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To: GonzoGOP
Heck one RPG in to the jet fuel or ammo magazine and the ship goes away with a big flash/bang.

I think those chances to bee VERY REMOTE. The RPG would detonate against the hull, spraying hot gas and some metal inside. Of course, the sabot would enter like a bat out of hell. The hot gas would dissipate between the hull and the cargo holds. The sabot is not explosive. Military explosives will not usually detonate unless set off with a primer. Small arms ammo doesn't blow all to hell just because a projectile passes through it.

Military fuels are chosen and compounded in order to be immune to kenetic impact.

68 posted on 05/07/2009 7:39:43 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: GingisK
Military fuels are chosen and compounded in order to be immune to kenetic impact.

Thats why I specifically talked about RPGs. The hot copper jet will set of most military explosives. After all that is exactly what it is designed to do when it hits a tank, set off the ammo or the fuel. Like you said it depends on how many compartments are between the ammo and the outer hull, and what is in those compartments, hopefully something that doesn't burn, or that the fire suppression (I would hope an ammo ship would have the best there is) can handle quickly. When you are dealing with the rocket fuel used in the reloads for the Standard SAMs or the Tomahawk boosters a fire is just as bad as an explosion. Obviously I don't know their exact manifest, but if they were supporting DDGs and FFGs it isn't hard to imagine they would have some missiles aboard.

As for the small arms you are correct that those can be discounted. An 7.62 x 39 isn't going to do much more than scratch the paint & dent the hull plates.

That of course assumes you don't get boarded. Any kind of a firefight on board an ammo ship is probably a bad idea. The pirates might be dumb enough to start throwing grenades around.
82 posted on 05/07/2009 8:00:47 AM PDT by GonzoGOP (There are millions of paranoid people in the world and they are all out to get me.)
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