Posted on 10/06/2012 2:14:18 PM PDT by Evil Slayer
The U.S. Navy's newest destroyer class warship, the 510-foot USS Michael Murphy, recently laid anchor at New York City's Pier 88 for its commissioning ceremony.
On Saturday, the ship will participate in a long standing naval tradition, the commissioning ceremony, which marks the moment a new ship is formally placed in active service. Of course, we will be there tomorrow to cover the action. The US Navy will also be live streaming the event.
The new ship consists of a crew of 290 well-trained Navy service-men and -women led by Commander Thomas E. Shultz. The ship is named after Navy SEAL Lt. Michael Murphy, who risked and lost his own life in 2005 in an effort to call for aid for his men and himself after being ambushed by over 50 anti-coalition militia fighters in Afghanistan.
Lt. Murphy and his team were doing reconnaissance as part of Operation Red Wing, 3 members of the 4 person team, including Lt. Murphy, died in an intense firefight, and an additional 8 Navy SEALs and 8 Army Stalkers died when their helicopter was shot down as they rushed to the aid of Lt. Murphy and his team. Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell was the lone survivor of the mission.
While ships are usually named for cities or states or famous and notable Americans, this ship was named after Murphy because of the bravery and commitment to others he displayed in the 2005 mission.
The ship relies on the Aegis Combat System and is capable of multi-mission, Anti-Submarine Warfare, and Anti-Surface Warfare. It is a deadly beauty.
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
I saw this one under construction at the Bath Iron Works when I took a tour. Beautiful vessels.
I read an interesting article recently about the Japanese versions of the Arleigh Burke class they are building there, and while they appear nearly identical, they said they were built to a “maritime” standard to save money, so they might be more susceptible to battle damage.
Lovely and capable vessels in any case...
There is a longstanding Navy tradition of naming destroyers after servicemen who earned the MoH. Cruisers and now attack subs are named after cities.
It used to be that you’d hear a vessels name and you knew instantly what type of ship. Much more difficult now.
As always.
Contrast the young people who serve in our Armed Forces with those you usually see at a typical occupy movement rally...
Things that (really don’t) make you go hmmmmmm.
Its been awhile since I toured a commissioned warship, so I hadn’t seen the new 25mm cannon. Looks nasty.
Fair winds and following seas! She’s got a great name which gives her a great start.
Thanks for the pic, tomkat. Really awesome!!!
..if anything gets inside the CIWS, I doubt chaff and flares is gonna help a whole lot...
.
Years ago I did an EMC RF survey on board the fairly new USS Valley Forge off San Diego. Some ot the senior chiefs were telling us of when the ship was new how upset they were after it got the first scratches.
They sounded like guys talking about their first new car they were so proud.
Oh yeah, I really want one of those 25mm remote guns. If someone else will pay for the ammo.........
Found it on Wiki, of all places !
Love the size of the flag flying in the underway wind !
RIP Lt. Murphy . . .
Never hurts to use everything at your disposal...depending on how the missile is guided, chaff or flares are worth a shot, when you consider the cost. Cheap as hell, maybe only 30% effective, but...never hurts to try!
Yep. Look at the side by side photos of Barack Obama and Allen West (or Netanyahu) at the same age earlier in their lives.
Stunning contrast.
As an Air Force vet I must admit that this ship sends a tingle up my leg.
point well taken, but if one is trying to stop a hypersonic cruise missile (or similar) there may be but seconds, or fractions of seconds, from the time CIWS is ineffective, and an impact.
Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs
February 29, 2008 :: News
MissileThreat.com
A video has surfaced of Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama talking on his plans for strategic issues such as nuclear weapons and missile defense.
The full text from the video, as released, reads as follows:
Thanks so much for the Caucus4Priorities, for the great work you've been doing. As president, I will end misguided defense policies and stand with Caucus4Priorities in fighting special interests in Washington.
First, I'll stop spending $9 billion a month in Iraq. I'm the only major candidate who opposed this war from the beginning. And as president I will end it.[not win it -etl]
Second, I will cut tens of billions of dollars in wasteful spending.
I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems.
I will not weaponize space.
I will slow our development of future combat systems.
And I will institute an independent "Defense Priorities Board" to ensure that the Quadrennial Defense Review is not used to justify unnecessary spending.
