Here's what $13 Billion dollars gets u

[Steve81]

I don't know that any nation has tried to hit a carrier since 1945.

That's the point. Given the current balance of power, as well as the destruction guaranteed by so much as a limited nuclear exchange, even nations with the means to sink a US carrier aren't actually going to commit to such a task and risk touching off WWIII. Everywhere else, they operate with near impunity anyway. Win-win.

 

[Swerd]

From the beginning of the movie, Crimson Tide.

Hollywood bullcrap. That captain (Gene Hackman?) was out of uniform. The Navy does not issue umbrellas!

I only remember one movie that came close to realistically portraying the military, The Last Detail.

 

[Chu Gai]

That's the point. Given the current balance of power, as well as the destruction guaranteed by so much as a limited nuclear exchange, even nations with the means to sink a US carrier aren't actually going to commit to such a task and risk touching off WWIII. Everywhere else, they operate with near impunity anyway. Win-win.

That may be the current thinking - they won't hit us first -but I don't think it's been unilaterally born out through history. As a more recent example, I suggest reading up on the war games called the Millenium Challenge where we had the good guys and the 'bad guys' were commanded by Paul Van Riper. Here's a PBS interview of Van Riper and his thoughts on war: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/military/immutable-nature-war.html

 

[Swerd]

That's the point. Given the current balance of power, as well as the destruction guaranteed by so much as a limited nuclear exchange, even nations with the means to sink a US carrier aren't actually going to commit to such a task and risk touching off WWIII. Everywhere else, they operate with near impunity anyway. Win-win.

You're probably right, but I still can't think of mutually-assured-destruction as a long-term solution. It's been a gamble since the 1960s, and no matter how long it works as expected, it only takes one failure before it becomes a large scale disaster.

It only takes one fool to believe that he is immune to those odds.

 

[Swerd]

http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/zumwalt/

That ship looks like it should be named the USS LEGO.

 

[j_garcia]

That ship looks like it should be named the USS LEGO.

Said it is funny looking but extremely effective at anti-radar.

 

[Steve81]

That may be the current thinking - they won't hit us first -but I don't think it's been unilaterally born out through history.

It certainly hasn't been the case historically, and I expect our military planners understand that as well. OTOH, nuclear war is a different case from a conventional conflict. It's not good enough to eliminate 50% of an enemy's forces in a first strike; it's 100% or watch your cities burn in the counterattack. Given the size and spread (i.e. the nuclear triad) of the US arsenal, such a first strike would be nigh impossible to pull off.

You're probably right, but I still can't think of mutually-assured-destruction as a long-term solution...It only takes one fool to believe that he is immune to those odds.

It's not a great solution, but I don't know that we have much other choice. Fortunately, the silver lining is that even foolish dictators know they're on the hook as much as the peons in the event of nuclear war.

 

[herbu]

everyone in the Navy, including junior officers, were required to take firefighting training. I had a fun week in boot camp doing that.

The most fun was the tear gas house.

 

[Swerd]

The most fun was the tear gas house.

Your day in the tear gas fun house must have been different than mine.

Couldn't find a photo of that, but found this instead

 

[herbu]

When they said, "Don't move", they weren't kidding. Those airgun shots would cut you good if you moved!

 

[avliner]

I heard the russkies are working on a sub with a caterpillar drive.

Just like The Hunt for Red October flick?