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It remains unclear yet what the Navy will do with Bonhomme Richard, which officials said has “extensive” fire and water damage throughout 11 of the ship’s 14 decks after the fire originated in the ship’s lower vehicle stowage area. Navy officials have said the fire and water attack did not damage the ship’s four engine spaces nor its fuel tanks, although they indicated the ship had listed, to starboard and then to port, but had remained stable.

The biggest hit came to the ship’s island, or superstructure, which holds its critical warfighting spaces including bridge and combat systems. “The island is nearly gutted, as are some sections of the decks below,” Gilday wrote, adding, “sections of the flight deck are warped/bulging.” The fire, spread by wind and explosions through the ship’s open spaces and and fueled by many combustible materials, burned many of the spaces where the 1,000-member crew work and live.

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ORIGINAL: fcooke

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ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

A British ship was hit by a missile in the South Atlantic and the fire could not be put out becausethe superstructure was aluminium.

I think that was the HMS Sheffield. IIRC the exocet didn't even explode but ruptured water lines that made fighting the aluminum fires difficult, with the leftover fuel from the missile causing the fires.