why do they blow up ships

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brodie

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i have seen shows on tv about how they blow up old navy ships but why dont they fix them up we could have dozens of ships protecting the borders of countries all over the world i know the ships give greate homes to the fish but they also give greate homes to the navy seamen and women can anyone give me an answer

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t68

t68

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Also when they have a sinkex, they learn valuable information on shipbuilding but also validate weapon designs and how they can make them better.

You only have to look at the Kanimbla class LPA (ex Newport class LST) right idea for the RAN but the amount we spent getting them into shape we could have built a new ship closer to what we needed with little modification to suit the purpose, the extra money that was spent on rust corrosion problems for Kanimbla/Manoora could possible gone towards a new modified Whidbey Island class (needs a hanger for the helo support).

Although larger than the Kanimbla class she could have been the forerunner to the Canberra Class LHD now being built and looking at acquiring an additional sealift ship to replace Kanimbla/Manoora, but it all come down to what the government will spend.

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/lsd-41.htm
 
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StingrayOZ

StingrayOZ

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1) Learn about structural damage and its impact on a ship (minor) Test weapon systems.
2) Gets rid of old hulls
3) Keeps hull designs fairly secret, forign navies aren't going to dive to measure them. Unlike what happend to melbourne(?).
4) Its cheaper/healthier usually than pulling them appart recycling the metal
5) Create tourist dive spots, reefs and spectacular one day shows (major)

I think its a pretty neat way of dealing with them.
 
StingrayOZ

StingrayOZ

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Your talking a few cubic metres of gas being released quickly.

In comparison to the megatons or billions of cubic metres just a few cars release over a year its nothing.

Creation of artifical reefs is a huge plus for the enviroment. Fish move in and a small ecosystem evolves, supporting particular fickle niches, improving biodiversity. They also deter fishing trawlers in that area providing a safe haven for breeding populations. It hard to generalise but thats the idea.

Local communitys are vying for ships. While the hardcore nutter greenies protest, most scientists and moderate greenies see it as a enviromental positive.
 
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My2Cents

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brodie said:
i have seen shows on tv about how they blow up old navy ships but why dont they fix them up we could have dozens of ships protecting the borders of countries all over the world i know the ships give greate homes to the fish but they also give greate homes to the navy seamen and women can anyone give me an answer
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A naval vessel that is old enough that is it not worth mothballing is the naval version of a junker car. The boilers and turbines are worn out and have asbestos insulation. The electronics are completely out of date. The wiring runs and plumbing are rotten. And the hull plates are full of stress cracks.

Replacing the boilers and turbines will require that you rip out the middle of the ship for all intents and purposes. You probably cannot get replacements for the old boilers and turbines, so you will have to shoehorn in new designs. Ditto the auxiliary equipment. Figure on completely redesign the engine room. The hull is probably not compatible with modern acoustic rafting for sound isolation, so the vessel will be noisy, i.e. sub bait.

Replace ALL the electronics, that is 20% or more of the cost of a new warship right there. The new stuff is more compact, but there is a lot more of it, and it requires more power, operators and displays etc. The existing CIC is too small, so you will have the split the operators into 2, or more locations, with the inevitable drop in combat efficiency. You will need more power too.

Inspect (X-ray, mag flux, or ultrasound as indicated) every hull plate, stringer, bulkhead and weld, then patch or replace as needed. The hull is fully assembled, so you will need to cut access holes in it for a large number of locations.

Full replacement of every pipe and conduit run. Both will pose asbestos abatement/removal problems. Bulkhead penetrations will require extensive cutting, welding, inspection, and rework.

These are just a few of the major items that need to be addressed to bring a old vessel up to something approaching current standards. Final costs will be between 125% and 300% of the cost of a new vessel.:crazy
 
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