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Items by Mike Burleson

  • Salamander on Shipbuilding

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 2
    Words to the wise from the Dean of the naval blogosphere.  Here is CDR Salamander, first with some fundamentals: - Evolutionary wins over revolutionary. - Technology demonstration on proven platforms first – then on new hulls. - Good beats perfect. - Spread you eggs around many baskets. - PPT lie, even if people don’t. - Costs [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 12:04pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Building a Bigger, Better Navy Pt 2

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 5
    It was numbers and mobility that determined flotilla types rather than armament or capacity for sea-endurance. Their primary purpose was to control communications in home and colonial waters against weakly armed privateers. The type which these duties determined fitted them adequately for the secondary purpose of inshore and dispatch work [...]
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    Posted: December 08, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Building a Bigger, Better Navy Pt 1

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The Quarter-Sized Navy In wartime, you need lots of ships. In peacetime, a global navy requires many hulls in the water. The US Navy will insist even though it is less than half the fleet of the 1980s, when we had a fewer enemies, that they are justified in contributing to [...]
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    Posted: December 07, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Marines Charge Ahead on HSVs

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    I enjoyed the discussion we had recently on high speed vessels, especially within the post “Army Leads in Amphibious Techniques“. Within the comments there was this little tidbit from small boats expert Lee Wahler: Mike the JHSVs are meant to discharge at austere ports – once again a term of art [...]
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    Posted: December 06, 2009, 8:22am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Maritime Strategy Architect Changes Tune

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    OK. Maybe we are doing some little good at New Wars, though we don’t take any credit for this new story. We would hope that as events prove the Navy’s future plans are seriously skewed away from the times we are living with, and the varied threats different from a [...]
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    Posted: December 05, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 7
    Pearl Harbor Links Remembering Pearl Harbor. (The Dolphin) Pearl Harbor: a day that will live in infamy. (Springville Journal) Japanese attack Pearl Harbor. (Mille Lacs County Times) Historic Pearl Harbor Pictures. (About.com) There Probably Will Be an Electronic Pearl Harbor. (Computer World) ***** US Navy Navy Swapping 1 Of 3 Guam-based Submarines. Second LCS-2 Class–the price revealed! More. Even [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Strike Group Reagan-The Author Interview

    —New Wars

    We are preempting our regular Sea Links post for a few hours to give you something special! In a rare treat for New Wars, here is our first ever blog interview! It is especially gratifying for yours truly because Harold C. Hutchison, author of Strike Group Reagan is someone whose [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Attack Carrier Mistral Who says a warship must posses angled decks, catapults, or at least a ski-jump to deploy combat airpower? Here is proof positive of a fearsome attack chopper which recently flew off the deck of the French assault helicopter carrier Mistral currently visiting Russian waters. From the Ares blog: The [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 6:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Build Your Own Navy-Flattop Edition

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The Navy and yours truly part company in terms of fleet composition. They continue to build ships that are individually capable, which they see as reducing overall operating costs for the entire fleet without reduction effectiveness. Yet they get less effective each year, with ships and crews overworked and the [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Site Problems

    —New Wars

    Looks like our blog host WordPress is having difficulties. Bear with us as they sort this out and sorry for any inconvenience. Posted in New Battleships [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 4:04pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Little LST’s That Couldn’t

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Within the comments in a recent post some questioned whether the Joint High Speed Vessel, which cannot beach,  would be adequate in the amphibious assault mission, or would it just be for transport. I felt it could do the beach assault mission in a pinch, which would be better than keeping very [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Outstanding Quote A sailor onboard the USS Freedom LCS-1 gives us an apt description of the soon-to-be deployed warship: “We’re a sports car out here amongst a bunch of family sedans, to be honest,” notes OS2 Joshua Merrill. In other words, a Ferrari instead of a Ford, being sent to combat the world’s [...]
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    Posted: December 02, 2009, 6:06am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Following the Numbers on Airpower

