Quote:
Originally Posted by pxmcc
but if you do it, will you have the 2nd baddest car on the planet (in a 10 way tie. granted, the Ford is a step up.) if so, fix the damn car..
otherwise, part it out and be done with it. letting it sit is silly. parts just rust and depreciate.
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Nimitz will be scrapped eventually. like the Enterprise. it takes years because the first thing that has to happen is de-fueling the reactors which takes several years. then later the hull can be scrapped.
it also would take 24-36 months at least to refuel. Gordan Chang in his article neglects this fact. Nimitz's nuclear gas gauge is empty. it doesn't have enough reserve to be deployed for a standard 9 months patrol again let alone a possible extended operation if China attempts to occupy Taiwan.
of the 10 operational carriers not all are on active patrol. some let's say 2 are undergoing a major refit i.e. a nuclear refuel. others minor refits. the rest 2-3 ready but in port. so of the 10 now we could sortie 7-8 of them for deployment. that's still a significant numbers edge over China.
Chang's argument is readiness for a Taiwan conflict. the Nimitz won't matter. it's spent. so what does that really leave us?
if needed the US could sortie 6 nuclear and 6 nonnuclear assault carriers. China if they sortied all 3 main carriers and 3 of their assault carriers (they have 5 total) the US still has a 2 to 1 edge
US 12
China 6.
so Gordon Chang's conjecture is flawed and does not accurately account for the total carrier forces of the US that could be brought to bear compared to China.