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@Sir_Godz

29 күн бұрын

its not B-U-fort scale, its Bow-fort scale as in Cross-bow-fort or Beau Guest the fictional character

@boutinpowered8373

29 күн бұрын

Transferring missiles while at sea just seems like overengineering the problem of, not enough missiles can fit on this boat's hull size. Instead of just making a bigger boat specializing in missile quantity, they must create an overly complicated and inefficient system.

@gimnick

29 күн бұрын

I've been using Ground since your last video with them and it's fantastic so far! Highly recommend it

@1DVSB

29 күн бұрын

Anything Americana has sitting on water in war is useless because of the hypersonic weapons deployed by China and Russia. Fear not America has the largest Submarine fleet. Everything else is just a target in a state of war against a real military

@jaredyoung5353

29 күн бұрын

This is what happens when defense is privatized more and more

_3 VLS rearming supply ships provides the capability equivalent to 18 additional destroyers by keeping warships at sea longer, saving warships already deployed a weeks long trip to port for rearming_ And that's why amateurs study tactics, but professionals study logistics

@jtjames79

29 күн бұрын

Logistically drones win every time. You have to think a little outside the box, but there's decades of sci-fi to draw on.

@piotrd.4850

29 күн бұрын

Please remind these professionals about crew fatique, spare parts, fuel, consumables....

@SamtheIrishexan

29 күн бұрын

As a Navy veteran taking away a week long port call is a necessary break for morale.

@theodoreolson8529

29 күн бұрын

@@jtjames79 Drones are not the solution "every time". They're more successful in land warfare than at sea.

@theodoreolson8529

29 күн бұрын

@@piotrd.4850 Which is one reason the LCS was crap.

Its funny, as an Engineer, my mind jumps from "This should be easy to fix" to "Wait, no. This is really complicated and difficult to fix". 😂 Such is the dirty work of building a real world solution.

@protorhinocerator142

29 күн бұрын

Everything at sea becomes 10^3 times harder. Navy stuff ain't cheap.

@jerseyshoredroneservices225

29 күн бұрын

Because of the length of the cells and the tight tolerances, perfect alignment needs to be maintained while they are lowered into position. This is nearly impossible when the Crane is on the donor ship because there's no way that 2 different ships can be locked together as one. I think the solution is to lower the cells on the deck of the recipient and then use a Crane on that ship to pick it up and put it in position, In the module. Now I'm interested to look up the TRAM system to see how that's designed...

@cannon3267

29 күн бұрын

coulkd a system similar to the himars rack work?? it would need to be able to erect the cells, but the built in guide rails, even if stowable when not in use, might be a viable option.

@jajssblue

29 күн бұрын

@@cannon3267 I was actually thinking something similar. A bundle of VLS tubes with a specialty fitted resupply vessel. By specialty, I mean one with a significant arm and bumper system to hold the ships together and a significant gantry crane system to do the full job of lifting the vls bundle and inserting it into the destroyer. I would envision this gantry as not using conventional cables and cranes, but instead telescoping armature or guide rails with cables. Between locking the ships together and using this gantry system, I would aim to eliminate any sway in moving the cargo. Granted, this is an expensive and unique solution. Plus I can see potential flaws with the approach. But I think it could handle intense sea states. I need to look into the TRAM system mentioned in the video to see how it works.

@jjohnson796

29 күн бұрын

No it’s not. KISS my friend all of the tech to do this has been around since the early 90’s. Civilian merchant and working commercial vessels deal with this all the bloody time when rafting up for cargo transfer and used to do it without dynamic positioning and with at times more reactive materials than a missile in a VLS canister. Don’t reinvent the wheel when solutions are already around.

This is what I love about Alex... He's not afraid to _literally_ say "I might be wrong" *and then* to ask for you to inform/correct him about it! ♥️👍

@randygravel2057

29 күн бұрын

You know comments help him. They put wrong stuff in videos to get comments.

@DUKE_of_RAMBLE

29 күн бұрын

@@randygravel2057 Well sure, I'm aware of how comments improve a video's reach. Though I'm not sure Sandboxx is doing it intentionally, and if they are, on any piece of info that's significant. For example, I've seen Shorts (not Sandboxx's) make an very targeted errors to trigger viewers into commenting. So I'm not implying that practice isn't in play... I'm just not sure _Alex_ does it. But I've been known to be wrong, which is fine! 😅

@RobertCunningham-cw4bv

29 күн бұрын

I don't think he really needs to do that 🤷🏻‍♂️. But, l could be wrong 🫡

@coryt2459

25 күн бұрын

He’s the best.

@kevinblackburn3198

22 күн бұрын

Be a he is often wrong

Nimitz's secret weapon in WW2 was the mobile, floating naval bases of Service Squadron Ten. Entire anchorages of supply, repair and drydocking facilities that advanced behind the Fleet substantially reducing the need to sail to Pearl, Bremerton or San Diego.

@Kriss_L

28 күн бұрын

Which would be a lot harder to do now with intel satellites in orbit.

@absalomdraconis

24 күн бұрын

​@@Kriss_L: Sailing to Pearl, Bremerton, or San Diego would _also_ be much harder for the same reason. Those ships which actually sailed all the way back often succeeded only because of work already done at those mobile facilities.

