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Navy launches U.S.S. Independence, first of new class of weapons

Discussion in 'Lounge' started by ILPhinFan88, May 7, 2008.

  1. ILPhinFan88

    ILPhinFan88 Premium Member Luxury Box

    We’ve been hearing rumblings about the U.S. Navy’s triple-hulled ships, but here’s one that was launched last month, the U.S.S Independence. Built by General Dynamics, it’s called a “littoral combat ship” (LCS), and the trimaran can move huge weapons around faster than any ship in the Navy. Ironic that with all that high tech built in, the ship reminds us of the Merrimac ironclad from Civil War days.

    Littoral means close to shore, and that’s where these fleet-hulled babies will operate, tailor-made for launching helicopters and armored vehicles, sweeping mines and firing all manner of torpedoes, missiles and machine guns.

    These ships were designed to be relatively inexpensive — this one’s a bargain at $208 million — and the navy plans to build 55 of them. This trimaran is the first of the new fire-breathing breed, ready to scoot out of dry dock at a rumored 60 knots. It's like a speedy and heavily-armed aircraft carrier for helicopters.

    [​IMG]


    http://dvice.com/archives/2008/05/navy_launches_u.php
     
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  2. Motion

    Motion New Member

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    Pretty wild looking.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
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  3. Ultra

    Ultra Lazy

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    cool, does kind of look like those Civil War old iron clads.
     
  4. brandon27

    brandon27 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

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    Wow that thing is pretty strange looking.
     
  5. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    Looks awesome but awkward.
     
  6. Regan21286

    Regan21286 MCAT's, EMT's, AMCAS, ugh

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    Weird looking but I hope it serves this country well.
     
  7. texasPHINSfan

    texasPHINSfan New Member

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    that is bad ***. :up:

    It's stuff like that produced by great companies like GD with insane budgets allowed by our government that keeps us at the forefront of military technology in the world. Stuff like that gets me excited in the pants. :up:
     
  8. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    I want one.

    That is fricken awesome.
     
  9. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    FYI: It does indeed look like an old-timer, but does anybody have any guesses of the functionality of this particular shape?

    HINT: No Perpendicular angles :up:
     
  10. Pagan

    Pagan Metal & a Mustang

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    No perpendicular angles = resistant to enemy fire. ;)
     
  11. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    Its a rhombus and it is used in unrestricted submarine/ship warfare? Thats my best guess.
     
  12. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Not a bad guess, and to some extent that actually is true. Of course with modern warfare and Prox-fuzed weapons (That is proximity) the initial contact of a warhead actually detonates the weapon. Of course "Some" of the energy will be deflected--Second hint btw :up:
     
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  13. cnc66

    cnc66 wiley veteran, bad spelur Luxury Box

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    stealth.. reflects radar
     
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  14. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Well not quite, but I always loved the word "Rhombus"

    But by definition a Rhombus is a 4 sided polygon with equal sides. A sideways square if you will

    [​IMG]
     
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  15. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Figures a squid would get this.. :up:
     
  16. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Low radar signature. :up:

    Which would be pretty useful if its being used close to shore in water where its bigger brothers cant hang out. Plus if it had a large sig you could hit it with shore based missiles.
     
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  17. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    Lol it looked awkward so I just took a shot at the shape. Too bad I didn't get the functionality of it correct. Lol.
     
  18. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Even as I type Marty :up:
     
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  19. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Very true in everything you said brother

    My company was in direct competitive bid on this and other ships a few years back.

    The thought is an entire fleet of ships with little or no signature. Not only close to land, but even out to sea it is a HUGE plus.

    Heat signatures are also very much taken into consideration :up:
     
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  20. cnc66

    cnc66 wiley veteran, bad spelur Luxury Box

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    :hi5:
     
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  21. Section126

    Section126 We are better than you. Luxury Box

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    Not so sure it is that stealthy...

    the bridge alone will cause enough of a Electromagnetic field to give you a hit.

    Of course..after firing it's gun..it would reveal itself as well. Gotta be a problem for sonar..and very primitive inshore radar.
     
  22. cnc66

    cnc66 wiley veteran, bad spelur Luxury Box

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    a warm ship on a cold ocean is like a beacon to satellite surveillance in ir
     
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  23. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Depends very much on what type of gun you are talking about.

    One of the weapons of choice is the up and coming TTL Tomahawk missile..which will actually be launched via Torpedo tube. After surfacing a fair distance from the ship, there will be NO evidence.

    Nothing can be done with the Bridge. It is what it is. I guarentee it is MUCH more stealthy than those of past decades :up:
     
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  24. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Not to mention Air to Surface Missiles that track using IR :up:
     
  25. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    This is really interesting.
     
  26. cnc66

    cnc66 wiley veteran, bad spelur Luxury Box

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  27. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    Thanks bro. I will have to check that out after I hopefully finish the book "Maravich" (life of Pistol Pete). For some reason, History really interests me. Some parts are dull but overall, its interesting. By far the most interesting class to take.
     
  28. cnc66

    cnc66 wiley veteran, bad spelur Luxury Box

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    Janes is not a history book.. it is the most up to date info on all the worlds Navies. Where are you at Alen.. what part of Florida?
     
  29. alen1

    alen1 New Member

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    Oh I read the description and I thought it said that it was about all of the machineries invented.

    I am located in Orlando.
     
  30. Section126

    Section126 We are better than you. Luxury Box

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    Good stuff. Thanks.
     
  31. Lt Dan

    Lt Dan Season Ticket Holder

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    Looks like some James Bond stuff
     
  32. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    I didn't even think of the heat signatures..... I was just thinking that operating that close to shore with little support being stealthy would have a lot of added value because there could be all kinds of primitive or advanced stuff on land that you wouldn't necessarily know about until they lit it up. Lot easier to hide anti ship stuff on land then in the middle of the sea.

    I mean heck, if it wasn't moving fast (like while unloading or recovering/launching choppers) you could engage it with cold war era projectile stuff couldn't you? Assuming you could see it on radar.

    Whoever crews those things are going to need some large you know whats.
     
  33. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    And that is pretty sweet about the Tomahawk torpedo launch, I didnt know that. I assume they are giving them to subs as well? That would be huge.... Though I wonder how hard it would be to launch a strike of say 10 that way from a sub?
     
    Last edited: May 7, 2008
  34. CrunchTime

    CrunchTime Administrator Retired Administrator

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    It does look a little stealthy but it wont be invisible.They will be filled with countermeasure electronics that will give the impression that the ship is somewhere else than it actually is.A missile would have a hard time finding it.

    Also I imagine the return will be much smaller than a nornal ship so it could look like a gunboat or a smaller ship.

    Larger warships vessels have become largely ineffective so a shift to a larger quantity of smaller ships is probably a good tactic
     
  35. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    Unless, it was by chance a tube for a VERY large "Torpedo" :wink2:
     
  36. dolphan117

    dolphan117 Premium Member Luxury Box

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    I am a moron. I was thinking Tomahawks were launched from the tubes but they are vertically mounted behind the tower aren't they? I wonder how hard it would be to modify those missile tubes for the new tomahawk?

    Thinking they were launched from the torpedo tubes was making me wonder how feasable it would be to launch and reload in time to fire 10 or so and have them all pop out of the water close enough together to minimize visibility. :pity:
     
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  37. NaboCane

    NaboCane Banned

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    This is sweet.

    Something like this was featured on Futureweapons. Love that show.
     
  38. azfinfanmang

    azfinfanmang Premium Member Luxury Box

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7MgeI6HIrg


    :hi5:


    EDIT: For whatever reason, have to hit the link to watch the "Fireworks"
     
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