On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 2:08 PM, Maureen <[email protected]> wrote: > > Were they used as launch platforms for planes and drones during the Iraq > war? Or the Libyan unpleasantness?
After the first couple of days it was a NATO effort. The US military were not very involved in the air strikes at that point. > > I don't think protecting them is nearly as big an issue as affording them. > I'm sure they are great for espirit de corp, but we aren't fighting a sea > war, nor are we likely to do so considering the state of the navies of the > rest of the world. We aren't even fighting air wars, so the launch > platform for flights over land seems to be the only use. They are always useful, for force projection, for delivering supplies and equipment very fast - 2 years ago there was that catastrophic flooding in Pakistan. All but a small bit of the humanitarian aide came from the US Navy carrier that was stationed off shore. > > "With the decommissioning of the USS Kitty Hawk in May 2009, the U.S. fleet > comprises 11 supercarriers. The House Armed Services Seapower subcommittee > on 24 July 2007, recommended seven or maybe eight new carriers (one every > four years). However, the debate has deepened over budgeting for the > $1214.5 billion (plus $12 billion for development and research) for the > 100,000 ton *Gerald Ford*-class carrier (estimated service 2015) compared > to the smaller $2 billion 45,000 ton America-class amphibious assault ships > able to deploy squadrons of F-35B of which two are already under > construction and twelve are planned." The assault ships will probably be more useful. Remember also the ship probably will be mothballed for a few years in case its needed again. > > On Tue, Oct 23, 2012 at 10:52 AM, GMoney <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Hmm.....1995? Did we launch aircraft from carriers during that Serbia mess? >> Definitely in 1991's desert storm. >> >> I think carriers are still a great weapon, IF you can protect them...which >> is getting harder and harder. >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:356403 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
