Had lunch with former governer of MD
I attended an SAR luncheon this weekend honoring Veterans and the former governer of Maryland, Donald Schaffer.
The keynote speaker was a recently retired fleet admiral who spoke for almost an hour. What a great man and he had a lot of very interesting things to say.
Here are some of the highlights:
We build 1 sub/year. Subs have a lifespan of 30 years, so at any given time, we have about 30 subs in service. That is not enough.
China is building up their navy/armed forces at a frightening pace. Why?
While at a Naval budget reading in front of congress, he told us this is how it works: You read your budget to a roomful of people of which if your lucky, 1 is paying attention to you. When you are done, they tell you what you will buy, none of which is needed nor in your budget. You ask them who is going to pay for the unneeded stuff, they tell you that you are. They proceed to tell you that you can only buy 1 of something that you want 20 of, even though the cost savings on 20 can be greater that the single item.
He had a lot more to say on the Navy, politics and a few other topics. He was in for 40 years, commanded everything from subs to air-craft carriers and sure has seen a lot!
The keynote speaker was a recently retired fleet admiral who spoke for almost an hour. What a great man and he had a lot of very interesting things to say.
Here are some of the highlights:
We build 1 sub/year. Subs have a lifespan of 30 years, so at any given time, we have about 30 subs in service. That is not enough.
China is building up their navy/armed forces at a frightening pace. Why?
While at a Naval budget reading in front of congress, he told us this is how it works: You read your budget to a roomful of people of which if your lucky, 1 is paying attention to you. When you are done, they tell you what you will buy, none of which is needed nor in your budget. You ask them who is going to pay for the unneeded stuff, they tell you that you are. They proceed to tell you that you can only buy 1 of something that you want 20 of, even though the cost savings on 20 can be greater that the single item.
He had a lot more to say on the Navy, politics and a few other topics. He was in for 40 years, commanded everything from subs to air-craft carriers and sure has seen a lot!
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Sounds like a good luncheon.
Russia has 5 Typhoon Class submarines up for sale. The largest submarines ever built...can't afford to keep them going.
Bet China will be getting them cheap.....all 5 for far less than one US Navy Sub.....low miles...[:p]0 -
quote:Originally posted by ObiWan
Sounds like a good luncheon.
Russia has 5 Typhoon Class submarines up for sale. The largest submarines ever built...can't afford to keep them going.
Bet China will be getting them cheap.....all 5 for far less than one US Navy Sub.....low miles...[:p]
It would be in the best interest for the US to pose as chinesse buyers and buy those subs.0 -
China is the only large military power who doesn't have aircraft carriers.
Lots of rumblings lately that they're about to start fielding them. These are instruments for projection of power, not defense.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Txs
China is the only large military power who doesn't have aircraft carriers.
Lots of rumblings lately that they're about to start fielding them. These are instruments for projection of power, not defense.
The US is the only country that has aircraft carriers. Some other countries have small, VSTOL ships that carry very small, inadequate air wings. The French CTOL carrier, the Charles De Gaul, is very poorly designed, way too small, and incapable of sustained
operations. The USN is the only operator of large deck carriers.
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I think that I read here, that the chinamen had bought the largest rooshian carrier ever made, and had it tucked in some out-of-the-way spot where they were practicing flight operations and reverse engineering it.
Did anyone else see the post ??
Doug0
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