@ramal5708

21 күн бұрын

Indeed this is why the Navy established overseas forward bases in Ulithi atoll, Majuro etc. which are located close to the frontlines and made warships and aircraft carriers to refuel, rearm and repair. Logistics also defeated Japan in WWII, Japan lost most of their cargo and merchant ships and they couldn't conduct their logistical operation with efficiency.

When I first read that VLS systems had to go back to a friendly port to rearm I was astonished. Obviously the resupply depots would be the second targets after the initial strikes. I'm glad they are looking into resolving this.

@donaldg.freeman2804

29 күн бұрын

That kind of sounds like a selling point to get Congress to provide the capability. However I'd be thinking about rearming in and around Guam, Japan and the Philippines. We are pouring a crap-ton of money into the Philippines now and paying for base development in many different locations to host ATACMS and other weapons systems to dominate the South China Sea in the event the Chinese go further in their efforts to threaten the Philippines and other neighbors. You have to watch a lot of these videos from different perspectives to see what steps we are taking along with the other ASEAN nations to obstruct China.

@k53847

29 күн бұрын

We used to have these vessels called "Destroyer Tenders". These had cranes, big holds and machine shops and were designed to support DD flotillas away from major bases. The Navy got rid of them because reasons.

@franklordi2219

28 күн бұрын

could it be that the VLS cell is not practical for a large scale war?

@everettputerbaugh3996

28 күн бұрын

@@donaldg.freeman2804 I suppose you've seen where think-tanks have gamed this out. Did you miss the ones about a preemptive first strike on air bases and naval ports (you know, the ones with reloading capabilities and ships re-supplying) before actually landing on Taiwan? So much for the survive-ability of the first string ships within missile range of China.

@everettputerbaugh3996

28 күн бұрын

@@franklordi2219 Well... There was the concept of the arsenal ship, but it was decided that the navy couldn't afford the 100's of missiles required to are it (not to mention the replacement costs due to normal wear & tear of deployment).

I spent 3 years on a Navy ship, USS PYRO, AE-24. All we did was underway replenishment at sea. Everything from Carriers, destroyers, cruisers. We have been doing this since WWII..

@protorhinocerator142

29 күн бұрын

I like the sound of that. USS Pyro. Sounds like an idea I would have had.

@Skb2005

29 күн бұрын

Isn’t he specifically talking about VLS cells in this video?

@Hathur

29 күн бұрын

Yeah... you gave fuel and supplies and equipment... NOT VLS replacement rounds. Pay attention.

@nametag4277

28 күн бұрын

You saying that you resupplied VLS while under way?

@artiefakt4402

28 күн бұрын

@@nametag4277 Alone with his bare hands, probably

Time to bring back liberty ships full of VLS tubes!😂

@BrettBaker-uk4te

29 күн бұрын

OSV with ADL or Mk.70....

@tickticktickBOOOOM

29 күн бұрын

Problem with that is making enough missiles to fill the tubes. Offensive wise, SSGNs are the best option. The enemy is very unlikely to detect them before they're in range, they can carry plenty of missiles, then disengage and go back to reload. Some have suggested a cheaper semi-submersible arsenal ship option, which I could get behind if the factories can meet the demand.

@jakeaurod

29 күн бұрын

@@tickticktickBOOOOM The problem with SSGNs is that it may be overkill or underkill for short range attack or air defense or ABM roles.

@tbe0116

29 күн бұрын

@@tickticktickBOOOOM The purpose of surface vessels is really just air defense. Most of their VSLs in a conflict will be filled with Sams to protect themselves and the carrier. Ssgns can’t do that.

@theodoreolson8529

29 күн бұрын

@@tickticktickBOOOOM SSGN's are stealthy...until the first missile launch. The missile exhaust is like a big ol arrow "submarine is here". That said, I do agree with you.

This one hit close to home! I am proud to say that both of my boys are U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) grads who worked for the Military Sealift Command (MSC). One is now working as a dynamic positioning officer for a separate company. I can tell you very few people appreciate the strategic value of USMMA.

@ChaseBond11

28 күн бұрын

Kings Point is such a beautiful place to go to school. More people should know about it.

@joedance14

26 күн бұрын

A very challenging program from all I’ve ever heard! United States Military Academy (better known as West Point)

In a major conflict, it would be possible for the USN to need to use up most of its VLS in the theater on the first day. It would be thousands on the first day, then hundreds later.

@PDXdjn

28 күн бұрын

Hopefully, the remaining targets are significantly reduced after the first day.

@dgthe3

28 күн бұрын

@@PDXdjn Yes, but the Day 1 problem still exists. A war with China will not be initiated by the US. So the load-out of ships will have to reflect a good deal of uncertainty in just what the war will be. Every tomahawk in a VLS cell is one less missile to protect the ship, battlegroup, or Taiwan. But every tomahawk used is a potential pier-side ship destroyed, or ammunition bunker obliterated, or fuelling depot crippled. Its a question of how much of today gets sacrificed in the name of tomorrow. Quite literally.

@donaldcarey114

24 күн бұрын

The ignored issue is the CURRENT stockpile of and the CURRENT manufacturing capacity for said weapons.

@radical137

24 күн бұрын

@@dgthe3 actual VLS loadouts are secret, but I think it's about 75 percent defensive. The USN relies on airpower for offense.

