Posts tagged as:

navy

More LCS-1 Troubles: 6-inch Hull Crack, Leak…

by Craig Hooper on March 18, 2011

Bloomberg’s Tony Capaccio discovered something that is not supposed to happen to a new ship–particularly a new ship that has buoyancy issues: During a heavy-weather ocean trial on the USS Freedom in mid-February, he said, sailors discovered a six-inch horizontal hull crack below the waterline that leaked five gallons an hour. Inside the hull the [...]

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In Press: Talking LPD-17′s rehab in the Virginian-Pilot

by Craig Hooper on February 28, 2011

Until last year, one of the most annoying things about being a long-standing LPD-17 critic was the constant push-back from pro-LPD-17 partisans (my criticism began here and, oh, here).  There is no denying that the LPD-17, as planned, is a capable and exciting platform.  The only problem, which the Virginian-Pilot’s Navy scribe Corinne Reilly details [...]

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Captain Owen P. Honors: Remember Navy, style has strategic value.

by Craig Hooper on January 3, 2011

Admiral Nimitz may have loved his raunchy jokes, cussed a blue streak and been all manner of weird in his private life.  I don’t care.  Why?  Because Nimitz, when dealing with the public and his subordinates, understood his rank and role in the Navy demanded professional comportment. Even as a low-ranking commander of the ROTC [...]

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North Korea eying subs as nuclear delivery platforms?

by Craig Hooper on December 13, 2010

Last week’s breathless Washington Times “Inside the Ring” report on North Korea’s interest in nuclear anti-ship weaponry is unrealistic, but, as much as I hate to admit it, the underlying idea–using subs as a nuclear delivery platform–is plausible. But first, step away from Gertz and his China-based fear-mongering.  Let’s drop the Chinese-threat lenses, and realize [...]

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Celebrating the American Shipbuilding Association’s demise:

by Craig Hooper on December 1, 2010

Today, with the disestablishment of the American Shipbuilding Association, this blogger–along with the Navy–won a big victory. For me, it’s a vindication of sorts:  On November 14, 2007, I was the first to publicly call out the American Shipbuilding Association and it’s lobbyist-in-chief, Cindy Brown (that’s her on the right).  I hammered the ASA’s record: [...]

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Mulling the T-AO(X) Pre-Solicitation:

by Craig Hooper on November 9, 2010

After calling for the recapitalization of our aging MSC oiler fleet, it is great to see the T-AO(X) program move ahead.  I do like what I see, but….the pre-solicitation notice is missing a few things–and that means the Navy is missing an opportunity to get good ideas from industry for free. Here’s what I see:  [...]

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Hewlett-Packard (HP) gets billions from Navy but gives nothing back:

by Craig Hooper on September 30, 2010

San Francisco Fleet Week is a community effort.  Fleet Week organizers (myself included) worked hard to raise the $1.2 million dollars we needed to throw an appropriately-sized gala for the Navy and Marine Corps.  Many local companies dug deep.  Some gave until it hurt.  Everybody from Google Earth to Solazyme to Bank of America to [...]

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LCS-1 turbine breaks…are turbine removal rails AWOL?

by Craig Hooper on September 23, 2010

Sooo…who remembers, waaay back in February 2009, when a desperate NAVSEA was looking to get 3-5 tons off the LCS-1?  Remember what they wanted to take out?  I do.  From Janes: Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) told Jane’s that officials are considering taking out components “that have become unused on the finished ship”. The proposed [...]

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In Press: Quoted In the Des Moines Register on ex-USS IOWA (BB-61)

by Craig Hooper on July 14, 2010

Last week I had a great chat with Des Moines Register columnist Marc Hansen about the ex-USS Iowa (BB-61).  In the resulting July 10 article in the Des Moines Register, I was somewhat blunt about the poor performance of the nonprofit Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square, the organization currently designated as the future recipient [...]

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NextNavy aboard the RFS Varyag (011):

by Craig Hooper on June 22, 2010

I spent much of yesterday aboard Russia’s “Carrier Killer”, the Pacific Fleet’s Flagship RFS Varyag (011).  The Varyag’s captain, Captain Eduard V. Moskalenko, was kind enough to give a few of us a personal tour of the vessel.  It was great. We’ll talk more about this unprecedented Port Call later (the first Russian warship to [...]

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