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    If you look to history to find answers for today’s concerns, you will come to some eye-opening conclusions. For instance, Frank Chadwick at Great History details the amazing Post-Vietnam transformation of the US Air Force which gave us war-winning platforms like the F-15, F-16, and the A-10 warplanes. When he gets to [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 2:04pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Back to the Battleship Pt 2

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 9
    Russia’s Battleship Search Today we see rising concern in the Black Sea, over a planned Franco-Russian deal for a 20,000 ton amphibious ship based on the Mistral. While the vessel has all the appearance of an aircraft carrier, navalists will insist vehemently it is not, pointing out its inability to launch fixed [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 6:01am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Royal Marines Present During Hostage Grab

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    I always get into trouble posting on Marines, but I have to say this is what happens when our elite sea soldiers aren’t allowed what they do best–to combat our foes From the Sea. Here is the Daily Mail on this sad tale: The disturbing truth behind the Royal Navy’s failure [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Back to the Battleship Pt 1

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Some familiar terms used to describe the DDG-1000 Zumwalt class destroyers was prevalent in the following article by Andrew Rhys Thompson at the ISN Security Watch: The US Navy is expected to launch the next-generation DDG-1000 Zumwalt class stealth destroyers in 2013 as it seeks to use cutting-edge technology to reintroduce [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Army Leads in Amphibious Techniques

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The Army gets it concerning the future of amphibious lift. The proven Stryker teams plus the Joint High Speed Vessel. This is an older video from Incat that explains the potential. Posted in New Cruisers [...]
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    Posted: November 29, 2009, 7:25pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Flower Class Corvette

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 5
    The first modern corvette, the Flower’s were built for navies in crisis. With so many threats today and so few Western ships which are adequate for anti-piracy to anti-smuggling missions, a modern corvette might just be the antidote to our stretched thin forces. Thanks to Swurching The Latest Happenings which wrote [...]
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    Posted: November 29, 2009, 8:05am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Russia’s All Corvette Navy

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 8
    Eric L Palmer points to this link concerning the Russian Navy’s dramatically declining fortunes: “If the current situation [with shipbuilding] remains unchanged, we will face a grand-scale removal of ocean-going warships from service with the Russian Navy by 2015 and, as a result, a sharp decrease in its combat capabilities,” Adm. [...]
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    Posted: November 28, 2009, 1:17pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Patrol Boats on Parade

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 4
    Impressive video from Austal. Hat tip to Lee Wahler! Posted in New Cruisers [...]
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    Posted: November 28, 2009, 5:40am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Special French Mistral News   French warship in Russia amid talks on landmark sale. French ship Russia wants to buy in St Petersburg. Millions of euros at stake over French helicopter carrier ship deal. French Ship Sale to Russia Must Be Blown Off Course. Putin’s France visit sparks alarm over possible warship purchase. Russia Has No Reason [...]
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    Posted: November 27, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
     “I do not have a specific need for an aircraft carrier.” This amazing statement from a US Admiral is via David Axe, as spoken by the commander of the 4th Fleet Rear Admiral Joseph Kernan, also a former Navy SEAL: What does 4th Fleet not need? “I do not have a specific [...]
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    Posted: November 26, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Freedom Isn’t Free

    —New Wars

    Happy Thanksgiving Every One! Hope you are spending a wonderful Holiday with loved ones. Also remember in prayer those who are far off, putting their lives on the line so we can be free and safe! ***** XEROX IS DOING SOMETHING COOL If you go to this web site, http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1280.html you can pick [...]
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    Posted: November 26, 2009, 6:30am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Iranian Lessons in Frugality

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    New Wars has been watching closely the ongoing developments off Yemen, with US, Saudi Arabian, and Iranian warships deploying to support one side or the other in the ongoing Civil War there. Before we get to our subject, here are a few details via Strategypage: Saudi Arabian warships are maintaining a [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Considering our sailors A lot of the arguments I get against the deployment of corvettes as a force multiplier for the US Navy concerns the small warships’ perceived lack of endurance or seakeeping abilities. This is amazing to me since such small craft of 1000+ tons were considered high end units in [...]
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    Posted: November 25, 2009, 6:06am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Australian Historical Wargames Convention