Aussie Navy announced a large optionally crewed surface vessels (LOSVs) drone VLS ships (to be developed with the USN) and expanding the capability of it's ships. These will be networked within the AEGIS ships weapons systems. This future capability will be incorporated on a greater scale within the USN thus expanding its VLS count. Difference between this and having the missiles in an escorting support ship is that the drone ships missiles are ready for instant action. The problem of reloading spent missiles at sea has a long history, especially now we have a near peer aggressor in the far western Pacific, both these capabilities of reloading at sea and drone VLS ships are a definite force multipliers.

@ChrisZukowski88

29 күн бұрын

I wouldn't call the Chinese "near peer", but they def. are the greatest threat. Russia is a baby that Europe can easily handle. The Chinese have upped their military quite a bit that is true, at the cost of their voilatile economy though. Not to mention, their population crisis will cripple them for years to come. That being said, drone tech is def. the way to the future, that's for sure!

Great article Alex. Greetings from your most reliable ally since WW2 down in Australia. 🇦🇺🤝🇺🇸

@spurgear

29 күн бұрын

Proud to be brothers with the lords of banter!

@FishandHunt

29 күн бұрын

@@spurgear World champion shit talkers and beer drinkers! lol Good on ya mate. 🇦🇺🤝🇺🇸

@randomuser5443

29 күн бұрын

The land down under that out crazies florida. Strongest ally in the region

@FishandHunt

29 күн бұрын

@@spurgear Yes we could be considered world champions at sledging and beer drinking! lol 🇦🇺🤝🇺🇸

@FishandHunt

29 күн бұрын

@@randomuser5443 Bigger than Texas and crazier than Florida. These are trying and dangerous times, we need to stick together. 🇦🇺🤝🇺🇸

Army veteran here. Awesome work once again Alex. You're vids are at the top of my list when I brew my coffee and sit down to get my morning started. Gonna miss your vids when you go in for eye surgery. But I will be wishing you the best when you go in. Hope all goes well and the doc's are able to restore your sight to the best it can be. Are yoiu using the VA medical system to get this done, or going through civilian docs? Probably doesn't make a difference. Just curious. My experience with VA docs has been hit and miss. Good luck my friend and I'll be looking forward to the next vid when it drops! Keep up the amazing work and Thank You for always making the things you cover easy to understand!!!

I really like the design of the VLS systems these ships have, even with the hassle of it. The reality is a ship even without VLS didn't have hundreds of missiles because their magazines only had a finite space, so one way or another you have the issue of a ship with a limited number of missiles. You have a lot more versatility with VLS.

@protorhinocerator142

29 күн бұрын

I'm also not opposed to arsenal ships with hundreds of missiles on them. Make them semi-submersible so they're hard to hit. Maybe even double decker the missiles. I dunno. Have them use mainly extra long-range missiles and keep them a couple hundred miles back behind the fleet from the enemy. They would be used for static and slower targets. Anything where the clock is ticking and it needs to be destroyed NOW could be fired upon from traditional ships, closer to the fight.

@dennisnguyen8105

29 күн бұрын

@@protorhinocerator142 Arsenal ships would be better employed as moving, harder to destroy anti ballistic missile shields for say Guam or Hawaii. South Korea and Japan use their Aegis destroyers to provide the same protection. They are very close to China and Russia and North Korea so these are easier to target via land or sea or submarine. The US islands are much further away so these ballistic defense ship would be easier to protect. As for strike capability, I think the US Air Force bombers and convert transport with Rapid Dragon would be a better choice. Air launch long range strike missile benefit from release at higher altitudes so the expensive boosting of the into the air via rockets will not be needed. Just fly them up and carry them to a launch point via much more efficient air transports and release them. I'm sure the NAVY will hate this but having fighters from carriers provide support to Air Force bombers will be the best solution for stand off strikes against coast China and their ships inside the first island chain.

@hailexiao2770

29 күн бұрын

​@@protorhinocerator142Make it fully submersible and you've got yourself an SSGN.

@protorhinocerator142

29 күн бұрын

@@hailexiao2770 True but you don't need to submerge half a mile. Make it so it can submerge 20 feet. That's plenty.

@kiro9257

28 күн бұрын

@@protorhinocerator142 won’t that make those semi-submersible ships just as vulnerable as a surface ship without the capability to use surface-to-air missiles? Might as well commit to an SSGN since it’s more stealthier.

I was part of an ONR effort for a specialized crane that would stay stable during inclement weather. This was back in around 2015ish. This program came out of a need to preserve existing crane cabling, as sudden loads on cables while deploying CTDs drastically reduced cable life and risk cable snapping (which by this point, has already happened numerous times). The end result pretty much kinked up and destroyed the cables though because there was no level-wind in the world that could keep up with the constant paying in and out of the cables. Granted, the loads were for much smaller payloads than entire missiles. CTD’s aren’t nearly as large as an entire VLS canister; BUT CTDs require paying thousands of meters of cable so the CTD to approach the ocean floor. As of me typing, such a crane still does not exist as the issues were never solved, and will unlikely will be solved in the foreseeable future. We tried for many years with lots of money trying to solve it, with many crane companies and really smart people to solve it; but could not. We’re limited to use of such cranes at calmer conditions (Beaufort sea state of 3 or less). HOWEVER, VLS rearming uses far less cable than deploying CTDs at sea (like instead of a few thousand meters of cables payed out for CTDs, it’s more like a hundred at the most for surface-to-surface crane use). That makes me extremely optimistic for TRAM, if they use similar technology as we tried to incorporate.

