Some of the ships, which could also be in line for important upgrades to their defensive and offensive capabilities, are now set to keep sailing into the 2030s. The life extension decision is part of an ambitious Navy-wide strategy rolled out earlier this year that includes a major focus on increasing the readiness of warships and other key assets.
At present, the service has 73 Arleigh Burke destroyers in service.
The importance of Arleigh Burkes has already been on full display in the past year or so in operations in and around the Red Sea and in the defense of Israel. The USS Arleigh Burke and USS Carney, another Flight I type, were among the U.S. ships that helped knock down Iranian missiles and drones heading toward Israeli targets in April. By that time, Carney had already been heavily engaged in the Red Sea against threats launched by Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen.
The fact that we have been unable to replace these vessels should be a huge red flag for Americans. Our shipbuilding industry is a ghost of what it used to be. And we will payback steep price for allowing that to happen.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Dan. Speaking of ghosts, those 73 pieces of evidence of massive theft will eventually be artificial reefs.
DeleteThe inactive Ticos should be brought back, but the canoe club probably doesn't have the crews to keep them running.
ReplyDeleteWith the criminal lack of maintenance by the Navy, they're lost causes. Seriously.
DeleteUncle Schameal has been the bully aggressor for 70 years; starting pointless wars and killing 200 million people. Playing victim whilst being the aggressor; just like your zio masters order. But, suddenly "the Chinese decide to get some war going". Delusional degenerates of a dying empire. Nobody will miss you when you finish your self destruction; godspeed with that.
ReplyDeleteLibTardTroll alert!
DeleteTruth hurts doesn't it MoFo?
Delete*Communism* has only killed around 100 million people in over a century, you delusional dipshits. Troll alert, indeed.
DeletePardon, Pinko?
DeleteThe article should have said 76 ships built , manned and paid for by American taxpayers for the Israeli navy
ReplyDeleteAgreed. The British & Jews started ww2 in Europe. The USA started the war w Japan.
ReplyDeleteTell that lie to the Poles and the sailors at Pearl Harbor.
DeleteSee here a real life commie fuckwad
DeleteNah, just bc someone doesn’t support pissreal doesn’t make him a commie sheesh
DeleteThe Nazis started WW2 in cooperation with Stalin when they invaded Poland, moronic Anonymous troll @3:44. The Brits and French were supposed to ignore their treaty obligations and allow Germany a free hand on the continent? Hitler and Stalin were Jews?
DeleteOk....sorry for the dumb question. This is coming from a curmudgingly old German "don't throw anything away; you might need it" kinda guy.
ReplyDeleteONLY a 35 year life span!?!?!?
What the hey!?!??! Don't "they" upgrade things? Do "they" always have to buy new?!?!
I know, I know; it's national defense but still seesh, wash the barnacles offin' dat ting and repaint it for crise sake!
True 'dat.
DeleteCheaper to repair than to replace... Up to a certain limit, that is.
Yes, a 35 year lifespan. Hulls flex, metal gets fatigued. Carriers are bigger and stronger ships, but even they are reaching their limits at 50 years. Eventually, you'd need to gut the ships to replace everything that is at or past its use-by date, and it would be cheaper to put the new gear in a new hull, instead.
DeleteSteve, you get errosion, corrosion and metal fatigue. Insulation wears out and you have to pull all the cable. Ships are tight places to work, often you have to remove 2 or 3 things to work on what you want. You train hard with your ships so your officers and crew will know what she can do and then treat her like a baby the rest of the time, but the abuse adds up. These are warships, meant to take a pounding. Read or watch YouTube videos on the abuse taken by warships in WWII. You don't want to send a ship into harms way that can only make 1/2 speed with a turbine down that then takes one hit and sinks. Show me a 35 year old 18 wheeler on the road doing its job every day, or a family car for that matter. Thirty five is old old for a ship.
DeleteOlder ships are basically welded to the pier. Things break continuously. Congress isn't giving the Navy money to fund maintenance and operations. Something like 11 nuclear submarines are currently sidelined because of a lack of funding and SHIPYARD capacity.
The Coast Guard's oldest operational frigate is 70 years old, which is insane. They need new ships and aircraft. They have airframes being pulled due to fatigue limits. Fatigue is where metal cracks due to repeated cycles of stress and strain. Eventually the metal tears apart when under load, which means at the worst possible time.
Physics is a which.
It doesn't really matter how many ships you have if you cannot keep up with the required ammo.
ReplyDeleteOr crews...
DeleteTo bring these ships back on line and operating, you need people! Qualified, Dedicated, sailors and operators! The Military across the board is not doing well with recruiting people! The draft would be like the opposite of the illegal Immigrants!
ReplyDeleteWhen it works, keep it!
ReplyDeleteExhibit A:
The A-10 Thunderbolt II (also called the Warthog) is an attack aircraft made by Fairchild Republic. It first flew in 1972 and was introduced in 1977. It is designed to drop bombs, fire rockets, missiles, and its 30mm Gatling gun at enemies on the ground (such as tanks) with about 3500 rounds
BUFF
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