Launching of USS Wichita (LCS-13) (1 Viewer)

[Mr. Ected]

Earlier this week, the US Navy launched the future USS Wichita (LCS-13) in Marionette, WI on the Menominee River. What is cool about the launch is the method the ship was launched. As far as I'm aware, for large ships the launch is usually performed by filling in the space where the ship was built with water from a neighboring source (river, harbor, bay, etc) and the ship is backed out or whatever and they do the champagne smash when she is already in the water.

See this method. Surprising, and kinda scary for a $360M ship.

Would you be on board?

 

[msommer]

Kinda silly to build warships in Wisconsin

 

[Mr. Ected]

Kinda silly to build warships in Wisconsin

Gotta watch out for those Canadians!!

I thought about this for a second, and the ship should be small enough to travel through the Great Lake canals based on the duties of the USS Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

Quote

The littoral combat ship (LCS) is a class of relatively small surface vessels intended for operations in the littoral zone (close to shore) by the United States Navy. It was "envisioned to be a networked, agile, stealthy surface combatant capable of defeating anti-access and asymmetric threats in the littorals.

The LCS is reconfigured for various roles by changing mission packages, each of which includes mission module equipment (weapon systems, sensors, etc.), carried craft and mission crews.[32] Modules include Anti-submarine warfare (ASW), mine hunter (MCM), surface warfare (SUW), and special warfare missions.

 

[msommer]

Gotta watch out for those Canadians!!

I thought about this for a second, and the ship should be small enough to travel through the Great Lake canals based on the duties of the USS Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

Sure but why have shipyards that far inland at all? Is it all the iron mining in Wisconsin? All the steel mills?

The shipyards by the ocean will not be limited by the locks on the Great Lakes so can produce a greater variety of ships and likely will be more efficient

 

[audiophile]

Thanks for sharing.  Cool video and the ship looks pretty awesome.  

This launch method is actually not uncommon for large vessels.  Check these out:  sideways ship launches

 

[Mr. Ected]

Gotta watch out for those Canadians!!

I thought about this for a second, and the ship should be small enough to travel through the Great Lake canals based on the duties of the USS Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

Sure but why have shipyards that far inland at all? Is it all the iron mining in Wisconsin? All the steel mills?

The shipyards by the ocean will not be limited by the locks on the Great Lakes so can produce a greater variety of ships and likely will be more efficient

The only reason I can think about is that by building a ship there, it spreads some of the building around, and leaves the shipyards direct to the ocean open for larger ships.

 

[Foosball God]

Sure but why have shipyards that far inland at all? Is it all the iron mining in Wisconsin? All the steel mills?

The shipyards by the ocean will not be limited by the locks on the Great Lakes so can produce a greater variety of ships and likely will be more efficient

All the coastal shipyards will be completely under water in 10 - 20 years so they need a backup.

 

[elbowrm]

Shipyard was probably built there as a quid pro quo for a congressman's vote on something else back when our government actually accomplished things.

 

[Man in the yellow hat]

Shipyard was probably built there as a quid pro quo for a congressman's vote on something else back when our government actually accomplished things.

Actually, you are incorrect.

Marinette Marine has been around since 1942. The original building was around tugs and barges in WWII. It makes sense to build ships in Wisconsin because of the major amount of shipping traffic across the Great Lakes. This is a major way materials are moved. Marinette's history goes even further back to 1902, when their parent company, Manitowoc was building and repairing ships that traversed the Great Lakes. It stands to reason they'd know how to build and repair ships, so it shouldn't be surprising.

 Fincantieri and minority investor Lockhead purchased them in 2009. Lockhead holds the government contract and partnered with Marinette to build these ships.

There is a long history of shipping on the Great Lakes. It really shouldn't be surprising that they are building boats in this area. They are right on the banks of Lake Michigan.

 

[gianmarco]

Please don't ever link to CNN again.  That website is a complete joke now that never loads or launches correctly. 

 

[Mr. Ected]

Please don't ever link to CNN again.  That website is a complete joke now that never loads or launches correctly. 

I apologize, worked fin on my Mac.

 

[mr. furley]

*Marinette

*Manitowoc

 

[Mr. Ected]

*Marinette

*Manitowoc

Looking at my initial post, I realize I spelled Marinette wrong. I also spelled the Menomonee River wrong. Although leave it to those pesky Packer-loving freaks to have both a Menomonee and a Menomonie (River and town/city, respectively - nowhere near each other)

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Sure but why have shipyards that far inland at all? Is it all the iron mining in Wisconsin? All the steel mills?

The shipyards by the ocean will not be limited by the locks on the Great Lakes so can produce a greater variety of ships and likely will be more efficient

Why have them on the coasts, closer to our potential attackers.  Taking out shipyards and dry docks is always high on attack planers list.  Why not have some of these facilities 1500 miles inland, in shipping, fishing, and sailing country, someplace with an educated and responsible workforce.  someplace with a history of building ships and subs going back before WWII/

 

[msommer]

Why have them on the coasts, closer to our potential attackers.  Taking out shipyards and dry docks is always high on attack planers list.  Why not have some of these facilities 1500 miles inland, in shipping, fishing, and sailing country, someplace with an educated and responsible workforce.  someplace with a history of building ships and subs going back before WWII/

Sure they do, but that does not make them more efficient. It may not have started as pork, but it is now

And potential attack?

 

[Sconch]

Kinda silly to build warships in Wisconsin

Sounds like a clear violation of the Rush-Bagot Treaty

 

[heckmanm]

Gotta watch out for those Canadians!!

I thought about this for a second, and the ship should be small enough to travel through the Great Lake canals based on the duties of the USS Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

Not to be confused with the CCS class, which is even smaller, with a crew of one man in the ship (more of a boat, really).

 

[mr. furley]

 Although leave it to those pesky Packer-loving freaks to have both a Menomonee and a Menomonie (River and town/city, respectively - nowhere near each other)

took me longer than i care to admit to figure out the difference, i assure you

forget about sorting out that Marinette is in Wisconsin, Menominee is in Michigan and most people just say "i'm from MarinetteMenominee"

 

[culdeus]

Please don't ever link to CNN again.  That website is a complete joke now that never loads or launches correctly. 

Click here for 10 celebrities you won't believe how they look like after plastic surgery!!!!

 

[Sconch]

*Manitowoc

OMG DID STEVE AVERY WORK ON THAT SHIP?  COULD YOU IMAGINE?   BURNING BODIES RIGHT THERE ON THE DOCKS.  HOW WILD WOULD THAT BE?

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

Sure they do, but that does not make them more efficient. It may not have started as pork, but it is now

And potential attack?

Do I lend it much credence, no, but military planers must.  Same reason there are missile silos and bases for long range bombers in the midwest.

 

[msommer]

Same reason there are missile silos and bases for long range bombers in the midwest.

Not only are those decision heavily pork related but most of them were made fifty or more years ago. So not necessarily relevant for the decision to build ocean going naval vessels in Wisconsin today

 

[GregR]

Gotta watch out for those Canadians!!

I thought about this for a second, and the ship should be small enough to travel through the Great Lake canals based on the duties of the USS Freedom Class of Littoral Combat Ships (LCS).

I'm really glad they decided to build these instead of the Figurative Combat Ships (FCS) line which was also under consideration.

 

[Christo]

Not only are those decision heavily pork related but most of them were made fifty or more years ago. So not necessarily relevant for the decision to build ocean going naval vessels in Wisconsin today

I'm not understanding the issue you're having with this. It only takes a few days to get from Wisconsin to the Atlantic. What's that in the life of a ship?

 

[mr. furley]

now i want a pasty