When U.S. Secretary of the Navy John Lehman went to Bremerton to inspect the Oriskane, he found that the hull was extremely "terrifying."
After being sealed for five years, the wooden deck of the Oriskani has been twisted and uneven, and it has been longer on a two-foot-long haystack. Due to the limitations of the hull and its facilities, the Oriskani was unable to take off and land F -4 fighters and A-6 attack aircraft, it is even more impossible to operate F-14 fighters and F-18 fighters; plus the repair cost of each Essex class exceeds 500 million US dollars, making the repair plan seem irrelevant. actual. Congress ultimately rejected the proposal, and the Oriskani continued to be sealed.
The above statement comes from Baidu, but Huadong Zhixiong expressed doubts, even if it is not all-steel armor, but a layer of metal on the outside of the wooden deck, it should have a certain thickness, five years, then the bottom Can the grass growing out of the wooden deck push the metal outside
If it's a wooden deck with no metal clad on the outside, how did this aircraft carrier take off the jet during the Vietnam War? Isn't it afraid of the tail flame burning the deck
Therefore, I personally feel that the Navy does not want to use this kind of aircraft carrier during World War II. It has long wanted to replace it with a new one, so it deliberately said its miserable condition, and then proposed a high repair cost, which eventually made Congress unable to use it. It.
Now, standing on the Oriskani, Nathan can see that the previously sprayed anti-skid material is still on the metal deck of the aircraft carrier, and there is not much rust on the deck.
When the aircraft carrier is a metal deck, if it is not treated, then the metal deck will be polished quite smoothly after the take-off and landing of the carrier-based aircraft. In this way, the carrier-based aircraft and all kinds of vehicles on the deck will slip. People walking on it are more likely to slip and fall, or even the warship will fall directly into the sea after shaking like this.
Therefore, it is necessary to spray some non-slip materials on it. These non-slip materials protect the deck and there is no rust. As for the side of the hull, there is indeed some rust. Rust is normal under the erosion of sea water.
However, these rust marks are all on the surface, as long as the rust on the surface is removed, the inside is definitely quite new.
In later generations, our country won the Varyag, and that's how it was. Once the rust on the surface was removed, the inside was extremely new. The steel used for the aircraft carrier was all specially made.
"This aircraft carrier has never operated a Tomcat fighter before, right?" Suddenly, thinking of something, Admiral John asked.
Isn't that for sure? This aircraft carrier was retired in 1976, and the Tomcat fighter was only in service in 72 years. After service, it must be equipped with a new type of aircraft carrier. This kind of old aircraft carrier was mainly operated by the F- 8 This kind of old aircraft, but it can also operate fighters such as A-7 attack aircraft.
Now, its main task, of course, is to carry the Tomcat.
"Yes, for now, it may not be able to carry the Tomcat fighter, but as long as we improve it a little bit, using our latest steam catapult, it can be operated." Oakes said.
Oaks didn't lie, don't look at the aircraft carrier's displacement is not particularly large, but the deck is long enough, just update the catapult, absolutely no problem!
The new American aircraft carrier has four catapults, which can eject four fighters at the same time. The dispatch efficiency is quite high. However, this backward aircraft carrier only has two catapults. Although it is less efficient, it can definitely be used. In short, no matter how bad it is, it is much easier to use than the Invincible aircraft carrier that skid-off and took off, right
"If you decide to accept it, then remodel it in our shipyard and install new catapults and arresting equipment. The cost will not be particularly high." Oaks continued.
The aircraft carrier is provided to them for free, but if the aircraft carrier is upgraded, the United States will definitely not provide additional funds. If the British do not even want to provide this amount of funds, then don't talk about it.
Of course, this fund can be used to offset it. For example, when the British state-owned enterprises are privatized and their shipyards hold a small amount of shares, won't everyone be equal
"This way, we need to think about it again." Admiral John said.
If you want to pull it back and use it directly, it doesn't work. It must be improved here. However, such an improvement will not know how much it will cost and it is easy to overspend. Admiral John knows this well.
Now, do they need to tow such an aircraft carrier back
Instead of this, it’s better to improve your own Ark Royal and increase the power of the catapult so that Tomcat fighters can take off there. After all, Ark Royal used to operate F-4 fighters, F-4 and Tomcat. The same, they are all twin-engine heavy fighters.
Hearing the answer from the other party, Nathan couldn't help but sigh in his heart. He didn't fool the other party. For the British, it would actually be good to get the two aircraft carriers back. Once the Falklands War broke out, they would be disheartened. Panic.
Let alone whether the Third World War can be fought, at least in the distant South America and Argentina, the battle for the Falkland Islands will definitely happen.
If the other party doesn't even want to pay for the cost of modification, do you still expect the United States to give them the aircraft carrier in active service? Even the Midway-class aircraft carriers were retired after the end of the Cold War. If the Soviet Union did not disintegrate, the Midway would be retained. How could it be given to them
According to the current trend, even the two aircraft carriers may have to be re-unsealed by the United States to join the Navy. After passing this village, there will be no such shop. If they don't want it now, they will be gone in the future.
"Let's go, let's look at another ship." Seeing the other party's state, Oaks also felt that the other party had concerns. Anyway, his obligation has been fulfilled, and then take a look at the next ship.
The USS Goodman Richard is the 14th ship of the Essex-class aircraft carrier.
Compared with the current Oriskani, this aircraft carrier has caught up with World War II.
It began construction in 1943, was launched into service in 1944, and participated in the upcoming Pacific War in 1945. After the war, the Goodman Richard was retired and parked and returned to active service during the Korean War. It conducted two Korean War cruises and was reorganized as an attack aircraft carrier during the period. In 1953, the Goodman Richard underwent modernization and added an angled flight deck, and then remained in service in the Pacific Fleet.
After the Beibu Gulf incident in 1964, the Goodman Richard began to participate in the Vietnam War and made a total of six cruises.
Therefore, this aircraft carrier is more famous. It is the only aircraft carrier in the United States that participated in actual combat in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War at the same time. The Goodman Richard was retired in 1971 and has since been sealed.
Its storage time is longer, so its state is worse.
Sure enough, Admiral John was not satisfied with the state of the ship. (End of this chapter)