“We have navy yards full of recently de-commissioned ships.”
I asked that question of a friend who was stationed on the recently decommissioned USS Constellation. He said, “They’re Swiss watches used like baseball bats. It was clapped out and ready for the yard probably years ago.”
A friend told me the story of taking a ship out of mothballs for a multi-million dollar upgrade including all new weapons and defenses. The officer conducting the final inspection kicked a gun mount bolt. The freshly painted bolt and a chunk of gun mount broke off. That was the end of the inspection and the ship.
Recently, a woman (I think Parks Service) diver went down to search for a seeping leak in the long decommissioned battleship Texas. She accidently put her fist through the side...of a battleship.
Ships, made from steel, serve their entire careers on the surface of their worst enemy; salt water. Their physical lives are probably, on average, no more than 30 years. But worse than that, their technology ages as fast as they do. Even with upgrades they are more vulnerable than newer ships. For example, stealth features are becoming more common. Of course, you can’t hide a ship, but if you reduce its signature then it takes forces searching for it or missiles fired at it longer to lock on.
not a question. just a fact.
and I might add. during nam we had many ships from ww2.
as I recall the 3 battleships were returned to service under pres rr.
btw; I read the article on the connie.
and I cant imagine a ship from s korea would be in better shape than a few of ours.