    —New Wars

    A friend asked me to post the following: AUSTRALIAN GENERAL STAFF WARGAMES CHAMPIONSHIP   The Australian Historical Wargames Convention (OZCON) to be held next Easter will introduce a new kind of competitive wargames championship.  Clubs and groups are invited to register a team of between 3 and 5 players as a General Staff [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 7:02pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Fleets Converge off Yemen

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 8
    Here is some updated news from the Debka file on the Saudi-Iranian standoff near the Yemen coast. Now as predicted, the USN is getting into the act while Tehran reinforces: DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources report that over the weekend, the Aegis class cruiser USS Chosin was designated the flagship of [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 6:20pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Navy-Sea Fighter Not Ready for Combat

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 9
    Here is an update via Chris Cavas at Defense News* (see note), concerning the FSF-1 Sea Fighter we posted on earlier in the week. First a little history: After basely a year of operation, the Sea Fighter suffered a mishap on Sept. 6, 2006, when it ran into some large sea [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Revising the American Way of War Pt 2

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 7
    We continue our study of Industrial Warfare, also known as the American Way of War. Today, a glimpse at a few battles in the last 20 years that may have distracted us from what is truly important, the threat from Third World radicalism, and the new Fourth Generation Warfare. Also, how we [...]
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    Posted: November 24, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Revising the American Way of War Pt 1

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Certainly the old Industrial Warfare, often called “The American Way of War” has reached its limits in this new century. The 3rd Generation Warfare ideas of mass armies, navies, and air forces dominated the tactics of the last century but appears now to have met their match in the face [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 6:15am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Fighter’s New Look

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Check out the FSF-1 Sea Fighter’s new makeover, as seen recently on the Columbia River in Oregon. Very impressive. Ace commenter D.E. Reddick provides an apt description: Her bow is now higher with what appears to be greater forward clearance. She also has her third configuration of the tower structure above [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2009, 7:13pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Examples of Seapower Seen off Yemen

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Seapower, like a game of chess, consists of moves and countermoves. At some point you may think you have your adversary in check, then he does the unexpected and you are in checkmate. A Special Report from the UPI notes such an ongoing duel between warships of Iran and Saudi [...]
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    Posted: November 21, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Problems of Weapons Procurement

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Much of the difficulties replacing worn-out stocks of weapons lately has been blamed on our ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Nowhere is this clearly revealed than with the British military, specifically in the RAF, as Strategypage points out: Facing large budget cuts, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) is reducing its personnel [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2009, 12:06pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    US Navy Lockheed Martin pitches light warship concept for Gulf radar picket. USS Ford honors president who kept us on an even keel. Logistics Concerns for Missile-Defense Warships. Navy’s new missile blows something up. More. MDA announces next 6 BMD ships. States’ fight over carrier to intensify. More. Naval War College Review Articles on China’s DF-21/ASBM. Navy suspends [...]
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    Posted: November 20, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Council Smacks Anti-Constitution Agitators

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 9
    Remember the tale of the wealthy condo owners who sought to muzzle the USS Constitution’s daily gun salute, which was disturbing their party-making? The Boston City Council has just passed a resolution in support of Old Ironsides and her historic excursions. Richard Weir again at the Boston Herald: “If you move [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Calcutta’s Carrier Conundrum It’s official now. None of the 2 new British aircraft carriers will be going to India as earlier reported. Still, it seemed like a good idea, so much that we “scooped” the plan last week while working on the draft for this week’s post. I kept the proposal in, [...]
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    Posted: November 19, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Congratulations!

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 5
    Special congrats to frequent commenter Commander Henry Jerry Hendrix for winning Second Prize in the 2009 Proceedings Essay Contest for his inspiring and timely article “Buy Fords, Not Ferraris“. Well deserved! Also thanks are in order for everyone who put us over the 300,000 mark today. We got here by posting [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 9:37pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • A Real Pirate Buster!

