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Missile Boats...outdated?

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Centrix Vigilis View Drop Down
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  Quote Centrix Vigilis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Missile Boats...outdated?
    Posted: 20-Aug-2006 at 20:02
certainly a controversial topic in many respects. some claim there deterrent effect is still a necessity....others say better systems and use of tac nucs are far more realistic and can be delievered more effiencently without the cost....of maintaining the nuc boat fleet..what do you think Question
 
below is an excellent article on what these billion dollars monsters might still be capable of doing and will be in a more non-tradtional way.......
 
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A New Role for the Trident Fleet

Captain Terry Benedict, U.S. Navy

Proceedings, June 2006

The U.S. Navy's strategic submarines such as USS Alaska (SSBN-732) have patrolled the world's international waters for nearly half a century. Now they have been slated for an additional missiondeployment of strategic conventional ballistic missiles to address a diverse set of threats on short notice.

 


U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE PHOTO ARCHIVE

With rogue states and terrorists bent on aggression populating the global landscape, what can be done to ensure rapid worldwide target coverage,  given the Navy's reduced force structure? One answer is to modify existing weapon systems that already have the mobility, range, reliability, persistence, and responsiveness needed to address these types of threats.

The Trident fleet ballistic missile is one such system. It has the basic capabilities, range, and speed needed to address the challenges of today's global security environment and can be modified to support new missions that require rapid response and precision accuracy when a nuclear response is inappropriate. Because of this, a much-needed prompt global strike capability can be added to our strategic arsenalwithout the risk, expense, and time required for the development and fielding of a major new weapon system.

As part of the new U.S. strategic triad, the Trident ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs) can continue their crucial peace-keeping nuclear mission while taking on an additional non-nuclear role. Most of the missile tubes on these submarines could continue to carry the nuclear Trident II D-5s, and a few tubes could carry D-5 missiles with non-nuclear warheads to be developed and fielded in the near future under the Conventional Trident Modification (CTM) program.

While complementing the deterrent role of the nuclear D-5s, the CTM program will be an evolutionary step in deterrence strategy away from complete dependence on nuclear weapons. Make no mistake though: nuclear weapons continue to have a critical place in our national security posture. They provide credible military strike options to deter a range of threats, including a potential adversary's nuclear arsenal.

The capability to carry a combination of nuclear and non-nuclear weapons will make the Trident D-5 a multi-faceted deterrent and potential first responder. Non-nuclear precision strike capability will give our national leaders and combatant commanders prompt, effective response options that minimize collateral damage on a target and the surrounding area while achieving the objective of defeating the particular threat. Aggressors will be deterred by a capability that can reach out and engage them anywhere on the globe. The conventional Trident missiles deployed on SSBNs will have the same reach, mobility, stealth, and speed as their nuclear counterpartsplus the added capability of near-GPS precisionto deter and defeat a range of threats on very short notice.

The New Triad

The 2001 Nuclear Posture Review, published in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, set forth the transformational approach of adding conventional weapons to the strategic deterrent mix. Following a Department of Defense review of America's strategic nuclear force structure, strategy, and policy, this study articulated a new triad of strategic forces based on a comprehensive set of offensive and defensive capabilities to more fully address a diverse set of threats. It called for the offensive leg of this new triad to be composed of U.S. nuclear forces, a range of conventional strike capabilities, and new non-nuclear capabilities.

The Quadrennial Defense Review, released this year, reaffirmed this approach, concluding that the United States needs to tailor its strategy of deterrence to each potential adversary, make greater progress in fielding prompt, accurate, non-nuclear global strike capability, and make further modest reductions in strategic nuclear force structure with minimal risk.

The new triad will equip the United States for the multi-adversary playing field of the 21st century. In this arena non-state actors pose a serious threat, method of attack may be unanticipated, and extremist enemies may be unswayed by the threat of catastrophic nuclear strike. Strategic effects that before were only possible with nuclear weapons now can be generated with highly precise and responsive conventional systems, owing to the development of precision targeting, flexible and collaborative planning, and improved intelligence and surveillance capabilities.

The 0-to-60 Gap......................................



Edited by Centrix Vigilis - 20-Aug-2006 at 20:07
"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

S. T. Friedman


Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'

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pogy366 View Drop Down
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  Quote pogy366 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-Aug-2006 at 10:48
... it makes perfect sense to convert the SSBNs to SSGNs and allow them more operational flexability. Why scrap the boat when it can be converted to a new mission?

Submarines will continue to maintain their value on the battlefield regardless of the type of operations involved. They do more than launching nukes or sink skimmers.

"Better to be a geek than an idiot. "
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Centrix Vigilis View Drop Down
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  Quote Centrix Vigilis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21-Aug-2006 at 12:32
Agreed.......the mission to include insertion of larger spec ops units and equipment is viable indeed...drawback includes their suceptibility to visibility in closer in shore waters...but that can be be gotten around as well...thanks for the feedback.
 
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"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

S. T. Friedman


Pilger's law: 'If it's been officially denied, then it's probably true'

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