JohnDillworth
Posts: 3100
Joined: 3/19/2009 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Anachro It just seems a bit naive if in the past the navy has recognized the increased risk of damage/fire while in port for refit/repair, a damage control team should always be on hand. Anyways, yes, this is a write-off; the slow, unstoppable progress of the fire and grinding firefight, as well as the images seen of the burnt out, hollowed ship, all makes this feel hauntingly similar to the firefighting efforts of Kido Butai at Midway described in Shattered Sword. The ships wont sink, but will be so damaged and warped on the interior as to be hardly worth repairing. Even if they had a civilian construction team on board they would have a fire watch 24x7. Pure speculation but what might happened is something exploded (could be a gas cylinder, improperly stored solvent, a lithium battery, ect ect. lots of flammable things on ships and construction sites) and the crew on board did not have any procedures to call for outside assistance with the fire, they never got ahead of the fire and by the time they got help it was too late and the help did not really know how to fight fires on warships. A complex system failure for sure and absolutely a learning experience for the entire Navy. Someone way up the command chain is going to be put in charge of investigating this and they will do an outstanding job. It will be interesting reading a couple of years from now.
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Today I come bearing an olive branch in one hand, and the freedom fighter's gun in the other. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. I repeat, do not let the olive branch fall from my hand. - Yasser Arafat Speech to UN General Assembly
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