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Here is some info on the French warship which foiled the designs of 12 Somali pirates, as New Wars detailed last week. According to Wikipedia, Floréal and her sisters are officially titled ”light surveillance frigates”, of which 6 have been built for the French Navy, and 2 for the Royal Moroccan Navy: After the [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Aegis for LCS Well, looks like critics might get their wish, with Lockheed proposing to replace the patrol boats armament on the littoral combat with something more lethal, according to Defense News: Lockheed Martin has presented a concept of the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) adapted to carry the Aegis combat system to [...]
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    Posted: November 18, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • RN Carriers: Finally, the Denial

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The news seemed unbelievable, however tantalizing, that the UK would dare suggest selling off one of its two new 65,000 ton Queen Elizabeth class carriers to India. Thanks to another one of our ace readers, we have the the official British Ministry of Defense response to a story which originally [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 6:42pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • How to Build a Navy

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Strategypage reveals how China is now the world’s largest shipbuilder, proving she has what it takes to potentially create a world class Navy: Sooner than anyone expected, China has surpassed South Korea as the world’s largest shipbuilder. Currently, Chinese firms have orders for 54.96 million CGT of ships, compared to 53.63 million CGT. [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Corvettes: Not Your Typical Missile Boat

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The modern corvette has come a long way from the fast attack craft (FAC’s) of the late Cold War. It was these small cruise missile firing boats, which could be built cheaply and in large numbers that caused so much panic after the sinking of an old Israeli destroyer in [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 6:01am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • History of Submarine Aircraft Carriers

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The US Navy is very close to possessing a sub-to-surface aerial vehicle, a “flying Sub” in the Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles. The latest version of the highly effective Tomahawk that is fired from torpedo tubes has the ability to loiter for hours and change targets in mid-course. It is [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Corvettes Should be Good and Plenty

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The lineage of the modern corvette can be found in the fast attack craft (FAC) from the 1960s, notably those built by the Soviet Union and transferred to scores of Third World navies. The notion that the “little Davids” armed with the new cruise missiles like Styx could sink the [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Breaking: Britain May Sell New Carrier to India

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Selling one of the 2 Queen Elizabeth to India? This is actually not a bad idea. I’ll explain later, but here is the amazing story concerning the hapless Royal Navy supercarriers, from the Guardian: One of Britain’s new £2bn aircraft carriers could be sold off under cost-cutting plans being considered by [...]
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    Posted: November 15, 2009, 4:59am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Build Your Own Navy-Radicalized!

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    For something fun, here is a little game created by David Axe, and presented to us by frequent commenter Heretic, whose chart I am borrowing with a few radical adjustments. Within the points I have also added motherships, arsenal ships, corvettes, and offshore patrol vessels, which though not realistic as yet, [...]
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    Posted: November 14, 2009, 8:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Korean Naval Clash Update

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 4
    The excellent and comprehensive War News Updates blog had this to say concerning the recent battle between the North and South Korean navies: I am lucky to have an excellent contact in the Korean Government. He confirms what New Wars observed from this naval clash …. South Korean firepower pulverized (to a point) [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 5:57pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Royal Navy Failed to Save British Couple

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Updated. Recently in the news was the kidnapping of a British couple from their yacht in the Gulf by Somali pirates. Details from the Sun reveals that a British warship was on the scene during the event: Supply ship RFA Wave Knight was sent to intercept the pirates as they grabbed Paul [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    US Navy   USS New York commissioned in shadow of midtown. USS Truman-Inside on of America’s Largest Warships. National Security Cutter-New Coast Guard ship gets good notices. The Gerald R. Ford-Northrop taking steps to keep carrier on budget. More. USAF, U.S. Navy To Expand Cooperation. USS Freedom-Navy’s LCS not living up to the hype. D/E Subs Give USN [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Analyzing the Korean Sea Fight

