cool new battleship on the prowl

[screwballl]

instapinch.com » Blog Archive » PCU “USS Independence”, LCS 2

My surface ship buddy Tim passed on these photos of the second class of littoral combat ship (LCS 2), named Independence, and builtby General Dynamics/Bath iron Works in their Mobile, Alabama shipyards.

this thing is crazy looking!!!

[simple_inhibition]

only a single 5 inch gun?? probably some tomahawks, but still

[screwballl]

I don't think it has been fully armed yet... but either way the potential looks great!!

[Boy'nBlack]

We've had the original test ship here in San Diego for some time now. My Master Chief transfered to the engineering side and pulled me over for 4 months instead of going TAD prior to my EAOS. Basically worked on the engine control systems during testing runs. I was thusly hired to GE on exit due to it. Most SD sailors have seen her sneak out the bay...was on pier 19.

Originally Posted by simple_inhibition

only a single 5 inch gun?? probably some tomahawks, but still

Take a peek at Cruisers and DDG's of the last 15 years. VLS. If anything has a missile rack showing, it's a very old dog. The Gun is very useful for ground pounding. Not every marine drags a howitzer with them...kinda heavy. It's been very handy having something to point at ships and boats as well. If they don't stop, they get pounded with some very serious shells. The rounds are obviously cheaper than launching a tomahawk or Harpoon at a drug runner or Dao carrying contraband dates across the Persian gulf.

Lots of BS comments on that page though. Shouldn't be taken too seriously. No hull got canceled, yet normal government bidding processes coming to an end. Skunk Works and all the others make bids, and if there is no winning design along with a viable bid, they pair up and mesh. That's one very big reason it's been out for such a long time getting designed.

[OcciferFriendly]

That thing is pretty neat looking.

I know the thinking these days - a single 5 inch gun is about all any ship has had on it since the Iowa class was retired. That thing's probably got a giant VLS on it and I'd be willing to bet helo facilities.

Wonder what kind of speed she's capable of?

I know the 5 inch guns mounted now are way more capable than the 5 inch guns from back in the day, but I'd pay folding green money to see a ship with monster guns on it again on the high seas.

Hell, even the Newport News and her 8 inch would make me happy.

I'd join the Navy tommorow if they recommissioned the Iowa class, especially the Wisconsin.

[gvblake22]

Wow, I just looked up the USS Wisconsin, that thing is bristling with guns!

[simple_inhibition]

blake, did you know that the Iowa class wasnt the largest battleship ever built? that distinction falls to the Yamato and the Musashi both of which were ironically sunk by aircraft during WWII

[OcciferFriendly]

Originally Posted by gvblake22

Wow, I just looked up the USS Wisconsin, that thing is bristling with guns!

Yep, and precision guided missles after her last round of upgrades. The only weakness of the BB's after that was anti-air defenses, though they always had plenty of cruisers and destroyers for anti-air and ASW nearby, as with any capital ship.

That's back when the Navy knew what a man's ship looked like. Now a modern Ticonderoga or even Burke class 'can probably has equal power with their missile armament.....but they just don't have the same feel to them.

I just read a book not too long ago about the last mission of the Yamato when she was sunk. Curious that the navy that arguably took the lesson of airpower most seriously and effectively at the beginning of the war also built 2 ships that had no business in that kind of environment.

I am biased towards the Iowas for obvious reasons, but I consider them to be more advanced and more battleworthy than the Yamato class.

[simple_inhibition]

well of course, i like the Iowa's more.

the last mission of the Yamato was purely suicidal. there was no way in hell it was ever going to get to beach itself on Okinawa.

history is a funny thing as the Iowa's never got to meet the Yamato or Musashi in a classic naval battle. would have been one hell of a tough fight with a close ending.

[gvblake22]

I don't know squat about weaponry, but the USS Texas looks like a beast too!