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Your Tax Dollars at Work — Parallax Forums

Your Tax Dollars at Work

ercoerco Posts: 20,259
edited 2013-07-29 08:46 in General Discussion
Slideshow of the latest new aircraft carrier, the Gerald R Ford. 3D design used! No urinals! Electromagnetic catapult launch for planes! Steam is so 18th-century. Controversial, since some say drones (!) are more efficient than this giant expensive target. Ken, how many ELEV-8s could you sell the government for $14 billion?

http://finance.yahoo.com/photos/check-out-the-construction-of-the-most-expensive-ship-ever-uss-gerald-r-ford-slideshow/1-uss-gerald-r-ford-photo-1374772152547.html#crsl=%252Fphotos%252Fcheck-out-the-construction-of-the-most-expensive-ship-ever-uss-gerald-r-ford-slideshow%252F8-uss-gerald-r-ford-photo-1374772152440.html

Comments

  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-07-27 21:08
    Tsk, tsk erco. Got to have those multi-billion dollar projects for the profit and graft opportunities they provide Corporate America.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-07-27 21:23
    I wonder why they didn't build it in China? Man, they could've saved a fortune!
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2013-07-27 21:27
    Ebay China got me one at no cost.

    Free ship!
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-07-27 21:33
    You forgot the ing. Can't forget the ing. Very very bad to forget the ing.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,259
    edited 2013-07-27 22:08
    Don't you mean "ping"?

    Which takes us on a different tangent ...
  • teganburnsteganburns Posts: 134
    edited 2013-07-28 01:59
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy_ships#Aircraft_carriers

    I    f you look under "Aircraft Carriers" and the "Ford Class" you see there is another one under construction and a third being planned.
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-07-28 12:28
    Was there a reason why it was named after the ex president? Just wondering, Is it policy to name aircraft carriers after them?
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2013-07-28 12:48
    skylight wrote: »
    ...Is it policy to name aircraft carriers after them?

    Yes. They honor them that way. Here's a statue on the USS Ronald Reagan crafted to honor him, too.

    356665116_a55ef186db_o.jpg
  • skylightskylight Posts: 1,915
    edited 2013-07-28 13:34
    Thanks ElectricAye, I didn't realise that
  • whickerwhicker Posts: 749
    edited 2013-07-28 14:48
    LEM system for launch assist of aircraft is actually a great idea... if implemented properly.
    Given the right drive system and user interface, one can consistently control jerk and acceleration on a per-plane basis, causing less damage to the airframes.
  • kwinnkwinn Posts: 8,697
    edited 2013-07-28 15:56
    erco wrote: »
    Don't you mean "ping"?

    Which takes us on a different tangent ...

    Yes, I did mean ping. Sigh, usually my spelling is better than this.
  • ajwardajward Posts: 1,130
    edited 2013-07-28 16:48
    With only three of the 10 planned Ford class carriers announced, the minds are churning for the next gen...
    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/cvx-schem.htm

    @
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2013-07-29 08:46
    Frankly, I think that this will be the last big aircraft carrier design.
    It's doomed to go the way of the Main Battle Ships.

    Not only are they too expensive to build and operate, but long-range armed drones and cruise missiles are making them more and more redundant.

    And newer air-to-surface missiles and supercavitating torpedoes are turning them into easy targets.

    In fact, the US Navy is believed to be developing Submarine 'aircraft carriers' capable of launching an retrieving UAVs.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Submarine_aircraft_carriers

    Smaller carriers, capable of receiving and relaunching planes, but without significant storage space or maintenance capabilities may also appear.
    (There's a reason why the Navies all want VTOL or STOL capable fighters. Catapults, aaircraft traps and runways dictate the size of a carrier)
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