davidl@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDU (03/07/91)
From: davidl@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDU In the latest issue of Time Magazine, there was an interesting article about the U.S. military capability, if another war had started started someplace else.... In the fiqures shown in the article, the reporter stated that we only had 13 carriers..... But I thought we had 14 deployable carriers. Does anyone know how he got 13 ??? Is he excluding the USS Washington as a deployable carrier ? Also does anyone know about carrier funding for the next fiscal year ? I know Cheney is still itching to cut the number of carriers to 12. Finally, does the Navy have any plans to replace the F-14 ??? I know that this year will probably be the last year we procure F-14D....But you can't upgrade forever....So what's next I heard that the Navy might procure a variant on the YF-22 or YF-23 (which ever one wins) Finally, do any of you have any thoughs about aircraft carriers in terms of: 1) numbers we should have 2) Whether or not we should have them at all. 3) Their usefulness. 4) Their effectiveness during the Gulf War 5) Anything you want. Send your welcomed thoughts and answers to questions above to: davidl@bonnie.ics.uci.edu "And thank you for your support"
swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) (03/08/91)
From: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) > In the fiqures shown in the article, the reporter stated that >we only had 13 carriers..... But I thought we had 14 deployable carriers. >Does anyone know how he got 13 ??? Is he excluding the USS Washington as >a deployable carrier ? Actually, there are 15 aircraft carriers in the US Navy: the NIMITZ class: CVN-72 USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN CVN-71 USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT CVN-70 USS CARL VINSON CVN-69 USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER CVN-68 USS NIMITZ the ENTERPRISE class: CVN-65 USS ENTERPRISE the KITTY HAWK class: CV-67 USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (actually an improved KITTY HAWK carrier) CV-66 USS AMERICA CV-64 USS CONSTELLATION CV-63 USS KITTY HAWK the FORRESTAL class: CV-62 USS INDEPENDENCE CV-61 USS RANGER CV-60 USS SARATOGA CV-59 USS FORRESTAL the MIDWAY class: CV-41 USS MIDWAY Notes: 1. USS MIDWAY is scheduled to be recommissioned soon, if not already. Her sister ship, USS CORAL SEA (CV-43) was decommissioned in April 1990. 2. USS LEXINGTON will be replaced by a FORRESTAL class carrier in the near future. > Also does anyone know about carrier funding for the next fiscal >year ? I know Cheney is still itching to cut the number of carriers to 12. The following NIMITZ class carriers are under construction: Carrier Laid down Launched Commissioned ----------------------------- ----------- -------- --------- CVN-73 USS GEORGE WASHINGTON 25 Aug 1986 Sep 1990 July 1992 CVN-74 USS JOHN C STENNIS Dec 1990 1994 1995 CVN-75 USS UNITED STATES Aug 1992 1996 1997 > Finally, does the Navy have any plans to replace the F-14 ??? > I know that this year will probably be the last year we procure > F-14D....But you can't upgrade forever....So what's next Good question! > I heard that the Navy might procure a variant on the YF-22 or YF-23 > (which ever one wins) That is a good possibility. > Finally, do any of you have any thoughs about aircraft carriers in > terms of: > 1) numbers we should have Aircraft carriers are expensive to procure and operate. Also, the NIMITZ class carrier requires a compliment of 5,000-6,000 men. The Navy is facing looming budget cuts. Obviously, something would have to go. But at the same time, we can't afford to have too few aircraft carriers since they take so long to build. The United States has many interests all over the world and must be capable of protecting them. > 2) Whether or not we should have them at all. > 3) Their usefulness. Definitely yes. We can't have military airfields all over the world; we can't move our military airfields closer to troubled spots. Furthermore, we don't need permission from the hosting country before we can launch our attack planes. We need to show our force of power now and then. When the lease for the airfield is up, you can't move the airfield. You can always move your aircraft carrier anywhere. We have spent billions and billions of dollars on airfields in foreign countries only to lose them later when the leases expired and we were asked to leave. Our aircraft carriers are ours to keep forever. > 4) Their effectiveness during the Gulf War Of course. An aircraft carrier is a floating airfield with maintenance facilities, fueling stations, munitions depots, etc., etc. As soon as the carriers got to the Gulf region, they were ready for action right away. No need to wait for fuel, spare parts, maintenance crews, etc., to come in. The carriers in the Gulf War carried 400+ aircrafts, which is a considerable force. Steve Williams "An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes which can be made in a very narrow field." -- Niels Bohr, Danish Scientist
urbanf@tuura.UUCP (Urban Fredriksson) (03/13/91)
From: urbanf@tuura.UUCP (Urban Fredriksson) davidl@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDU writes: >From davidl@Bonnie.ICS.UCI.EDU > I heard that the Navy might procure a variant on the YF-22 or YF-23 > (which ever one wins) Or maybe the other one, like last time? :-) (re: YF-16/YF-17) More seriously: Do we know just HOW different the naval versions are supposed to be, apart from the variable geometry wing on the naval F-22? I assume arrestor hook and sturdier gear will be necessary. | Urban Fredriksson |"When waking a tiger, use a | I do NOT speak | | Stockholm, Sweden | long stick." | for my employer! | | I will be off the Net during April and June |