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Some South Korean military experts have reached conclusions on the recent clash between North and South Korean boats that don’t exactly agree with the facts. The article “How S.Korea Beat Back N.Korean Gunboat” is from Chosun.com: Arms experts and military officers say it was technological superiority that allowed South Korea to send a [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 2:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    German Light Carrier in the Works? I love these names navies tag on warships to disguise their true purpose. More on this subject later, but here is one from Germany a “multi-purpose ship”, officially “Mehrzweckeinsatzschiff”. Mike at  Combat Fleet of the World (one of my favorite new naval blogs!) provides some [...]
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    Posted: November 12, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    LCS versus the Swarm Recently reading an interview over at Defense News with Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, who is leaving his job with developing the Navy’s shipbuilding program to the 10th Fleet, the service’s new Cyber command. Here is his thoughts on the LCS: First, there are some current critical war-fighting gaps [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Veterans, Remembrance, and Armistice Day 2009

    —New Wars

    Soldiers are Unbowed, Unbroken David Ignatius says the US Military is “Standing tall in harm’s way“:     In the aftermath of the Fort Hood shootings, some commentaries have examined the damage to the U.S. Army from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. A few have spoken about the alleged shooter, Maj. Nidal M. [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Free Veteran’s Day CD!

    —New Wars

    Free download via Amazon.com. About 30 minutes of Patriotic music by The Bands and Ensembles of the US Armed Forces. Posted in Other [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 7:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Koreas Clash at Sea

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Heated naval combat occurred yesterday after a North Korean provocation, according to the Korea Times: At around 10:30 a.m., the North Korean boat crossed the Northern Limit Line (NLL), and ignoring repeated warnings, he said. In response to a South Korean patrol boat firing warning shots ― in accordance to the rules [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Future of Amphibious Lift Pt 2

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Today we note the commissioning of the US Navy’s latest and most famous member of the LPD-17 class amphibious ship, the USS New York. Most of the public who are appropriately celebrating a vessel made with World’s Trade Center steel have little inkling of the troubled history of this entire [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Arctic Sea Theories Compiled

    —New Wars

    An excellent report over at the Times Online, detailing what is known about the MV Arctic Sea hijacking mystery. Also they add even more questions to the story worthy of a spy novel: WEAPONS CARGO Arctic Sea carrying secret arms cargo. Mossad tipped off Russians. For Kremlin sent warship to track it [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 6:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Wealthy Seek to Muzzle Old Ironsides

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    You can just feel the contempt the Boston councilman has for this complaint. You go guy! From Richard Weir at the Boston Herald: The Herald reported on Saturday that the 204-foot-long vessel, formally called the USS Constitution, is under attack by residents in a nearby condo complex for being an ear-sore…The [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Future of Amphibious Lift Pt 1

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    First of all, this ^ isn’t it Thanks to a timely media blitz, the Navy’s newly commissioned amphibious supership the USS New York is getting much favorable attention, probably ensuring purchases of this class will continue for some time. First off, we love ships and can think of no better way to honor [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Futility of Armor

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Don’t Blame the Strykers The Stryker armored vehicles, made popular in Iraq and wildly successful there, are getting a bad rap in Afghanistan due to mounting casualties. Here is Robert Haddick at Foreign Policy.com with “Why Don’t Stryker Brigades Work in Afghanistan?”: On July 5, the U.S. Army’s 5th Stryker Brigade arrived in Kandahar [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 2:07pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Hero of Fort Hood

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 4
    We’ve kept our opinions to ourselves on the Fort Hood Massacre, not wanting to add to the hurt the nation is suffering through. Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to the families of the fallen. Consistently we have noticed in our nearly 44 years, that some light shines in [...]
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    Posted: November 07, 2009, 6:23am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • High Seas Drama: Israel Vs. Iran Arms Smuggler

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 3
    Astonishing evidence of Iranian arms smuggling into the war-torn region. Thanks to Yeshiva World News. Posted in New Cruisers [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 12:00pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    US Navy   Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to commission USS New York. More. More. US SSN to exercises with SA Navy. Can Killer Drones Land on Aircraft Carriers? Submarine to hitch ride inside giant ship. Missile threat shifts to Black Sea.   Warships of the World   Royal Navy cuts: ships as reflection of state might. Both Royal Navy carriers [...]
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    Posted: November 06, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • No Anonymous Commenting

