Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!usc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: aoki@hermes.Berkeley.EDU (Paul M. Aoki) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: SSN's in the Gulf? Message-ID: <1991Jan22.022442.22682@cbnews.att.com> Date: 22 Jan 91 02:24:42 GMT References: <1991Jan19.043001.6065@cbnews.att.com> <1991Jan21.034738.2621@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: Otonashi Property Management Ltd. Lines: 20 Approved: military@att.att.com From: aoki@hermes.Berkeley.EDU (Paul M. Aoki) >From: Allan Bourdius >While it's true that a SSN only carries 12 VLS Tomahawks, remember that >a BB only carries 32 (8 x 4 missile ABL's). Those box launchers take a >long time to reload. When you've got about a half-dozen VLS DD963's with 61 VLS cells and no SM-2s, three or four CG-47/52's, a bunch of twin ABL shooters, and two BB61's, subs become a real poor cruise missile delivery asset by comparison. Plus, someone has to keep an eye on Vlad and Petr while the SWO's play in the Gulf. Loading a round onto an ABL ship isn't as easy as craning a box into a cell, but then reloading VLS isn't quite that trivial either. A good handling team with well-maintained ABLs doesn't take very long at all to put eight birds away. ABLs take all-up-rounds (AURs) like everyone else. -- Paul M. Aoki | aoki@postgres.Berkeley.EDU | ...!ucbvax!aoki