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Navy launches U.S.S. Independence, first of new class of weapons-bristling speedster trimarans
DVICE (SciFi) ^ | May 2008

Posted on 05/07/2008 8:24:11 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot

We’ve been hearing rumblings about the U.S. Navy’s triple-hulled ships, but here’s one that was launched last month, the U.S.S Independence. Built by General Dynamics, it’s called a “littoral combat ship” (LCS), and the trimaran can move huge weapons around faster than any ship in the Navy. Ironic that with all that high tech built in, the ship reminds us of the Merrimac ironclad from Civil War days.

Littoral means close to shore, and that’s where these fleet-hulled babies will operate, tailor-made for launching helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns.

These ships were designed to be relatively inexpensive — this one’s a bargain at $208 million — and the navy plans to build 55 of them. This trimaran is the first of the new fire-breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots. It's like a speedy and heavily-armed aircraft carrier for helicopters.



TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: littoral; navy; ships; trimarans; trimorans
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To: bill1952

If it can cruise at 60mph it can take the long route around weather and be anywhere in on the globe within 9 or 10 days.

I at that speed I hope they don’t hit any lost shipping containers that are floating just below the surface.


81 posted on 05/08/2008 10:25:20 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Carbon is the fifth most abundant element on the planet.)
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To: bill1952

Speed.


82 posted on 05/08/2008 10:28:24 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Carbon is the fifth most abundant element on the planet.)
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To: Rebelbase
>and be anywhere in on the globe within 9 or 10 days.

Oh baloney. With what fuel and supplies?

I repeat: It is not designated "Littoral" for nothing

83 posted on 05/08/2008 10:29:04 AM PDT by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: familyop

“A few months ago, an uninvited Chinese submarine surfaced next to one of our carriers during a naval exercise, “

Better than 50/50 that we knew it was there and let it surface rather than reveal we had been tracking it all along.


84 posted on 05/08/2008 10:30:51 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Carbon is the fifth most abundant element on the planet.)
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To: bill1952

“Oh baloney. With what fuel and supplies?”

A ship that size can carry it’s own supplies. Fuel can be pre-positioned at way points.


85 posted on 05/08/2008 10:33:15 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Carbon is the fifth most abundant element on the planet.)
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To: mowowie
Reminds me of the Star Destroyer spaceship from Star Wars...



In other words... Pretty Awesome.
86 posted on 05/08/2008 10:38:00 AM PDT by MitchellC (Thomas Sowell: 'I will be delighted.. if someone with such views gets elected.' ArmorforCongress.com)
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To: Rebelbase
If it can cruise at 60mph it can take the long route around weather and be anywhere in on the globe within 9 or 10 days.

It can't

Sprint speed is 50kts.

Economical speed is 20+kts, at which range is 4300nm. Figure 4 weeks just like any greenhouse gas generating ship,

It;s an innovative design but not magic.

87 posted on 05/08/2008 10:39:33 AM PDT by Oztrich Boy (Holy State or Holy King - Or Holy People's Will - Have no truck with the senseless thing)
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To: Toddsterpatriot
When do they unveil the interstellar version?

That ship has "Bite Me!" written all over it.

Frickin AWESOME!

88 posted on 05/08/2008 10:41:59 AM PDT by N. Theknow (Kennedys: Can't drive, can't fly, can't ski, can't skipper a boat; but they know what's best for us)
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To: bill1952
>>>Why go tri hull at all?<<<

Good question and I don't know for sure. But I assume it is a more stable platform to launch missiles and launch and retrieve helicopters.

Also, if it can really make 60 knts, the hullform must have something to do with that...no monohull (that I have heard of) that size can make that speed.

89 posted on 05/08/2008 11:02:55 AM PDT by HardStarboard (Take No Prisoners - We're Out Of Qurans)
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To: Rebelbase

>A ship that size can carry it’s own supplies.

Then it would not be classed as Littoral.

Cite Naval reference to show your assertation that this ship can carry its own fuel and supplies to reach anywhere on the globe in 9 or 10 days, yet is classed as littoral is correct.

>Fuel can be pre-positioned at way points.
- Baloney


90 posted on 05/08/2008 11:10:31 AM PDT by bill1952 (I will vote for McCain if he resigns his Senate seat before this election.)
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To: bill1952

“>Fuel can be pre-positioned at way points.
- Baloney”

The US Navy has been refueling ships at sea for over 100 years. Why is this ship any different in that regard?

As pointed out by another poster I was incorrect in that 60mph speed I used in my calculation. So it takes them a month instead of 10 days to go 1/2 way around the world.

OK, This ship is classified as littoral. That doesn’t mean it can’t cross an ocean or exceed it’s published provisions capacity if needed. The current provision capacity is rated at 21 days.


91 posted on 05/08/2008 11:23:00 AM PDT by Rebelbase (Carbon is the fifth most abundant element on the planet.)
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To: bill1952
"They aren’t considering attaching these pups to and steaming with a carrier task force are they?
If so, then why are they designated as littoral?
"

It appears that the name, littoral, might refer to their most likely battle area tasks rather than their transportation to the battle areas. There are some voluminous, new anti-ship (and even anti-SEAL/anti-engineer) threats on coasts.


92 posted on 05/08/2008 3:08:17 PM PDT by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), '89-'96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: MarkL
Usually between 5'4" and 6'2" tall - I like someone that just gives the facts
93 posted on 05/08/2008 5:27:16 PM PDT by lajollasurfer
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To: Toddsterpatriot
Hugely over cost and new technology not working. Probably will be canceled.
94 posted on 06/05/2008 10:27:06 AM PDT by pabianice
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To: pabianice

That would be a shame.


95 posted on 06/05/2008 5:58:16 PM PDT by Toddsterpatriot (Why are doom and gloomers, union members and liberals so bad at math?)
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