Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!osu-cis!att!cbnews!rupp@cod.nosc.mil From: rupp@cod.nosc.mil (William L. Rupp) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: USS Iowa explosion Message-ID: <5853@cbnews.ATT.COM> Date: 24 Apr 89 02:57:33 GMT References: <5788@cbnews.ATT.COM> Sender: military@cbnews.ATT.COM Organization: Computer Sciences Corp., San Diego Lines: 58 Approved: military@att.att.com From: rupp@cod.nosc.mil (William L. Rupp) --- No doubt skeptics will have a field day complaing about these "Aging battleships", but I still think the four Iowa class ships are a bargain, and for the following reasons: 1. They are very, very, heavily armored, which is *extremely* important in these days of cheap missiles that can disable a very expensive, but unarmored, moderm warship. 2. They are very big, and hence have a wide operational radius. Also, being very large, there is a lot of area in which to make modifications, such as mounting various types of up-to-date missile launchers, which is just what has been done. 3. They make very effective vehicles of force projection. Which would you rather see steaming over the horizon toward your homeport, a destroyer with 5" guns, or a battleship with 16" guns? From every standpoint, the BB's make a stronger political/miliatary statement. 4. They are fast, capable of something in the 33 knot range at flank speed. 5. They already existed, meaing their conversion was a relative bargain. 6. Despite their age, the Iowa's are low mileage vessels. Considering the long time they were in mothballs, I would bet that at most they have 10-15 years operational use. Look at some of our attack carriers; they have been steaming for 15-30 years! Of course, there are counter arguments. If we were going to build something analogous to battleships today they would not mount 16" guns. Unfortunately, 5" guns in the best the Navy has today in terms of conventional surface gun power. I recall several years ago that a 155 mm VLG (vertical load gun), which was considered far superior to the old 5 inchers had been cut from the budget. Too bad; it sounded like a very prudent modernization of naval surface gun armament. On the other hand, if either party in the Falklands War had had an Iowa class battle ship, it would probably have proved decisive. Surely it would have made the RN's carrier operations impossible (I am allowing for air attacks by the Brits, too, which I think would not have been effective). We have already discussed the fate of the Glorious in 1940 at the hands of two Germain battle cruisers mounting 11" guns. Finally, with respect to the safety angle, one has to recall the terrible aircraft carrier and submarine accidents that have taken many brave lives. We continue to use carriers and subs, however. Bill ----------------------------------------------------------- Just my opinion, which is all I need say for the remaining week of my current tenure..... -----------------------------------------------------------