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 9
    We’ve had to turn off anonymous commenting. Now you have to give your name before yelling at yours truly! Don’t worry, though, we aren’t making an enemies’ list (though we are probably on a few!). Thanks as always for your patronage and always gripping discussion. Mike Burleson Posted in New Battleships [...][...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 1:55pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Yes, we’ve changed the name. Killer Drones on Aircraft Carriers Jason Paur at the Danger Room reports on Navy plans to catch up with the other services in the deployment of unmanned airpower: The Navy’s top admiral told a think-tank audience yesterday he wants more unmanned aircraft in the sea service, and he [...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Israeli Navy Conducts Commando Raid

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 3
    Since today is a day we set aside discussing modern cruiser warfare, I thought the following story from the Washington Post was a perfect example of the current practice in seapower, and where the USN needs to be more focused: Israel’s navy intercepted a cargo ship loaded with smuggled arms late [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 2:59pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Weekly

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    From Streetfighter to LCS At what point did the Streetfighter, a 1000 ton corvette proposed by 2 naval greats Admiral Arthur Cebrowski and Capt. Wayne Hughes, morph into the over-weight, over-priced, under-armed littoral combat ship (LCS)? From reading this 2001 proposal for the unique craft more suited for COIN at sea [...]
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    Posted: November 04, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Impending Collapse of Manned Airpower

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    If you thought the recent knife fights over the F-22 Raptor fighter cancellation was tough, you haven’t seen anything comparable as the massive Joint Strike Fighter program implodes under the weight of immense costs in the next decade. At least, that is yours truly’s prediction, as all the signs of [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 1:56pm EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Navy Adverse to Nautical Threats

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    I came across this article written by a West Point graduate John T Reed, titled “Are U.S. Navy surface ships sitting ducks to enemies with modern weapons?” While I don’t agree that all surface ships are obsolete (just make them smaller, easy to replace, and plentiful), the author makes some [...]
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    Posted: November 03, 2009, 5:05am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Quiet Demise of the Battle Tank

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Number of Stryker wheeled armored vehicles purchased this past decade for the US Army-2,988 Number of Main Battle Tanks purchased in the same time period-O That is really amazing when you consider that tracked armored vehicle production has been ongoing in this country since the 1910’s, even during during the dark days [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 5:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Big Defense Corrupts Democracy

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    I often discuss here how the high tech arms, the superweapons America has come to rely on for its security is detrimental to our armed forces in vastly decreasing numbers we can buy, making them nearly impossible to replace, never in adequate numbers. Superfighters, supercarriers, supertanks also take away from [...]
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    Posted: November 01, 2009, 6:00am EST
    by Mike Burleson

  • Defender launches on the Clyde

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 2
    Amazing footage from last week’s launch on the River Clyde of the Royal Navy’s latest Type 45 destroyer, HMS Defender. Note the discrepancy of the smaller vessels sailing by! Posted in Royal Navy [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2009, 6:47am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Royal Navy Fly-Past

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 2
     This occured recently in Liverpool celebrating the 100th anniversary of Royal Navy airpower. Good stuff. Posted in Royal Navy [...]
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    Posted: October 31, 2009, 6:35am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    US Navy   Northrop Grumman to lay keel for Ford-class carrier. Northrop Grumman-built amphibious assault vessel commissioned. Navy to commission USS Dewey DDG-105 in Seal Beach. Admiral: Complacency Caused U.S. Sub Collision. Toward a More Muscular U.S. Pacific Command? US Destroyer accidentally fires on Polish port. Naval Hawks Over Arabian Seas. Navy ponders advanced shipboard radar system for missile, [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 8:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Learning from Suez

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Note-I hope you enjoy this “golden oldie” from 2007, Originally titled 5 Lessons from the 1956 Suez Crisis: After the nationalization of the Suez Canal in July 1956 by Egyptian dictator Gamal Abdel Nasser, the British and French, along with Israel launched Operation Musketeer, on October 29 and the 31st of [...]
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    Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:59am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Collins Replacement $3 billion each!