Third, I will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons. To seek that goal, I will not develop new nuclear weapons; I will seek a global ban on the production of fissile material; and I will negotiate with Russia to take our ICBMs off hair-trigger alert [they are NOT on "hair-trigger alert" now -etl], and to achieve deep cuts in our nuclear arsenals.
You know where I stand. I've fought for open, ethical and accountable government my entire public life. I don't switch positions or make promises that can't be kept. I don't posture on defense policy and I don't take money from federal lobbyists for powerful defense contractors. As president, my sole priority for defense spending will be protecting the American people. Thanks so much.
Article: Obama Pledges Cuts in Missile Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Programs:
http://missilethreat.com/archives/id.7086/detail.asp
"MissileThreat.com is a project of The Claremont Institute devoted to understanding and promoting the requirements for the strategic defense of the United States."
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"I will not weaponize space"
"I will cut investments in unproven missile defense systems"
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2008 Pentagon Report (March 2008):
China's Growing Military Space Power
By Leonard David
Special Correspondent, SPACE.com
March 6, 2008
GOLDEN, Colorado — A just-released Pentagon report spotlights a growing U.S. military concern that China is developing a multi- dimensional program to limit or prevent the use of space-based assets by its potential adversaries during times of crisis or conflict.
Furthermore, last year's successful test by China of a direct-ascent, anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon to destroy its own defunct weather satellite, the report adds, underscores that country's expansion from the land, air, and sea dimensions of the traditional battlefield into the space and cyber-space domains.
Although China's commercial space program has utility for non- military research, that capability demonstrates space launch and control know-how that have direct military application. Even the Chang'e 1 — the Chinese lunar probe now circling the Moon — is flagged in the report as showcasing China's ability "to conduct complicated space maneuvers — a capability which has broad implications for military counterspace operations."
To read the entire publication [29.67MB/pdf], see U.S. Dept of Defense:
http://www.defenselink.mil/pubs/pdfs/China_Military_Report_08.pdf
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Obama: "We Welcome China's Rise"
CBS News ^ | January 19, 2011 | Stephanie Condon
Appeasement: From ObamaCare to recess appointments, honoring the Constitution has not been an administration hallmark. But when it comes to betraying secrets to mollify the Russians, it becomes a document the president hides behind.
It was bad enough that the 2012 defense authorization bill signed by President Obama set America on a downward spiral of military mediocrity.
He also issued a signing statement, something he once opposed, saying that language in the bill aimed at protecting top-secret technical data on the U.S. Standard Missile-3 — linchpin of our missile defense — might impinge on his constitutional foreign-policy authority.
Section 1227 of the defense law prohibits spending any funds that would be used to give Russian officials access to sensitive missile-defense technology as part of a cooperation agreement without first sending Congress a report identifying the specific secrets, how they'd be used and steps to protect the data from compromise.
The president is required to certify that any technology shared will not be passed on to third parties such as China, North Korea or Iran, that the Russians will not use transferred secrets to develop countermeasures and that the Russians are reciprocating in sharing missile-defense technology.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.investors.com
Open Mic Catches Obama Asking Medvedev for Space on Missile Defense
March 26, 2012
"In a private conversation about the planned U.S.-led NATO missile defense system in Europe, President Barack Obama asked outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for space on the issue.
“This is my last election,” Obama told Medvedev. “After my election I have more flexibility.”
“I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir,” Medvedev said, referring to incoming President Vladimir Putin."
http://fox8.com/2012/03/26/open-mic-catches-obama-asking-medvedev-for-space-on-missile-defense/
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Obama was talking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev when neither of them realized that their conversation was being picked up by microphones. Here is what they said:
Obama: “On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved, but it’s important for him to give me space.”
Medvedev: “Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you ...”
Obama: “This is my last election. After my election, I have more flexibility.”
Medvedev: “I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.”
“This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.” That statement tells us much about the president’s mindset.
The specific mention of missile defense is worrisome enough. Mr. Obama has retreated from the missile defense plan that was negotiated with European allies during the George W. Bush administration. Apparently, he is signaling Moscow that he intends to retreat further. The clear implication from the president’s comments is that he cannot tell the American people before the election what he plans to do after the election.
In addition, there is the phrase “on all these issues,” implying more is at stake than just missile defense.”
Article: Obama plans double cross on missile defense
When it comes to keeping America safe, we shouldn’t be too flexible:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/29/obama-plans-double-cross-on-missile-defense/print/
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