@jackthompson6296

29 күн бұрын

It doesn’t seem that hard to solve, but I don’t know what constraints you were dealing with. Is it an important problem?

@dan725

29 күн бұрын

@@jackthompson6296 Ya we didn’t think so either, but the ship moved so much relative to avg surface level even at sea-state of 1, that the winch was paying out and unpaying very rapidly, so much so that the winch cable got insanely kinked and tangled. The level-wind could not keep up. There’s no motor tech that can keep up that sort of speed and variability.

@danielch6662

28 күн бұрын

Instead of a magical crane, how about robot arms?

@absalomdraconis

24 күн бұрын

​@@danielch6662: Cranes _are_ a type of robot arm.

@absalomdraconis

24 күн бұрын

​@@dan725: Old-style tape drives used vacuum tech to help with their equivalent (the drums the tape was stored on were too high-mass for quick accelerations), but admittedly they still needed capstan motors that could go fast enough as well.

US Army Warrant Officers began on the water in the mine planting service , no surprise one became a marine engineer … btw “Sustainment is a Warfighting Function!”

Thanks Alex you get access to some really interesting weapons information from aircraft, army equipment, marine weapon systems and navy weapons. I built aircraft, weapons, parts, nasa rocket systems and systems to the Air Force from structural frame to inflight refueling . I’m retired now. But I still have never lost my interest to keep learning. I love the current access you get on the latest system. Everything in the military never stops evolving. Great job.

You mentioned the first ship to receive vls systems was a Ticonderoga class cruiser in 1996. When I got to uss Paul f foster dd964 in 1993 we had 8x8 vls system installed. Prior to my arrival, that ship used the vls system to launch tomahawk cruise missles during the first gulf war.

@elecjack1

28 күн бұрын

He said the first was in 1986.

@richardsmith5502

28 күн бұрын

Thank you

@Kriss_L

28 күн бұрын

I was on FOSTER for her last 16 months until we decommed her. Retired YN/CTA1(SW).

Port Hueneme is pronounced Y-knee-me. I was a SQT Officer there in 1969. It was called Naval Ship Missile Systems Engineering Station aka NSMSES back then.

Trying to keep up with the changes is difficult as well as being amazing. Old FTM2 here 1959 to 1967 Bay of Pigs, and Vietnam Veteran. My first fire control computer MK1A. Took up half the compartment and was a mechanical computer, but we hit what we aimed at. USS Eaton DDE-510 Harvey

@alexanderpierzchala1615

29 күн бұрын

Thank you for your service.

@Kriss_L

28 күн бұрын

When I reported to USS FOSTER, we had two walls of empty racks in the space that had been replaced with two laptops.

@louisfrank6918

5 күн бұрын

Hey be happy missile are safer then other ideations ages past powder mags were the most dangerous thing on our ships and directed. Munitions one shot one kill vastly superior look at convenience and ease of decoy modules to confuse combvataants

I always enjoy keeping up with what's going on with our military. Thanks Alex

This sounds like a good reason to rethink the “arsenal ship” idea. Bigger ships make bigger targets, to be sure. But let’s be honest. The carrier is as big enough target as there is. Sailing an arsenal ship (or perhaps more than one) with a carrier strike group for both carrier defense and additional combat power makes a lot of sense to me. As this new system comes to rearm at sea, arsenal ships could also be rearmed or be swapped out as necessary.

@dennisnguyen8105

29 күн бұрын

US Navy is already thinking about Arsenal ships but distributed. Think unmanned or optionally manned ships with VLS cells and a large open rear deck suitable for various task such as landing helicopter, VTOL, F35Bs, drones or mobile missile launchers. They can even have a rolling on/off cover so that you don't know what's underneath. I"'m sure RAS (refueling at sea) for drones is in development. These would have nearly limitless endurance provided they have fuel. Minor maintenance can be performed by roving techs. If major maintenance is needed, they can be sent back to friendly port.

@counterfit5

28 күн бұрын

Not needing to house crew would open up a lot of space for weapons that crewed ships can't use, so they wouldn't necessarily need to be bigger

@dgthe3

28 күн бұрын

I'd be more comfortable with new cruisers. Not because of any possible vulnerability & risking losing a big chunk of your battle groups VLS cells, but because 1 ship can only ever be in 1 place at 1 time. Take the DDX hull, add a bit of length fore & some more aft (50-60 feet total) and just pack in dozens more missiles. 200 total feels like a good target number.

@josephnewbern2717

28 күн бұрын

@@dgthe3 Understood. Thats why in my mind, you disperse the arsenal ships like the rest of the fleet. Some be part of the CBGs, others to trail cruiser, destroyers and frigates at a distance. Still others spread out elsewhere. The idea is to continue to amass combat power, by any and all available means, preferably keeping them all in motion and slipping into and out of range.

