"Pearl Harbor 2014?" Topic

What is wrong with this picture?

That it's a box with the word "picture" in it?

1) Not Pearl Harbor, it's Norfolk/Newport News, 45 minutes drive from DC if you clear the traffic.

2) You do realize that there are 2 carriers in port for every one carrier deployed at sea, don't you? One carrier deployed, one in shipyard, one in port working up to go on deployment. So you're seeing 2 carriers deployed, half the Atlantic Fleet.

That the US has all the carriers homeported in Norfolk is a bit odd. It's not like the Pacific Fleet, where there are carriers scattered from San Diego to Everett to Pearl Harbor to Yokosuka. It's not like the Navy didn't offer to homeport 10,000+ sailors in other places, but the screaming idiots didn't want "those warmongers" to spend money in their states.

Oh Good Lord… Not this one again..

First, when this photo of the 5 named super carriers was taken, 2 weren't even in commission. Enterprise had been decommissioned and Bush was still under dockyard hands and wouldn't be commissioned for several months.

Second, its not that unusual to see 3 big decks in town. Rare, but true. Out here in San Diego we occasionally have the all 3 homeported carriers in town at the same time.

And last, Pearl Harbor??? Really??? And just who do you think would be able to attack?? China with its ONE untrained carrier??

Really…. Get a grip, people…

The next Pearl Harbor will be with nukes so the it really doesn't matter how the ships are positioned in the port.

I don't understand the purpose of this post. I give up. What is wrong with the picture?

I suspect this time they'll listen to the radar operators… And the torpedo nets are in place.

When the picture is blown up it is a very nice picture. I can see my old parking spot.

I don't understand the purpose of this post. I give up. What is wrong with the picture?

Too many high-value targets, er… aircraft carriers in one place.

But if that picture shows one decommissioned and one still in pre-commissioning, there are 3 carriers actually/officially in port.

And again, there are usually 2 carriers in port for every one at sea. That's how much work it takes to keep a large ship and crew properly maintained. One ship deployed, one ship just back from deployment in shipyard for refit and repairs, and one ship just out of refit and repairs in port working up (aka training) for the next deployment.

I must say that I have worried about that a bit, especially after 9/11.

It wouldn't be very difficult for a bunch of Jihadis on inflatables to damage, or take out a lot of vessels, like they did the USS Cole, a while back.

After 9/11, I got to do a bit of fishing in the Chesapeake, and was suprised to see how unprotected the naval vessels were/are. We cruised right by a bunch of escort vessels, at fairly close range, and it didn't appear to me that there would be anyone, or anything to deter such an attack.

Ignorance is bliss, I guess………

Has anyone considered the possible utility of a steel shipping container? Imagine a PRC "merchant" ship parked off Hampton Roads with a dozen fake shipping containers filled with nuclear-tipped Silkworm or better grade missiles.

It's not just the CVN's. There are often several LHA's parked in Norfolk as well, each of which could function as an aircraft carrier in a major war. On an average day there are usually 2 – 3 CVN's in town and 2 – 3 LHA's as well.

We allow these lapses because we believe we can get away with it. Don't worry, be happy and no one will dare take advantage of us. But that was the same attitude on September 11, 2001 when 19 goons with box cutters killed more people than were lost at Pearl Harbor.

Ronald Reagan once advocated the practice of "home-porting" that would have reduced the risk of a catastrophe like Pearl Harbor, but that strategy was never adopted.

Sometimes we can be so naive. That photo says it all.

Guess you didn't read about how the Pacific Fleet is dispersed across many different ports, Tumbleweed.

The problem is that most of the east coast hates the military, and wants nothing to do with sailors or the money they spend on goods and services.

I specifically cited Hampton Roads old chap, site of the duel between the Monitor and the C.S.S. Virginia. I have personally seen as many as 8 CVN's and LHA's in town on a number of occasions.

"It's not like the Navy didn't offer to homeport 10,000+ sailors in other places, but the screaming idiots didn't want "those warmongers" to spend money in their states."

I seem to recall quite the opposite – fights for homeporting among local community leaders eager for the money. Were there ever any refusals of home porting by local leaders who didn't want "warmongers"?

"Imagine a PRC "merchant" ship parked off Hampton Roads with a dozen fake shipping containers filled with nuclear-tipped Silkworm or better grade missiles."

Kind of points out the futility of Star Wars strategic missile defense, doesn't it?

Yes indeed. Tens of millions of steel shipping containers all over the place.

"Not Pearl Harbor, it's Norfolk/Newport News, 45 minutes drive from DC if you clear the traffic."

It is 168 miles from DC to Newport News. If you can do it in 45 minutes I would like to know how. VA State Police would be all over you.

You obviously haven't met Rickover's driver, but he supposedly knew every trooper in Virginia and had a ludicrously-fast car.

Though I must be misremembering the time he took, because 168miles in 45minutes gives a speed of 225mph…

So what is the usual travel time, 4 hours due to traffic, 3 if you somehow clear the traffic?

Are those torpedo nets or oil booms?

"The problem is that most of the east coast hates the military, and wants nothing to do with sailors or the money they spend on goods and services".

Sadly, the same applies to the West Coast as well.

A shame these people don't realize what it takes to protect/enjoy the freedoms that they have now.

I suspect it would only take one container with a large warhead nuke missile to do the job. Two, if you want to ensure proper detonation, since not everything works as planned.

"The problem is that most of the east coast hates the military, and wants nothing to do with sailors or the money they spend on goods and services".

Well, that is a pretty offensive comment. Anybody have some statistics to back it up or is this just a nasty political propaganda (i.e. bull crap) statement that happened to slip by the editor (so far)?

Such petty attacks are sad, old, and wore out, so do us all and yourself a favor and take the broken record elsewhere.