New Navy Ship 52 mph 378' designed to run down PIRATES
 

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92536?fp=1

USS Freedom: Quicker, High-Tech and Pirate-Proofed
by Vera H-C Chan
May 5, 2009 11:52:12 AM

1,290 Votes Pirates, quiver in your skiffs. Put down your rocket launchers and run. The USS Freedom has just landed. Or launched. Whatever, just be afraid.

The high-seas bandits' advantage had long been in their nimbleness in a huge ocean. Now, however, the United States Navy is touting the USS Freedom, the lead mothership in its class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS, and littoral means coastal).

Specifically designed for the "Global War on Terrorism," the 378-foot craft aims at pirates and oh so much more. According to a fact sheet, Freedom can also defy "asymmetric 'anti-access threats such as mines, quiet diesel submarines and fast surface crafts." So seafaring villains thinking of trading in the crafts for submersible diesels, forget about it.

The rip-roaring Freedom has been called the Navy's corvette, but it runs on Rolls-Royce MT turbines, as pictured here. Other Freedom factoids:

3,000 tons
45 knots (52 mph)
Staffs smaller crews (Blue and Gold crews, 40 members each)
Has a helicopter launch pad
Feels like a submarine.
Can discharge manned or unmanned boats attached to its sides. Yeah, kind of like Transformers...but not really.
Packs Raytheon RAM missiles, guns, and decoy launching systems


Its success isn't just the boat itself, but a faster shipbuilding process (by about half) and lower materials cost. That may have helped stave off 300 planned or considered layoffs for Marinette Marine: The shipyard that built Freedom received a contract for a second LCS ship.

When it's not cruising around Somalia or any other dangerous waters, USS Freedom will be hanging in San Diego. So beware, beach bums... Dude, don't even think about boarding without an invite.

:ernaehrung004:

Sweet...

http://www.ussfreedom.org/assets/Loc...20Brochure.pdf

Boat is 2 1/2 years old...guessing they just found a use for it.

Apart from creating employment...

Which is all good.

thats for sure

they spent 3.2 mill $ on fuel for sea tril on the first boat of that class

buddy of mine, in the CG, has his ship in dry dock/Norfolk, says the Freedom is coming into dry dock next to them in a week or so...

This is all well and good but we need the current administration to grow the nutz to use it.

The Navy has had huge high speed turbine hydrofoils at Key West for years. Speed was "classified" but from what we saw they ran well up into the 80's and were easily 150 feet long.

Exactly...too much red tape and human right activists.

Blow the fukkers out of the water. That'll teach them to find different means of income.

All it's gonna take is one little swamt rat firing an RPG at it, and it'll be open season on anything suspicious. One can only hope....

Interesting, I thought they cancelled the Litteral Combat ship program a few years ago. Guess they found a use. Although I think it would be more effective to ues aircraft to ward off pirates due to their speed advantage and using smaller high speed boats to pursue/capture. Worked for drug interdiction.

The Viet Nam brown water PBR was essentially designed in what 2 weeks or something like that? Take a 50 Nortech with diesels, surface drives add some kevlar, a pair of .50s up front or an MK 19 40mm grenade launcher. Some Saws on the port and starbord, radar. Operate them in pairs with either fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft and mother ships like in viet nam.


Or start bulding PT boats again, plywood aint that expensive. Running down Skiffs would be a breeze.

No need for billion dollar destroyers to take on this task.

you guys have it all wrong...Obama didn't say he attacks on the pirates.. he said he wanted a TAX ON the pirates...

Heck...that'll disband them for sure!!!!

My Kind Of Cruise! Solution to the Pirates
 

Unusual and outstanding family vacation:

I found a Somalia cruise package that departs from Sawakin (in the Sudan ) and docks at Bagamoya (in Tanzania ).

The cost is a bit high but it seems well worth it. What I found encouraging and enlightened is that the cruise is encouraging people to bring their own high powered weapons along on the cruise. If you don't have weapons you can rent them right there on the boat. They claim to have a master gunsmith on board and will have reloading parties every afternoon. The cruise lasts from 4-8 days. All the boat does is sail up and down the coast of Somalia waiting to get hijacked by pirates. Here are some of the costs and claims associated with the package:

- $800.00 US/per day per person, double occupancy (4 day minimum).

- M-16 full automatic: rental $25.00/day ammo at 100 rounds of 5.56 mm armor-piercing ammo at $15.95

- Ak-47 rifle: no charge. Ammo at 100 rounds of 7.62 mm com block ball ammo at $14.95

- Barrett M-107 .50 cal sniper rifle: rental $55.00/day. Ammo at 25 rounds 50 cal armor piercing at $29.95.

- Crew members can double as spotters for $30.00 per hour (spotting scope included).

- They even offer RPG's at $75 bucks and $200 for 3 standard loads.

- Mounted mini-gun available @ $450.00 per 30 seconds of sustained fire.

- Free complimentary night vision equipment.