@dereksollows9783

28 күн бұрын

Arsenal ships will be of equal value to a carrier and thus will require high amounts of defensive measures. This may eventuate into a dead end concept. How many 'too many eggs in one basket' concepts can be supported by the greater fleet? Success may be in distributed nodes rather than centralized masses. If the nodes are cheap enough - there will be a benefit when compared with 'support groups' for - not only the carriers, but for the arsenal ships. It is not an easy balance to strike. Good luck with this from your neighbour to the north.

We appreciate your hard work putting out quality content!!

Seems to me that having these cells in a pre packaged block and craned into place would be much quicker without the need to have such small area to fit too.

I think the MOBILE answer would be a ship like the mobile theater/expeditionary sea base ships we are currently building. The ship would partially flood like a large hauler (the kind that haul smaller yachts) so the destroyer could sail into the ship from astern then sail out from the resupply ship's bow. The ship could then lock the destroyer in place so both ships moved in tandem with each other. Finally, overhead cranes would precisely position the reload over the VLS and a mount either placed on deck by the base/resupply ship, or built into the VLS, would precisely ratchet down the reload in the same way we haul down Helos to a pitching deck (RAST gear). The overhead gantry crane would provide more support to the reload than a boom jib crane would and give better stability with two widely spread cable rigs.

@dorkf1sh

Күн бұрын

That's the first thought I had- a SOSO (Sail On Sail Off) solution that's mobile and versatile. I'd also look at replacing banks of cells as a package rather than reloading individual cells on the combatant. Pull the partially/fully expended bank, drop in a full bank, then let the SOSO reload the banks expended cells from their own stores as the combatant sails off into the fight again. Heck, a combatant could even call ahead for a customized load out based on current need.

Please cover The F-35B & F-35C Gun Pods! When/why they're deployed, how much would it adversely affect RCS, and are The Pods Stealthy/Low Observable themselves!?🙏👍

Tell the Navy to try this: a Mobile Floating Drydock. Said ship parks somewhere, sinks down far enough to allow a DDG or CG to drive (or be pulled) into position, then the onboard crane system handles the job of reloading the VLS systems. Then the Dock ship floods it's compartments so the DD or CG can leave and the process is repeated for the next ship.

@sneakerset

29 күн бұрын

The USN had a big one: (Google) images for floating drydock / Ulithi / 1944.

@TheGreyAreaBetween

29 күн бұрын

From what I understood, the aim is to not stop anywhere in order to maximise the separation abilities should a ship being rearmed come under attack and to prevent them from becoming a sitting duck. The idea of parking anywhere seems to go against the nature of this change. That said, I am not a navy man and my general understanding of bobbing up and down in the sea comes down to the idea that something has gone very wrong and I have very unhappily ejected over the water. It’s cold, it’s wet, it’s salty, and far more deadly than anything in the sky. I can appreciate walking along the beach front on a nice sunny day and that is enough sea for me. For this reason, if by “parking” you mean something other than static in the ocean, forgive my ignorance. I know nothing about mobile floating dry docks and if they could technically do all of these things whilst actually on the move.

@John_Smith_86

28 күн бұрын

Too slow. The drydocks cannot easily reposition themselves. They are effectively immobile on a stragetic level

@samroberts4080

28 күн бұрын

A stationary ship can be targeted with satelite data only, something thats quite easy to do. A moving ship requires initial recon with a satelite followed by additional tracking with an airborne asset which is a lot harder - giving the ship better chance of survival within an area of operation.

@everettputerbaugh3996

28 күн бұрын

It seems to me that all of the issues to using this idea boil down to POWER. How long does it take to pump the water out? Are you holding in one place ore moving fast enough to make targeting difficult? How long does it take to extract empties and insert the desired canisters? How fast is the dry dock going to go between fill-ups? etc.

I love this channel! I am so enjoying that you cover more than just air. I swear, I look forward to your videos on the Space Force.

Your deep dives are always exceptional. The best!

If they put lidar and laser sensors on the bottom of each fresh tube they want to load, it can detect the sway in x y and z in relation to the ship next to it so that hydraulics on the boom arm holding the munition over the empty tube can adjust in real time and basically remove or compensate for any of the motion between the 2 vessels. That’s how I’d design a solution. Then you can just have dedicated reloading vessels. Maybe a good designation for those new navy ships that have no idea what to do with

@hanrockabrand95

29 күн бұрын

More than x,y,z, I think roll, pitch, and yaw would make it very difficult to align things.

@kurtwinslow2670

29 күн бұрын

I'm no engineer but I think you'd have to anticipate the motion\wind which brings in many more variables.

@sneakerset

29 күн бұрын

@@hanrockabrand95 Yeah, the Dutch roll.

@AdamS-nd5hi

29 күн бұрын

@@hanrockabrand95 exactly. Sorry, was typing at red lights. I’m terrible, I know

Glad I refreshed my youtube feed just in time! Another great video Alex!

@jrdsm

29 күн бұрын

It could have been catastrophic if you didn't

Well, one solution would be to have large ‘super cartridges’ carrying say 16 cells, The whole super cartridge would be unloaded to sea, which then independently motors a short distance over to the receiving ship, and then with robotic assistance slot into it. That would require custom designed ships, build to accept these super cartridges. They might for example ‘side-load’ into the ship or they could top-load. Either method would require robotic handling systems on the receiving ship, which might even be part of a still larger modular cartridge system - allowing that module to be swapped out, and replaced at a port for maintenance. So modules of modules of modules. Probably your ship should carry say 64 cells each, in 4 groups of 16-cell clusters. The as sea loading system should be designed to work up to say sea state 6.

