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I Served on a U.S. Navy Battleship (And They Won't Ever Make a Comeback)

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rangerrebew:
August 18, 2019

I Served on a U.S. Navy Battleship (And They Won't Ever Make a Comeback)

Lots of reasons why this will never happen.
by James Holmes

Steam isn’t dead, then, but it is a technology of the past—just like 16-inch guns. Technicians are few and dwindling in numbers while battleship crews would demand them in large numbers. I rank among the youngest mariners to have operated battleship guns and propulsion-plant machinery in yesteryear, and trust me, folks: you don’t want the U.S. Navy conscripting me to regain my proficiency in engineering and weapons after twenty-six years away from it, let alone training youngsters to operate elderly hardware themselves. In short, it’s as tough to regenerate human capital as it is to rejuvenate the material dimension after a long lapse. The human factor—all by itself—could constitute a showstopper for battleship reactivation.

There’s a mystique to battleships.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/i-served-us-navy-battleship-and-they-wont-ever-make-comeback-74506

PeteS in CA:
I find naval history interesting (I know, what a surprise), and big guns are a part of that, but the Iowas aren't coming back. The firepower could be nice for shore bombardment, given the >20 mile range and size of the shell, but their engines are decades removed from modern technology.

skeeter:

--- Quote from: PeteS in CA on August 19, 2019, 04:44:36 pm ---I find naval history interesting (I know, what a surprise), and big guns are a part of that, but the Iowas aren't coming back. The firepower could be nice for shore bombardment, given the >20 mile range and size of the shell, but their engines are decades removed from modern technology.

--- End quote ---

Clearly the Iowa's aren't coming back. But I do think a heavily armored weapons platform would be good for the navy to have for the reason you state. In my untutored opinion today's ships depend too much upon stealth and technology and not enough on plain old survivability.

thackney:

--- Quote from: skeeter on August 19, 2019, 04:59:00 pm ---Clearly the Iowa's aren't coming back. But I do think a heavily armored weapons platform would be good for the navy to have for the reason you state. In my untutored opinion today's ships depend too much upon stealth and technology and not enough on plain old survivability.

--- End quote ---

How do they survive a Tomahawk Missile or near equal?

Fishrrman:
thackney wonders:
"How do they survive a Tomahawk Missile or near equal?"

Answer:
They don't.

Same goes for those "other big ships"... the ones that carry airplanes around.

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