As Commander Salamander says, " Especially in cultures that value "face" - this ship is an underway INFO OPS/PSYOPS/PAO own-goal of epic proportions. It isn't the ship's company fault either - they can only do with what Mother Navy gives them. This tramp steamer look is by design - and will only get worse with age."
Commenter John says: "In my opinion every LCS should get only one set of orders upon commissioning: Proceed best speed to Brownsville, Texas. Request offers from all ship breakers there, accept highest offer and dismiss crew to await further orders. We would save a bundle of borrowed money and be spared the further embarrassment and delusion of pretending that these things are serving a vital national defense purpose."
"I've seen photos of abandoned shipwrecks that look better than that ship."
I'll bet even the signal flags they're flying are filthy.
ReplyDeleteIf you are going to practice gunboat diplomacy, it helps if the gunboat actually has guns on it. Let's face it, most of the "wave the flag/show of force" missions that the Navy is relegated to fall a little flat if this is what we have to work with. An aircraft carrier battle group is better. A battleship, even though technically inferior to modern ships is still the best ship that demands respect immediately. And now, with the advances in rail gun technology, they can swap out the 16 inch naval rifles for equivalent rail guns that would almost quadruple the range, retain the "respect" factor, and still cost less than these new Littoral ships. I am afraid that the Navy has been hanging around the air force too long and has fallen into the "Ooh, look, shiny!" trap.
ReplyDeleteIn this case, not so shiny.
This is so much like the Brutalist architecture that is so copied around the world by those who loathe the West, only in ship form.
ReplyDeleteOn land, you dump a huge pile of concrete, put in tiny windows so it reminds you of a prison, and let it age by having rust stains. Ugly, ugly, ugly!
Doesn't look any better when it floats (though it wouldn't float long, if it were ever in a battle.) Bring back the old battlewagons!