Great review - interesting and informative without being boring. At sea replenishment is challenging in the extreme - truly calm seas are rare so solving this challenge is going to be tough. A great video, keep it up!

Besides the issue with reloading the magazines, the problem with limited missile supplies is perhaps more pertinent. For FY 2024 only 125 Standard missiles of all kinds and 108 ESSM were ordered for the year. That is pretty much the average yearly order. Considering the shelf life of a missile, it leaves only a limited number of missiles available to reequip the fleet once war begins. Though classified, it seems unlikely considering the high-tech components in these missiles, if it is possible to surge production anywhere near the levels needed in a near peer conflict. Also relevant is the fact that USN fleet units have very large missile magazines when compared with our allies. The British Type 45 destroyer, for example, has only 48 missile silos for its PAAMS air-defense system. There are few missiles available and new Aster missiles have taken 42 months from the placing of an order to delivery. The other remaining NATO allies are equally as limited. The countries that use US weapons will have to wait for US production to replenish their stock once the shooting starts.

@Kriss_L

28 күн бұрын

Finally a comment that makes sense.

@ktanner11

25 күн бұрын

I'm willing to bet in a big scale shooting war after the first days or months, the use of older tech will be used more and more IE surface engagements that use torpedoes deck guns ect. You can have all the best tech, but if you cant supply enough its pointless

Could you do a video about the future of Shorad? Will short range air defense provided by the laser stryker? Will the Bradley replacement IFV XM30 function as an anti air cannon? Should the US look at the SkyRanger / Skynex / millenium gun system? And will there be a Stinger replacement with a better battery, targeting, and most importantly more affordable? Or is this affordable future the APKWS guidance upgrade for the cheap and plentiful Hydra 70mm rocket? Should we slap that on Avenger Hummvees? Or IRIS-T?

Fenders Alex,, Fenders!! Have a great weekend,, and thanks for the content. I just forwarded it to a friend who's son serves aboard one of these destroyers. My best to you and thanks again.

Love your videos you do man always nice to get enlightened with some knowledge always a great day when you drop a video

This brings back consideration for the "magazine ship" a ship that can fire those weapons. Favorite idea, force multipliers.

@johndoh5182

29 күн бұрын

Yes, a ship that carries missiles for other ships HAS to be well protected, and it can't protect itself alone. You'd have to have underwater support and air support as much as possible to go with it and there aren't many places in the world that would want a magazine ship to pull into their ports.

@GizzyDillespee

28 күн бұрын

​@@johndoh5182Not an arsenal ship... a magazine ship. Instead of a manned reloader ship, people have been talking about an unmanned missile launching ship that can hold way more missiles since it won't need to house a crew. Which is a fabulous idea until Hal9000 or Korean hackers take it over electronically... then it will seem like just the worst idea... a drone with thousands of long-range missiles - what could go wrong?

@dgthe3

28 күн бұрын

@@GizzyDillespee A support ship hauling missiles isn't really the problem. Getting them from that vessel onto a warship, is.

Red Sea combat has woke Navy up that short term combat planning is faulty.

If there is a better vlog than this, I haven't ever seen it. Great job and good luck on youreye surgery!

Great job Alex! You and Ward Carroll are two of my favorite sources for in depth intel on important topics.

The US Army just chose General Dynamics and Rheinmetall as finalists for the 4000 Bradley replacement IFVs. Could you do a Firepower series video about this program, the two finalists and the other three that dropped out. Or more generally the current state of IFVs (Bradley, CV90, Puma, Lynx) and their most likely future. Maybe even including anti air IFVs like some CV90 variants and SkyRanger.

@MrSJPowell

29 күн бұрын

You're determinized, I'll give you that. Also might want to update your copy pasta because they "just" chose those finalists nearly a year ago.

@texasranger24

29 күн бұрын

@@MrSJPowell i mean i could, but we could also use it as a timescale to when the video finally comes out...

3:22 to skip the ad

@dabulphilly

29 күн бұрын

Thanks

Great analysis and coverage as usual! Thanks

Alex, you and your channel are the best. Thank you, Greg Hames

A video about the X65 and active flow control would be cool.

@jajssblue

29 күн бұрын

I really want to know more about active flow control.

This is hands down the best channel on KZread!

Really enjoy your videos.They're very thorough easy to understand logical.And I hope the surgery goes well

Thank you for addressing this very real logistical issue facing our military., my friend. It us greatly appreciated. May you and your family enjoy a safe and blessed weekend, my friend. 👍🏻🇺🇸🦅🇺🇸👍🏻

1. they're not "bumpers", they're fenders. 2. the commercial vessel also came equipped with a bloody great zero speed stabliser, making her effectively a stationary object, when compared to the naval vessels she was working with. 3. Go out and look at the nearest coastal anchorage you can find. You see the waves? Now add tidal motion, and wind effect. It doesn't matter how sheltered the anchorage is, these factors will always exist in deep water ports. There is nowhere in the world, that a navy "frigate" or "cruiser" could access that would be calm enough to get that system to work. (I put the classes in "," as they bear no resemblance to their namesakes, and draw far more water, and are far longer.) 4. "State 5 results from a strong breeze (up to 27 knots) and large waves (up to 20', but half that height on Sea State 1 Conditions average) start forming, many with white foam crests."

