Posted on 03/23/2011 1:53:03 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Libya: Navy running short of Tomahawk missiles
The Navy could run out of Tomahawk missiles after a fifth of the Navy stockpile has been used against Libya, sources disclosed yesterday.
By Thomas Harding, Defence Correspondent
Defence insiders say as many as 12 of the weapons have been fired from the hunter–killer submarine Triumph in the past four days.
If this is correct, the Navy will have used up to 20 per cent of its 64 Tomahawks in the opening salvos of the war, leading to fears that it is "burning through" its armoury.
The situation could become an embarrassment for the Government if the submarine were the only vessel within range of a number of targets but could not fulfil the mission.
The submarines are stealthy and can loiter offshore unseen before going to depth to fire the Tomahawks.
The Block Four variant of the missile can travel more than 850 miles, can be retargeted in flight and can loiter above a target for more than two hours.
It is understood that plans are being made either to resupply Triumph or send another Trafalgar–class submarine to the Mediterranean as a substitute.
Triumph can carry up to 25 missiles or torpedoes. It is likely to have been loaded with as many as 20 of the long–range strike weapons. However, it is now likely to have used half its armoury.
Questions have been raised about why the number of Tomahawks was not increased during last year's Strategic Defence and Security Review which highlighted the role for submarines to be used for "strike capability".
"At this rate we are using up five or ten per cent of our stock per day and soon it
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Shooting off all your ammo on essentially useless targets—NOT WISE!
From the horses mouth-
http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/l0037.html#tomahawk
The number of Tomahawk Block -IV variants, ordered in 2006 stands at 64. While older variants probably exist, a good chunk would have been fired over the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq.
The Royal Navy operates a blanket denial of information on the location of its submarines. It wouldn't surprise me to find there were already three on station.
However, there is a point to be made re ammunition. These weapons are very powerful and very accurate, but they are also very expensive and ships dont carry very many.
McDonnel-Who? Never heard of 'em. All I know is Boeing.
When do Republicans call on Democrats to lay out an ‘exit’ strategy that they were always calling for from Bush? When we run out of expensive cruise missiles?
The only faux Republicans that have been heard from are McStain and Lindseed, and they are crazy Obama buttkissers.
The rest of them must be getting their nails done. They are too weak to stand up against this ridiculous war.
———Maybe this will mean a new contract for Raytheon or McDonnell-Douglas.———
Then there is the thought of “use em or lose em”
They are not good forever. FIFO inventory control means more reliable stuff down the road
It's beyond pathetic.
Those open border amnesty RINOs with Democrats have no trouble bankrupting the country with new wars and they would even go with tax increases if they thought they could get away with it. If this country wasnt bankrupt by both parties by both wars and endless welfare (like Rome's fall, and the English empire, they tend to go together) it would be different. We really are screwed!
With all China's flaws they use their advancing military for their own self economic interests, not helping a bunch of people that seem to hate us for it anyway.
Morning rant :)
My thoughts exactly. Great rant on a Monday morning.
Should’a bought that Raytheon stock!
In the world of Obama there was not supposed to be war. He was going to reason with our enemies, he would play the good cop and Biden would play the crazy bad cop and they would throw away their weapons. that is why he gave up our nukes, to show we have good intentions.
This is why some liberals are livid with Obama, others are drinking the Koolaid preaching war after ripping it under Bush.
Obama war to democrats is like Bush/McCain amnesty to Republicans, it splits them apart.
The list, ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Dems are brilliant - our 'exit strategy' is we run away when we're out of ammunition?
Britain dosent solely use the tomahawks, we have plenty of the Stormshadow cruise missile. A missile developed by the British, French and Italians.
This story is flawed and overly hysterical.
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