New Mission for Old Subs

[Robb]

After initial resistance, the Navy's plan for its four oldest Tridents is winning converts

(snip)

In 3 1/2 years, the first Trident sub converted to guided-missile launcher will enter the Navy's force and be available for whatever conventional duties it's (sic) called to perform.

(snip)

"We need conventional capability," said U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, one of the key supporters of SSGN funding from the start. "We've got enough nuclear capability, I think. These are incredible platforms to do this on."

Dicks pointed out that the B-2 bomber, once with a strictly nuclear mission, is now a conventional threat, dropping bunker-busting bombs on Iraq during the spring.

"Taking a nuclear system and now converting it into conventional weapons is tremendous," he said.

(more)

[Peachhead22]

1. all that wasted space

It's like convering the aircraft carrier Nimitz into a helicopter carrier. Thank God we never needed the Tridents (IMO we never did), and don't need 'em now, but I'd like to see 'em converted to an undersea oil tanker or cargo ship or something similar. They are huge. Use that bulk. Instead of having them do the same job that Los Angeles-class (which are much smaller) do.

[Noordam]

2. 66 Seals on board

that should make life on a submarine interesting........

[tlb]

4. I've been reading for a couple years about the conversion

and the idea of packing them with conventional Tomahawk cruise missiles seems very good. The Tomahawk's range added to the sheer numbers an Ohio can carry would make this a significant weapon. It is the Seal platform that I am skeptical about.

Even with minisubs for transport, the Ohio subs would have to make a close approach to shore to deploy its Seal contingent. Ohio class subs were never intended for hostile coastal shallows.

This seems like a major disaster waiting to happen.

[mulsh]

3. housing for retierd admirals

My father, a ww2 submariner, has always felt these nuclear subs would make perfect retirement homes for cash strapped admirals and other brass.

[Vitruvius]

5. Another way to kill brown people who have OIL that Bu$h* & co want

to steal.

Our tax dollars at work.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. Hi, it's the petty grammar police here

I'm sorry to be anal retentive about this, but I want to point out that The Sun's use of "...duties it's called on to perform" was perfectly correct. "It's" is a contraction of "it is", and so it has an apostrophe in it. There was no need for your 'sic'.