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    A report from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute predicts astronomical cost growth on future submarines home-built in Australia. This story is from Adelaide Now: But a report out today warns that trying to build the new subs in Australia would be fraught with danger and the purchase of smaller, short-range “off-the-shelf” overseas [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 4:52pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Diversity Thursday

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The Rationale for UCAV Carriers James Dunnigan at Strategypage makes the case for a new warship geared toward a new way of war at sea: While the navy would prefer to design and build the first generation UCAVs for use on existing carriers, these smaller and cheaper aircraft go together well with [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 6:05am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Keeping Clamagore High and Dry

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 1
    Water is a killer, one of the most destructive forces of nature. The last apartment building I lived in sprang a leak, and–don’t get me started! We continue to post on the travails of Charleston SC’s Patriots Point Naval Museum and attempts to salvage the veteran ships there from nature’s [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 2:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Wednesday

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Speed Last week, the Navy and the LCS builder General Dynamics celebrated the fact that the vessel “hit a top speed of 45 knots and kept a sustained speed of 44 knots“. But what is the point of the high speed? It was for the purpose of combating the small boat [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 5:59am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Did Congress Get My Memo?

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Before you go any further, please recall something yours truly proposed recently concerning future Navy plans for BMD ships to defend Europe and elsewhere. Writing here in Arsenal Ships for Ballistic Missile Defense, we suggested: As an alternative to our over-worked missile battleships in the role of ABM defense, we would [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 12:01pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Meet Britain’s New Capital Ship

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    I will insist the recent news of the Royal Navy scrapping plans for a second attack carrier, and canceling much of their Joint Strike Fighter order isn’t all bad, but a sign of the sea change in warfare since the Cold War. While many hopes and jobs are on the [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • British Scratch One Flattop!

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Updated with new links from the bottom. Here is a follow up to yesterday’s story that the British Royal Navy will forgo the attack role for one of its large deck aircraft carriers of the Queen Elizabeth class. One of the 65,000 ton giants will be built only to carry helicopters, [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 12:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Aegis Battleships Misused in Drug War

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    From Navy News we learn of an astounding drug bust by one of the world’s most powerful warships: USS Anzio (CG 68), operating as part of the Combined Maritime Forces, a U.S.-led coalition supporting maritime security operations in the region, seized approximately four tons of hashish found aboard a skiff Oct. [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Breaking: Royal Navy Cuts Carrier Buy

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Not so much a surprise is the news the Royal Navy will cut one of its 2 new Queen Elizabeth class supercarriers. Story from the Times Online: The Royal Navy has agreed to sacrifice one of its two new aircraft carriers to save about £8.2 billion from the defence budget. The admirals, [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 8:12pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Feds Balk at Laffey Upgrade

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 1
    Not good news for “The Ship that would not Die“, currently in drydock in Charleston, but the destroyer Laffey has faced tougher foes. From the Post and Courier: Patriots Point banked on $20 million in federal funding to offset the more than $9 million it borrowed from the state to save [...]
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    Posted: October 24, 2009, 6:03am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Farewell Jeanne d’Arc

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    As a young man growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s, obsessed with all things nautical, this one of the last examples of traditional European cruiser design was always impressive to me. I also think France’s Jeanne d’Arc, launched in 1964 and a contemporary with the original Italian Andrea Doria [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 2:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 2
    US Navy   Navy plans massive cuts in fossil fuel use. Alabama-built warship tops out at more than 50 mph. After delays, LCS 2 completes builder trials. Northrop Grumman Invests In Naval Fire Scout. Navy Conducts First Successful Structural Test Firing for LCS Gun. Navy to Commission Energy-Efficient Amphibious Assault Ship Makin Island. USS Anzio Seizes Four Tons [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 6:30am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Diversity Thursday

