Navy Review

Need Ships? Just Ask!

This was the message Senator Trent Lott gave to navy officials and members of the American Shipbuilding Association on September 16.

"If you need more cruisers and destroyers, you gotta say so."

The Senator from Virginia was expressing concern that the number of ships in the US Fleet has dropped to 297, the lowest in a century. Next years budget only calls for 7 new ships, not enough to halt the decline.

Over the long term, things may improve somewhat. In 2005 eight vessels will be purchased, rising to nine in 2008. In 2014 fourteen new ships will be bought.

Between 2003-2005 only three new destroyers will be bought. This will in no way replace the last 10 Spruance class ships that will decommission in this time period. The service is also rapidly retiring older submarines and amphibious ships.

Declared a spokesman for Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, "I just don’t know where we will find the money to get the shipbuilding levels we need."
Source: Navy Times

Germany Fights Terror
Four German Navy warships are headed to the Mediterranean Sea and the War on Terror. Three patrol ships and a tender will participate in Operation Active Endeavor, NATO’s response to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US.

The ships will carry out patrol duties, and guard vessels passing through the Straits of Gibraltar.
Source: Spacewar.com

Former Russian Republic Gets Cutter
The US Coast Guard is bolstering its ties to the Middle Eastern country of Azerbaijan by transferring one of its cutters. This is the 5th such craft turned over to the nation, which borders the Caspian Sea.

The ship is formerly USCG Cutter Point Bower. Its new duties will be similar to its old: anti-smuggling, protecting the sea-lanes, and anti-terrorism.
Source: Spacewar.com

Singapore and Malaysia in Joint Naval Exercise
Seven ships from the navies of Singapore and Malaysia are conducting annual exercises in the Malacca strait.

"Maritime and patrol and fighter aircraft from the Royal Malaysian Air Force will also be supporting the exercises", explained a statement from both defense ministries.

The two countries, once united in a federation, split in 1965. They have since been in dispute over the price of water supplies.
Source: Spacewar.com

High-Speed Vessel Breaks Record
The US Navy’s newest High Speed Vessel (HSV) Swift has broken a long-range speed record. At an average speed of 39.04 knots the Swift has traveled 488 miles in 12.5 hours.

HSV-2 Swift is presently is undergoing tests as a Mine Warfare Command and Support Ship. The vessel is also exploring new concepts for the Navy’s planned Littoral Combat Ship.

On August 31, the wave-piercing catamaran conducted the transit through the Great Barrier Reef, from Cairns to Booby Island.

Incat of Australia, the builder of high-speed vessels, has already received 50 orders worldwide. Swift is the fourth such craft in US service.
Source: US Navy

Fact:
The British impressment of American sailors was a major cause of the War of 1812.

US Ships Visit China
Two powerful American warships have made a port call on China. The USS Cowpens and USS Vandergrift arrived on the 22nd to promote goodwill between the two countries.

Tensions are always high, especially since a US EP-3 spy plane rammed into a Chinese fighter in 2001. The fighter pilot was killed and the spy plane made a forced landing on a nearby island.

Later this year, Chinese navy ships will visit the American port at Guam.
Source: Spacewar.com

Fact:
During World War 2, industrialist Henry Kaiser proposed building ships out of concrete to save steel. One that was actually built survives today as a breakwater south of Santa Cruz, California.

New Ship Will Be Spanish Navy’s Largest
IZAR Shipyards in Spain is building a new strategic projection ship. At 27,082 tons, it will be the largest vessel ever built for the Spanish Navy.

The giant warship is being constructed for amphibious operations, and has a secondary air-support role. The ship’s 202.3 meters flight deck will carry 4 large helicopters or 6 mediums.

Crew capacity is 243 sailors and up to 1200 troops. The ship will have 2000 square meters for vehicle space.
Source: IZAR

Fact:
The British Navy had no regulation uniform for its average seaman until the mid 19th Century.

Advanced Amphibious Craft Renamed
The Marine Corps’ new Advanced Assault Amphibious Vehicle is sporting a new designation. On September 10, the planned replacement for older Marine amphibious craft was renamed Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV).

The EFV can race at speeds of 30+ knots on water, then climb onto shore with a load of troops. Its ground mobility equals or exceeds other Marine surface vehicles.

Starting in 2008, the EFV will begin replacing the 40-year-old AAAV.
Source: US Marine Corps

Strange Sea Tales
A Chinese Junk

For a sleek American clipper ship to enter today’s busiest harbors would cause many heads to turn. In modern day China a common sight is an ancient and stoutly built sailing vessel in its busiest ports. The junk is still a monument to its long forgotten designers.

Traveling in Asia in the 13th Century, Marco Polo described massive sailing ships with four masts, 200 to 300 crew, and 50 to 60 cabins each. Long before Western ships introduced watertight doors in the 1800s, Chinese ship were so equipped. The Chinese also possessed paddlewheel junks, but these were hand cranked, rather than powered by steam.

With such fine sailing vessels, they were naturally used for long ocean voyages. The Arabs traded with Chinese junks in the 7th Century. Oriental coins can occasionally be found along the East African coast. There is even an ancient tale of a junk being blown eastward to a mysterious land that the Chinese called Fu-Sang. Could this new land have been the Californian coast?