Meals are not included but seem reasonable. Coffee and snacks on the Lido (top) deck from 7pm-6am

They offer group rates and corporate discounts, and even offer a partial money back if not satisfied.

Text from the ad:

"We guarantee that you will experience at least two hijacking attempts by pirates or we will refund half your money including gun rental charges and any unused ammo (mini gun charges not included). How can we guarantee you will experience a hijacking? We operate at 5 knots within 12 miles of the coast of Somalia . If an attempted hijacking does not occur we will turn the boat around and cruise by at 4 knots.

"We will repeat this for up to 8 days making three passes a day along the entire length
of Somalia . At night the boat is fully lit
and bottle rockets are shot off at intervals and loud disco music beamed shore side to attract attention. Cabin space is limited so respond quickly. Reserve your package
before April 29 and get 100 rounds of free tracer ammo in the caliber of your choice."

Here are a few testimonials:

"FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!!"
---- Stan, Denver, CO USA

"I got three confirmed kills on my last trip. I'LL never hunt big game in Africa again."
---- Lars , Hamburg , Germany

"Six attacks in 4 days was more than I expected. I bagged three pirates and my 12 yr old son sank two rowboats with the minigun. PIRATES 0, PASSENGERS 32! Well worth the trip. Just make sure your spotter speaks English."
----- Ned, Salt Lake City , Utah USA

"I haven't had this much fun since flying choppers in NAM . Don't worry about getting shot by pirates as they never even got close to the ship with those weapons they use
and their crappy aim--reminds me of a drunken 'juicer' door gunner we picked up from the motor pool back in Nam ."
----"Chopper" Dan, Toledo , Ohio USA .

"Like ducks in a barrel. They turned the ship around and we saw them bleed and cry in the water like little girls. Saw one wounded pirate eaten by sharks--what a laugh riot!! This is a must do."
---Zeke, Minnahaw Springs , Kentucky USA

NO EFING WAY, the human right idiot libs will shut this down pretty soon. I love the night playing disco music, :eek::evilb:

Here is the only link I could find, it has pictures, looks really wild, but I don't think its real,

http://directorblue.blogspot.com/200...e-package.html

Im in, when do we leave?

Awesome

Now that's funny!! :D Total fiction...but funny.

from Key West to Gitmo was about 3 hours if I remember right...

I was kind of getting excited until I saw the Cheney Haliburtan stuff in the last picture. Obviously a joke...Damn!

Sounds like fun!

Hell a carrier does 45+ knots, top speed classified.

1092 ft long and 90000 tons of displacement!

Pete, did you serve under 31Knot Burke?? :p

I wish it were real. I would sign up in a heartbeat....

[QUOTE=Von Bongo;2860410]Interesting, I thought they cancelled the Litteral Combat ship program a few years ago. Guess they found a use. Although I think it would be more effective to ues aircraft to ward off pirates due to their speed advantage and using smaller high speed boats to pursue/capture. Worked for drug interdiction.

The Viet Nam brown water PBR was essentially designed in what 2 weeks or something like that? Take a 50 Nortech with diesels, surface drives add some kevlar, a pair of .50s up front or an MK 19 40mm grenade launcher. Some Saws on the port and starbord, radar. Operate them in pairs with either fixed wing or rotor wing aircraft and mother ships like in viet nam.


Or start bulding PT boats again, plywood aint that expensive. Running down Skiffs would be a breeze.


We already have something much better than a 50 Nortech. It's the 82 ft MKV. Special boat teams run them out of the East and West coast. They have anything from twin .50's, to MK 19's, to mini guns. I worked at SBU12 when I was in the SEAL teams , and we would have them deployed at all times. These boats are able to take some serious pounding.




Darrell.

Throw food at the pirates if that don't work throw fire bombs:angry-smiley-038:All that money for a few bad chimps what if they run in low water???:rolleyes:Nice boat but will they use it?

[QUOTE=DMOORE;2862187]Well there we go then. Use the right tool for the job! Those look like bad news. Always makes me wonder why no forward armaments.

Nope!
Over , under and on top of your last girl friend!!:evilb:

I think We should just go down there and chase them around with some "Apaches". Just the mere presesnce would strike fear into the hearts of even the toughest of pirates. We could take prisoners and sell them on ebay to pay for maitenence and fuel.

Wtf?
 

Why do we insist on giving these azzholes the credit of calling them "Pirates"! They're not pirates.

They're chicken chit punks that only get away with this crap because we let them...

This country is done. She isn't what she used to be and it kills me to say that.

Next the libs will want to bring them "home" and provide consultation on why they should not attack marine traffic.

Next, we'll put together another govt. program to fund their rehabiliation.

I'm sick of the America haters. If you are embarrassed to be American and/or if you don't like it here.... Get the F_CK OUT!! This goes for you too Osama. Use your glimmers of hope and build a tiki hut somewhere in a 3rd world country that you feel is so victimized if you want but stop apologizing for America. There's a handful of us left who don't feel we owe the world for being who we are. Why are the lines so long to get in here anyway???