@theodoreolson8529

29 күн бұрын

The bumpers protect the walls of the ship. 🙂

@jjohnson796

29 күн бұрын

I would argue that you need a lot more sea experience and materials handling as well. We were doing crap like this back in the 90’s under much worse conditions. Why do people look for difficult solutions to relatively simple problems. Build the head of the lifting boom correctly and it’s not a big problem.

@Myungbean

29 күн бұрын

"I'd probably argue that VLS was a nice idea, but they forgot to include a magazine system to reload them." I was just thinking this. I'm surprised there isn't a faster way to eject the spent cells (perhaps some sort of elevator beneath) that could also facilitate faster reloading.

@mountedpatrolman

28 күн бұрын

Bring back the Iowa's.

@jamisonpoindexter1648

28 күн бұрын

yeah i can tell u read one book about a ww2 battleship and based your entire naval idea of strategy on outdated technology from 70 years ago…but I’m sure the people that study this for a living don’t know as much as you :)

This reminds me when i was in a cargo handling battalion in the Navy reserve, during one of my annual trainings in Virginia. The ship we practiced on had another crane of a different design, instead of the standard shipboard pedestal crane. They said it was gyroscopically stabilized, used cameras to match the other vessels movements to accurately place cargo from one ship to another. It was in testing. I thought it would be odd to load 40ft containers while at sea, but this would make more sense. FYI, I'm not saying what i was told was accurate, it even for the purpose of reloading VLS at sea

Nice update. Enjoyed this one. Stay positive about your eye. Attitude makes all the difference.

Not creating an arsenal ship with like 500 or more VLS was a massive mistake. would be cheap, literally just a fast barge that could accompany groups of destroyers/carrier groups in war time..

@ScottySundown

29 күн бұрын

Could call it the Evans-class Surface Arsenal Ship. First ship would be the USS Evans after Cmdr EE Evans. That dude was a legend!

@donaldg.freeman2804

29 күн бұрын

I think all of that is being reconsidered. All the targeting provided by the Aegis ships and barges full of VLS cells. The Air Force wants to fill cargo aircraft with missiles and bombs. Things are changing rapidly.

@kameronjones7139

29 күн бұрын

How exactly do you plan on arming more than 3 or 4 with 500 missile each ? No one can arm large numbers of ships with that many missiles along with other ships

@donaldg.freeman2804

29 күн бұрын

@@kameronjones7139 I wouldn't put 500 on a ship for fear of losing it. I would use a lot of smaller ships with deck stowed VLS, maybe in containers.and distribute them. There wasn't (isn't) an infinite number of reloads of anything. Back when I was in half the missiles the Navy owned were aboard ship somewhere.

@kameronjones7139

29 күн бұрын

@@donaldg.freeman2804 exactly to many missiles one one ship can be a really bad situation

The USN is in a hybrid situation the RN faced in 1910's and late 1930's and early 1940's. Overstretched in every single theatre, unable to concentrate forces, unable to defend each theatre without sacrificing another, and in a technological as well as numerical naval arms race. The USN cannot concentrate enough forces to match the PLAN without withdrawing from European waters and South American water in order to concentrate on the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Hormuz, Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans.

@johndoh5182

29 күн бұрын

And yet people keep voting for the politicians that want to keep cutting taxes, which comes at the expense of the military budget. Yes it's correct that the USN or to say this more correctly, the US military can no longer meet a mission goal it had decades ago which was to be able to fight and win wars in 2 theaters. It then dropped to winning in one theater and sustain another theater. My assumption would be with the growth of the Chinese military it can no longer do that, but ONLY because of the growth of the Chinese military, not because of Russia which has shown itself to be a dud. Having said that, both Russia and China are near bankruptcy. For China in particular their regional govts. ARE bankrupt for the most part whether they say they are or not. Many of their BANKS are also bankrupt, most their real estate companies are bankrupt. Their central govt. has SAID they will use QE to deal with the issue of the local govts. along with finishing housing, where you have a few million people/families that have bought housing that's not finished, but the real estate companies have no money nor do the construction companies that were supposed to do the work. The CCP is going to have to put at a MINIMUM of a couple trillion USD, not Yuan, USD into QE and if they don't they're facing a hostile population. In other words, people think China is much more of a threat than they really are. The CCP is hated across the country for the economic disaster people are facing now. I mean the ONLY reason citizens put up with a govt. that greatly restricts their rights is the promise of economic stability and growth. The US military in general could EASILY take on the Chinese military where most of the members would lack the motivation to fight, considering they hate their govt. And yes, it's hate, not just a minor disliking. You have SOME citizens that will thump their chests about how great the CCP and China is, but that's not most citizens. Most citizens dislike the govt., and others hate it. So, without China being a threat, the US military is still in the position to where they could fight in one theater to a victory and sustain another one.

@dextermorgan1

29 күн бұрын

It's almost like we should mind our own business and these wouldn't be problems in the first place.

@ianduffy5176

29 күн бұрын

Found the chinese shill.

