Hunter Suggests NATO Take Over JFK Flattop

Aviation Now ^ | 15 May 06 | Michael Bruno

[LSUfan]

The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee is suggesting NATO take over the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier, which the U.S. Navy and the Bush administration want to retire early for budget reasons.

[R.W.Ratikal]

NATO was originally formed so that members could jointly defend any other member who was attacked by the Communist Empire or her puppet communist nations.

NATO outlived its usefulness when the Communist world collapsed. It has now become an armed international bureaucracy. It is, in effect, the military arm of the European Union.

The only thing that keeps NATO from becoming a dangerous threat is that the EU is a failure.

[cva66snipe]

The real problem here goes back to the Clinton admin (what a surprise). Cutbacks resulted in the demise of the SLEP program. USS America (CV66) never did get a SLEP and both she and the JFK could have had more service life if maintained properly. But it became a chicken or the egg deal. Clinton didn't want to fund enough aircraft and personnel to fit out the air wings, so why SLEP the ships?

America was in bad shape under Poppy Bush and Cheney. In mid 1993 she had major issues including being ran twice to the MED & IO and in August 93 she departed for a third MED/IO in three years. Upon return to NORVA she had a serious boiler room explosion and was towed cold iron to NNSY. I'll post the details later this evening. I've got to step out for a while. JFK should be an active reserve carrier status used for training. Keep the JFK we may well need it.

[ibheath]

You were in the MarDet on the USS Forrestfire/Forrestal? Wow.

I was on a Forrestal Class: CV-62/USS Independence aka USS Neverdock.

I always hated the intruder alert drills you guys did. Everytime we heard that on the 1MC, we ran like hell for our own spaces. LOL I heard the horror stories of how you jarheads would treat us poor sailors if you caught us in the passageway.

Thanks for your service.

Heath

[Yo-Yo]

Still over budget and non-stealthy.

[Paleo Conservative]

GIVE IT TO TAIWAN...or Japan...

Admiral Halsey would spin in his grave.

[Paleo Conservative]

GIVE IT TO TAIWAN...or Japan...

Admiral Halsey would spin in his grave.

[Pukin Dog]

My father never flew F-14s. And you cant add your little qualifications after the fact. You said no one else in NATO had carriers and you were wrong. Deal with it.

[Pukin Dog]

Keep the JFK we may well need it.

You know the Navy doesn't want that ship. It is the only item in the Navy where some actually believe the thing is cursed. Bush1 and Cheney didnt mess up that ship, the DOD did keep her out too long, but her refit was screwed up, and the Captain did not report same out of fear for his own career. He put men and the ship at risk, and should have been relieved long before he finally was. Then the next guy was relieved too.

[Doohickey]

They're not? Since when? http://www.nato.int/structur/countries.htm

[LS]

DeGaulle pulled them out in the 1960s. Don't know when they snuck back in.

[LSUfan]

OK squidly didly, I'll deal with it. You said that since all these other NATO countries operated "carriers" that training them up in operating a CV would be no big deal.

None of the carriers you refer to have arresting gear. None have catapults. None have steam turbines--all have gas turbines. None use the same radar and electronics suite as the JFK.

So, Maverick, you are wrong. Go pick some rust.

[DesScorp]

"You know the Navy doesn't want that ship."

The JFK is kind of craptacular in that, in a way, it's a single ship class, with just enough late design changes to make it different from its Kitty Hawk cousins (slanted stack, anyone?)...and unlike the first two of that "class", JFK was supposed to be a nuke at first, and then was made conventional due to the costs and trouble that my beloved Enterprise had (just some teething problems early on, but politicians are gutless, no-vision cowards). Unlke the Big E, JFK never got all of the refits or attention she needed.

[DesScorp]

"Before this administration ends, they will name some supply vessel or other support ship after Clinton to use up the name."

There will never be a warship named Clinton. Count on that. His "I loved my country but loathed the military" crap ensured that.

[Pukin Dog]

And you can save your 'squidly didly, pal. I was a grunt for 4 years in the Reserves before I got my commission. I suppose you think that members of NATO are just plain dumb? Operating a Carrier is no special science, its just a big-ass ship. I know we like to think in this country that we've got some kind of embargo on smarts, but we dont. A high percentage of men who can qualify to fly a modern day military aircraft (emphasis on men) can be trained to work off of an angled deck. Hell, we were able to train a few Air Force drivers to do it, so there you go! (Hi Rokke) Anyone would tell you that except for night and weather, landing on a Carrier is really no big deal, only a lot of fun.

[Pukin Dog]

Its actually already in the works. Sorry to disappoint you.

[leakinInTheBlueSea]

yup, should have said one of the last... both the lakehurst hangar one (national historic landmark) and the graf zeppelin airdock (now owned by lockmart) are still standing. shhhh...don't let the dummies know, or they'll start complaining about the nasties in those as well.

[A.A. Cunningham]

We are flying Harriers off the JFK now. Probably part of a Marine Aircraft Wing.

Incorrect. The Kennedy hasn't launched any fixed wing aircraft in a long time, two of the cats have already been gutted for parts and the arresting gear has been taken out of service, and Harriers have never operated from the JFK. The only aircraft that are certified to operate from her deck are rotary winged platforms. The only big deck CV to have a Harrier squadron embarked as part of a CVW was the FDR back in the late 70s. Marine Harriers operate from LHAs and LHDs as part of MEU ACEs, not CVWs.

[Doohickey]

I think SU-30's need a ramp.

[LSUfan]

"Operating a Carrier is no special science, its just a big-ass ship."

good grief

[newzjunkey]

Uh... retire it early for budget reasons and they're working on the Bush 41 carrier?

I'm sure we can find some ally who might like it. Australia maybe Taiwan, for example.