Does the technology and numbers/means of current battleships enough to keep it retired?
2007-12-17 15:19:53 · 8 answers · asked by Big B 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
No. She is a permanent floating Naval museum at Ford Island in Pearl Harbor. No one has a massive fleet to challenge us. The days of surface engagements are ancient history. Any pre-landing bombardment of an amphibious objective area can be accomplished by smaller warships and aircraft launched from carriers. Plus, the battleships are all oil-burners in an era of nuclear-powered carriers and submarines.
2007-12-17 15:28:22 · answer #1 · answered by desertviking_00 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If needed, yes. Two of the Iowas were used in the first Gulf War, the Missouri and the Wisconsin for off shore bombardment.
But they are all dedicated 'museum' ships now. It would be pretty hard to bring them back and it would take a serious situation to even try.
Chances are the Missouri will stay retired.
(And for all those that say the battleship are obsolete -- they were returned to service in the 1980s after three decades of retirement to replace worn out heavy cruisers in their offshore bombardment role.)
2007-12-17 16:49:42 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Part of the agreement for the U.S.S. Missouri to be a museum is that it can be returned to service if needed by the Navy. Yes it would need some work to prepare it for battle, the only obvious reason for brining such a ship back to service is the weapon system on board. The 16 inch guns are the most powerful guns on any ship, and made an impressive show of poewer during the first gulf war when they were used.
2007-12-17 16:24:40 · answer #3 · answered by GIOSTORMUSN 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would probably take between 6 months to a year to refit and upgrade her, re-crewing her approximately the same amount of time. Any number of cruisers, destroyers and submarines can perform the same missions as the battleship so it is higher unlikely the Navy would request an appropriation of funds, the DDX program places the future of cruisers into some question.
2007-12-17 15:29:33 · answer #4 · answered by oscarsix5 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Probably not, never know for sure as it seems to have served its time and purpose and today would be obsolete in modern day warfare! Reagan brought them back briefly fitted with updated missiles but were not cost effective in the long-run and seemed vulnerable with today's modern weaponry! The days of pounding targets with huge shells, 20 miles away are gone and it would be a sitting target for modern missiles! Technology has rendered the big battleships vulnerable and their time has come and gone!
2007-12-17 15:35:10 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nah, this is a totally obsolete concept--the battleship. An aircraft carrier can deliver more striking power, faster and at greater range.
An old battleship is just a horrendously expensive gun platform, built for the pre-aviation era. They were even pretty useless in World War II except for beach bombardment, and they weren't all that effective doing that, either.
2007-12-17 15:25:38 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Umm..... they don't use battleships anymore.... missile frigates, nuclear submarines, superior aircraft carriers, sharks with fricken laser beams on their heads.... all outclass the outdated battleship. Come on... who uses guns anymore?
(I love guns and the boom they make but missiles work better to fight tomorrows enemies)
2007-12-17 15:28:08 · answer #7 · answered by anonymousryu 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Don't need it.
2007-12-17 15:27:01 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