier Strike Group (CSG), which is visiting the ROK right now, down there to ride herd on this. A CSG in the immediate area would up the any so high that the Chinese would be unable to stay in the game.

[Jeff Head]

THE RISING SEA DRAGON IN ASIA

[GeronL]

what does Chung Hoon mean ?

[Travis T. OJustice]

Good.

[AlaskaErik]

Sounds more like a name for a Chinese warship.

[max americana]

Chung Hoon in Mandarin means “do it again, I dare you”, right?

[Abathar]

One question - What good is an unarmed sub hunting vessel?

[Eye of Unk]

I think iceberg.

Most deadly part of icebergs is underwater.

[Star Traveler]

The article said — “The Navy has assigned a heavily armed destroyer to escort the U.S. surveillance ship that got into a high-seas confrontation with Chinese ships last weekend.”

Ummmm.., some posters, here on Free Republic, are simply not facing up to the fact that even though Obama is not the person that we voted for (and I would never vote for him in any election, either...) — still — he has (in his Administration) done some things that we would expect Bush to do, too.

Therefore, I would advise, that in order to combat Obama in what he may do that we *do not want* to happen (i.e., bad legislation that goes against conservative values) — that people be more careful about “picking on things” about what Obama is doing.

Recognize that some things *may* fit into what a conservative might do, while other things will not fit. If people pick their fights to be the things that are *real* — then they hold more credibility with the public, at large. Then it doesn’t seem to be a “gang fight” — just because a guy’s name is “Obama”.

Pick the fights based on what is being done, and pick them carefully.

In this instance, I have to commend the Administration for providing an armed escort, which indicates that they intend to keep doing what they were doing before and they’re not going to let the Chinese intimidate the U.S. into running out of the area...

It was a good move...

[TonyInOhio]

Thanks for the post. I learned a lot.

IMHO, we should send the Stennis Carrier Strike Group (CSG), which is visiting the ROK right now, down there to ride herd on this. A CSG in the immediate area would up the any so high that the Chinese would be unable to stay in the game.

But, wouldn't that contradict the groveling that SOS Clintoon recently displayed for our Chinese "friends"?

[Islander7]

Made in Mississippi

[Mashood]

“IMHO, we should send the Stennis Carrier Strike Group (CSG), which is visiting the ROK right now, down there to ride herd on this. A CSG in the immediate area would up the any so high that the Chinese would be unable to stay in the game.”

I think they did a couple of months ago, and a Chinese sub surfaced right in the middle of the group.

[don'tbedenied]

Looking at the stats I just noticed that this DD is the size of an early WWII heavy cruiser. Seems odd to designate such a large ship as a DD.

[randomhero97]

Now, how do we know this whole debacle wasn’t set up to make zero look tough in handling the ChiComs? They have the damn Secretary of State in their pocket why would they instigate anything?

[dragnet2]

I personally believe that large submarines can be easily detected by satellites regardless if they are under power or not.

[Blueflag]

more here.

http://www.msc.navy.mil/PM2/

[WakeUpAndVote]

I thought I remembered correctly on this. Are we sniffing around THIS?!!?
http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/192573.php

[SuziQ]

The Chung-Hoon is among the Navy's newest and most sophisticated warships. It joined the fleet in 2004.

Oh, the irony.

[Robert357]

The Chinese understand the art of confrontation, as do the North Koreans.

Maybe a reflection on the kidnapping of the USS Pueblo by N.K. would be good. It the Chinese do stage a confrontation it will likely create a “do or die” international incident. They would like nothing better than “detaining” a modern ship of the line to learn all its secrets and they would not hesitate to risk the lives of thousands to accomplish such.

Vigilance needs to be the name of the game, as well as military air cover and lots and lots of plane being able to get to the location in a hurry and a commander who is bold and not over ruled by those in WA DC.

[Yosemitest]

Here's a couple of photos of the USNS Impeccable PHOTOs

[RonF]

Sending guns is only effective if we are willing to use them.