Rut-Rho.
Posted on 07/24/2007 9:50:08 AM PDT by Fennie
The U.S. is developing a new array of offensive and defensive weapons designed to fight advanced opponents in both insurgent combat and major national warfare. The new weaponry includes both conventional and unconventional systems that have never been fielded before. One such system is the formidable Trident submarine.
Today, three of the Trident submarines have been refitted with a new array of weapons and can even be armed with Special Forces troops. The former Trident submarine Michigan returned to service in June with a ceremony at Bremerton Washington. After three years and a one billion dollar makeover at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, the Michigan is no longer armed with nuclear tipped missiles.
The refurbished submarine is a massive platform for conventional cruise missiles. The 560-foot Michigan now carries 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles and can launch all of the deadly accurate missiles in a single volley in less than a minute.
The new firepower of the Michigan is enhanced by the fact that the sub also can support special operations forces such as Navy Seals and Marine Recon units. The submarine can carry and support a team of 66 special operations forces for up to 90 days. The USS Michigan is the third of 4 nuclear ballistic missile submarines to be converted into cruise missile/special forces boats. The Michigan follows the USS Ohio, which also is based at Bangor, and the USS Florida, which is based at King's Bay, Georgia.
Current cruise missiles such as the Navy's sea-launched Tomahawk and the Air Force's Air-Launched Cruise Missile move at subsonic speeds, too slow to hit fleeting targets such as terrorists. RATTLRS is designed to fly at hypersonic speeds up to four times the speed of sound. The RATTLRS prototype is aiming to fly for only five- to 15-minutes but in that time it will travel over 500 miles...
And how long to re-supply?........
Hmmm.
Make it 154 Tomahawk Anti Ship Missiles (TASM) and station it near Taiwan...
How much does a reload cost?
US weapons and technology rock !!! The will to fight is cool too. When do we get that ?
Looks like the old Tagboard drone from the 70’s.
You can buy a radar device that clips to your belt and find your friggen golf ball. Why can’t these be used for finding IED’s by putting them on the front of hummers?
I am so proud to report to the Freeper community that my oldest son just got his security clearance and is working for a Maryland defense contractor and is working on classifed weapon systems.
Sorry for the bit of vanity. I am just soooooo proud of my son.
and the Clintons are just eager to get the schematics out to China
That’s what I was thinking. Perfect for attacking Iran - launch all of it in mere seconds, then submerge...
And how long to re-supply?........
.
Considering we currently have at least 18 of these subs, there would be a WHOLE LOT of broken stuff on the planet to sift through before needing a second strike......:)
Probably around $100-200 million. Not that expensive, considering what that money can do for you.
157 targets doesn’t sound like a lot. 157x18=2826 is a good bit, though, not all 18 are strictly cruise missile platforms, I hope.....
Now you've told EVERYBODY!.........
Can't do that. There is a thing called "Time over target" to contend with. If you want them all to HIT their targets simultaneously, then they have to launch at different times, because the distance to each target is different.........
;-).
I couldn’t help myself. I’m a proud dad. But he can’t even tell me what he is working on. That means its probably something I would approve of!
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