Posted on 04/19/2005 3:48:36 PM PDT by Lysandru
Change that to 'those aren't the primary weapons of any current destroyer' and you would have a valid point. While the ship will have limited capability (the original proposal was for 128 vertical launch cells but those also have to accommodate anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles needed for local defense) to launch Tomahawks, the primary weapon systems are intended to be the two autoloading, long range 155s. My recollection is that the range is slightly in excess of 100 miles, and each gun will carry about 750 rounds, although the final numbers may be different.
And you can't escort and defend surface ships with submarines.
Point 1 - That statement is incorrect. The attack boats were an integral part of the Carrier Strike Forces during the cold war.
Point 2 - It isn't being designed as an escort vessel, it is being designed for land attack. I don't think the current design even calls for a copter for ASW.
13 BILLION for a freaking boat?
Can't we just buy more cruise missles and save a few billion?
They hit more than they miss...with the exception of a Chinese embassey or two.....
I'll take that question. The reason that costs have skyrocketed is that our shipbuilding industry have been destroyed by competition from shipbuilders outside of this country. Those nations who have stolen our industry received generous subsidies from their nations to undercut our industry.
So now it is time to pay the pieper for all this silly "free-trade". We can't even build the navy we want anymore.
They keep reducing the quantity they want, then gripe about the price going up.
A lot of it is probably due to the price of raw materials. Most folks are aware that oil has recently doubled in price. But all of the other commodities are up significantly also.
1) Double the sub fleet (this will take years).
2) Deploy them to the Pacific Command
You think they have unions at the Pascagula, Mississippi shipyard?
If they don't, the suppliers almost certainly *do*.
The Chinese seem to be building an analogue to the Arleigh Burkes, the Type 052C (Lanzhou class) destroyers.
The problem with the DDX/DD21 is that is is trying to be a replacement for three classes: the anti-sub, cruise missle launching DD-963 SPRUANCE-class, the FFG-7 OLIVER HAZARD PERRY-class, and the cancelled Arsenal Ship. The Spruance class contained about 30 ships, and 40+ Perry class frigates.
Frankly, we need 30 cheaper ships. I don't understand why we could not build 12 DDX's and 24 cheaper stealthy destroyers or frigates. We could even try to defray costs by working with the British who are looking for their own 4000 ton frigate. A trimarine Frigate with 48+ VLS cells and the radar of the DDX would work nicely.
We have given the SP-1 radar and a Aegis system to the Spanish and Norwegians for their frigates.
The current DDG-51 is a little outdated and still costs over 1 billion. The CG-47 is even worse as it has no stealthy features.
But it's been my understanding that electronics have been getting cheaper and cheaper in the last few years.
Here's the real deal, from my dad, whose company does a lot of defense and aerospace contracts:
Contractors are going to screw as much money from the DoD as they possibly can. Think $600 hammers, and $2000 toilet seats.
It's the military-industrial complex that Eisenhower warned about. They're going to fleece the country for all the money they can, regardless of whether or not they bankrupt the public purse and compromise national security in the process.
Do I have a solution? Unfortunately, I do not. Does anyone else have any suggestions?
Some janitor! Might I ask for the source of that number. Not that I doubt it, but merely because an accurate attribution will make a superb arguement. Thanks.
The Geeks have won!
Soon our warriors will be armed with electrical tape to repair their glasses while engaged in close combat with their drone.
Red6
The sub fleet was "doubled". The US used to have lots of attacks and boomers. Go to the ship rolls and see how many subs have been removed from service, especially during the 90's.
It takes a lot of money, sailors, and nucs to maintain a large sub force. The threat from large formations of Soviet ships had gone.
The US is sending lots of money to China and doesn't have the money for the large fleet anymore. 500 billion dollar deficits, health care that guarantees a cat scan for every American and undocumented immigrant and their pets, and lots of porks for congress people kind of takes money away from the large fleet.
That's what the janitors at the UAW/GM plant in Arlington, TX make before taxes and union dues. How do I know? My friend works there - as a janitor.
All you have to do to confirm it is call their HR department.
I'll confirm that. One of the last merchant ships I sailed on was a US flag super containership built in Germany. The German government subsidized the cost of construction to where it was below the cost to build in Asia. The grunt work was done by non union immigrants.
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