And as you surrender your "rights" upon leaving, remember it was your so called idiot right wingers that fought, died, and made sure you had those rights while you were here.

I apologize for the high-jack of this thread.

I Did Not Make This Up. It Was A Real Email. For What It's Worth.
 

Subject: The Truth Be Known
Having spoken to some SEAL pals in Virginia Beach yesterday and asking why this thing dragged out for 4 days, I got the following:


The real story of Obama's “Decision Making” with the hostages.


1. BHO wouldn't authorize the DEVGRU/NSWC SEAL teams to the scene for 36 hours going against OSC (on scene commander) recommendation.
2. Once they arrived, BHO imposed restrictions on their ROE (Rules of Engagement) that they couldn't do anything unless the hostage's life was in "imminent" danger
3. The first time the hostage jumped, the SEALS had the raggies all sighted in, but could not fire due to ROE restriction
4. When the navy RIB came under fire as it approached with supplies, no fire was returned due to ROE restrictions. As the raggies were shooting at the RIB, they were exposed and the SEALS had them all dialed in.
5. BHO specifically denied two rescue plans developed by the Bainbridge CPN and SEAL teams
6. Bainbridge CPN and SEAL team CDR finally decide they have the OpArea and OSC authority to solely determine risk to hostage. 4 hours later, 3 dead raggies
7. BHO immediately claims credit for his "daring and decisive" behaviour. As usual with him, it's BS.

So per our last email thread, I'm downgrading Oohbaby's performace to D-. Only reason it's not an F is that the hostage survived.

Read the following accurate account.


Cpt. Philips’ first leap into the warm, dark water of the Indian Ocean hadn’t worked out as well. With the
Bainbridge in range and a rescue by his country’s Navy possible, Philips threw himself off of his
lifeboat prison, enabling Navy shooters onboard the destroyer a clear shot at his captors — and none
was taken.

The guidance from National Command Authority — the president of the United States,
Barack Obama — had been clear: a peaceful solution was the only acceptable outcome to this standoff
unless the hostage’s life was in clear, extreme danger.

The next day, a small Navy boat approaching the floating raft was fired on by the Somali pirates — and
again no fire was returned and no pirates killed. This was again due to the cautious stance assumed by
Navy personnel thanks to the combination of a lack of clear guidance from Washington and a mandate
from the commander in chief’s staff not to act until Obama, a man with no background of dealing with
such issues and no track record of decisiveness, decided that any outcome other than a “peaceful
solution” would be acceptable.

After taking fire from the Somali kidnappers again Saturday night, the on scene commander decided
he’d had enough.

Keeping his authority to act in the case of a clear and present danger to the hostage’s
life and having heard nothing from Washington since yet another request to mount a rescue operation
had been denied the day before, the Navy officer — unnamed in all media reports to date — decided
the AK47 one captor had leveled at Philips’ back was a threat to the hostage’s life and ordered the
NSWC team to take their shots.

Three rounds downrange later, all three brigands became enemy KIA and Philips was safe.

There is upside, downside, and spinside to the series of events over the last week that culminated in
yesterday’s dramatic rescue of an American hostage.

Almost immediately following word of the rescue, the Obama administration and its supporters claimed victory against pirates in the Indian Ocean and [1] declared that the dramatic end to the standoff put paid to questions of the inexperienced president’s toughness and decisiveness.

Despite the Obama administration’s (and its sycophants’) attempt to spin yesterday’s success as a result
of bold, decisive leadership by the inexperienced president, the reality is nothing of the sort.

What should have been a standoff lasting only hours — as long as it took the USS Bainbridge and its
team of NSWC operators to steam to the location — became an embarrassing four day and counting
standoff between a ragtag handful of criminals with rifles and a U.S. Navy warship.

You forgot to mention that the navy had to wait 17hrs for the FBI to arive since the new administration is classifying these type of operations "a police action" not military.
Also it was 4 shots down range, 1 was to break the glass to make sure the kill shots were not deflected

I don't remember the President taking any credit whatsoever for the operation. If you have evidence to the contrary please post it.

As to the "accurate account", do you have a link to a REPUTABLE article about it? If so please post it.

Sorry. You won't find your article on CNN or the like. They make sure those articles don't get written.

Is that what you call answering my questions?? :rolleyes: I'll ask again; do you have any sources to back up your post? If you do, post them. If not, delete this thread for lack of proof.

I won't throw anyone under the bus.

For you personally, just discount what I said and let it go if you need your proof mailed to you.

I owe you nothing. I'll not delete anything I said because of you.

Don't forget about freedom of speech even if it's wrong.

I already discounted it. I didn't think you'd have any backup.

On a lighter note, how do you like the Raylar upgrades you put on your motor? I have no personal experience with the company but I've heard their stuff is first-rate.

Has nothing to do with lack of backup.

[QUOTE=Von Bongo;2862250]They are great boats for the job at hand, that's for sure. As far as the forward armament, They simply take too much pounding up there. It can actually snap a .50 mount in half.


Darrell.