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Chinese Carriers Not the West’s Biggest Worry The following quote is from the China Military Report blog. I have rephrased the translated text into better English, hoping to have kept the spirit of the statement: As for the US-Japan Pacific League,  the real threat from the Chinese armed forces is not the [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Navy:Fix Yorktown or Scrap Her

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 7
    The retired aircraft carrier and current museum ship Yorktown, for decades a favorite attraction in Charleston Harbor, is facing its worst foe yet, extreme age and the weather. From the Post and Courier: Officials at the military attraction estimated Tuesday that it would cost more than $100 million to dry dock [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 2:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Wednesday

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Amphibious Assault LCS This idea, proposed by Raymond Pritchett , and like the Navy’s new littoral combat ship, was almost a good idea. Here it is: People think I am nuts that I advocate putting a Marine Battalion on Littoral Combat Ships, Joint High Speed Vessels, and Corvettes but I still believe [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Collin’s Class Crippled

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The story that won’t go away is the troubled Australian Collin’s class submarines, which seemed a good idea at the time. From the Australian, we learn: THE navy’s $6 billion Collins-class submarines face serious operational restrictions after being hit by a run of crippling mechanical problems and troubling maintenance issues. Some senior [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 4:44pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Navies and the Forces of Anarchy Pt 2

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The following article from Jane’s (via Pakistan Defense) showcases the perils and pitfalls even the most modern countries are facing trying to create what I call “USA Light” militaries, focusing here on India: The Indian Navy’s six Scorpene submarines, under construction at Mazagon Dockyard in western India since 2006, face a [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • The Last Manned Battleship

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    Five American warships pass through the Strait of Malacca toward the Indian Ocean, on a mission in support of a ally who is threatened by the ally of an unfriendly Asian power. In appearance, there is little difference in size or design, save that only a single one of the [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 12:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Navies and the Forces of Anarchy Pt 1

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 2
    Concerning the North and South Korean navies, here is an interesting article that details the relative firepower and effectiveness of each. This goes along with our argument of the need for many smaller, less expensive vessels, as opposed to the continued construction of high end battleships, the latter which however capable [...]
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    Posted: October 19, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Sea Links

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 2
    US Navy   USS Freedom to Deploy Early. More. Still More. Navy To Unveil LCS Package. Navy will begin retests of LCS Independence this week. USS Helena commander talks about critical role of submarines. Sailors take aim at new recruiting slogan. More. Even More. Yet More. Navy secretary seeks greener fleet. More. More. Even More. Adm. Gary Roughead [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 6:30am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Notice

    —New Wars

    The post titled “Time to Divide Up the Marine Corps” has been permanently deleted due to excessive hate mail. No offense was meant to anyone. If you search the early posts, you’ll see this blog stood by the Corps during the dark days of Iraq and when Murtha called the Haditha [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 9:03pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Carrier Diversity Thursday

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    The Real Deterrent The admirals will insist their large deck carriers backed by many multipurpose missile escorts and submarines are needed to deter war. Ironically, since World War 2 and despite seeing the creation of the most technically impressive warships in all history, this hasn’t negated the need for land armies [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 6:00am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • Speaking of Littoral Ships…

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 8
    We picked up this short video of the Finnish Navy’s Hamina class missile boat from Solomon at the Snafu blog. Very good! Posted in New Cruisers [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 3:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Deploys Early

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 1
    Updated below. The rumors have been ongoing most of the year, now its officially-official. Yesterday the Department of Defense and the Navy released the following statement: The Navy announced today the decision to deploy the USS Freedom (LCS 1) in early 2010 to the Southern Command and Pacific Command areas ahead of [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 12:00pm EDT
    by Mike Burleson

  • LCS Alternative Wednesday

    —New Wars

    Number of comments: 10
    By popular demand (actually it was ScottB and a couple others, but a still good idea!), here is a day set aside for one of the most controversial ship programs in recent history: the over-hyped, much delayed, much-overweight, undergunned, and over-priced littoral combat ship (LCS). The Indispensable Perry’s Soldier On Thanks to [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 5:55am EDT
    by Mike Burleson

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