@fightforaglobalfirstamendm5617

29 күн бұрын

@@ianduffy5176 huh?

@johndoh5182

29 күн бұрын

What's wrong, butthurt about the other comment?

I just learned so much! Great job Alex!

Great stuff! It's easy to think about the small-scale engagement where resupply would not necessarily be an issue --but on a large scale Big problems. It's not like the old days when you could transfer some shells, powder, fuel/food, and, er, the latest magazines while tooling alongside a supply ship just outside the battle space. You can get anything you want from those beautiful supply ships except missile canister. Really interesting topic/problem.

The amount of “blind spots” in the left leaning media is staggering

@jeffrymilton1093

24 күн бұрын

Agreed. What they do not report can have negative consequences on the public.

Always good stuff. Thanks

Great video! Definitely a huge logistics problem that must be addressed.

Sir, Thank you for the informative and thought-provoking presentation.

So glad your surgery is scheduled. I'll be praying for you.

Thanks so very much for your dedication to us and good wishes to you and your family

Gotta give you credit great video and topic

Solution: Have a mechanical erector system attached to a sliding frame around the vls system. Transfer the new vls tubes to the ship deck horizontally by the pallet-full for quick and easy resupply. Use simple deck equipment to load the horizontal tubes onto the erector mechanism. Erector slides into the correct position and then does its thing. No swinging cranes. No complex lifts. Quick transfer process.

@pauljs75

28 күн бұрын

Such makes perfect sense, but who knows what's tied up in contracts? The issue isn't technical but political.

@wacojones8062

28 күн бұрын

The original system used 3 of the cells for a crane. It was called a strike down crane. I know there were problems with the system and it was removed on some ships.

Nice introduction about re- arming (Magiual units)providing solutions for beggest warship reaming systems during wartime

Great topic and video, Alex. Thanks.

We had no problem reloading SM-1 and SM-2 missiles at sea on ships prior to the advent of the Mk41 VLS. We took one step forward and 2 steps backward with VLS. Its high time the US navy got around to fixing this big problem its had since the mid 1980’s. The British Navy also has had the same problem.

I usually say this on all of your videos, but I love this channel. Thank you.

Very good video. All of yours are very good, Alex. Thank you.

I spent three years on the USS McKee a submarine tender back in the 90s. We could do anything that a submarine needed in calm waters. At a port or at anchor. We also had destroyer tender that had the same ability. Both had cranes built into the ships. They couldn’t do weapons moves under but in a port or a bay that had calm waters they could. We no longer have any in the Navy.

Great episode, Alex. The TRAM system really does sound like a game changer. I worked on installing the tactical VLS on Australia's (John Perry) FFG Class in the mid-2,000s and always wondered about combat endurance.

Good to see they're working on this.

Without question the best site for this subject matter.

We thank you Alex🇺🇸 and it always good to see one of your excellent videos....

I was a Firecontrol tech for 6 years in the USN. The core problem is we have a Navy built for peacetime operations. We sent our steel mills and shipyards to China and now our industrial capacity is not able to keep up with them anymore. Just one shipyard in China is larger than lol of our shipyards combined. Globalization has turned our military into a boutique force with small numbers of very expensive weapons that take far to long to build.

@dereksollows9783

28 күн бұрын

The USA still builds ships that work. Just not with the efficiency of WW2 levels. China still doesn't take the ring on ships. It is too early for despair. It is just time to get organized and 'back to work'. If we don't the crap WILL happen.

@Kriss_L

28 күн бұрын

Over 20 years fighting a land war in the middle east may also have something to do with it.

Right on! It is about time 👍🏻

Spoken like a true system thinker. The whole is indeed much greater than the sum of the parts. TY Alex.

This was addressed when VLS was first deployed, the concept was “Arsenal Ships”. The arsenal ship was nothing more than a hull that carried a mass of vls canisters that a launch could be directed from the ageis system within the battle group. Just a few years back a test was done via a drone ship carrying a vls module. The point is ships would have defensive missiles and offensive weapons carried in the drone ship.

They need a jig that can craned over and pinned to the launching module and pull out all eight cells from a module simultaneously. Then be swapped with the next jig with the eight replacement cells. Then move that jig to the next module and pull the next eight cells.

I'm actually glad you're back and ok.

I found this very interesting and you did hit on some key issues. I work in the industry and to give you some takeaways, we are not alone in this issue. So for now and near future naval engagements, all the world's navies are to say "in the same boat". At this time, navy engagements would be fast and short as both sides would basically shoot their loads and retreat to rearm/reengage. Now the big game changer for the US is we are pursuing and soon to indoctrinate our "ghost fleet" use of USVs as standoff vessels that can be equipped with munitions to complement the existing fleet. There are several payloads that can be configured and this will more than double our offensive/defensive capabilities in a fleet.

Sea power just drops different. Love it.

Loved it, great analysis, hope the surgery goes well.

looking forward to more "Sea Power" videos as well!! Thanks Alex!

Great video. Thank you. The newest idea in “ rearmament“ is the large sized, unmanned, arsenal ship. One or more, would be attached to any carrier group, and having a large number of loaded such Arsenal ships available to quickly move toward any area of potential conflict from area, such as Australia, Japan, etc.

@PDXdjn

28 күн бұрын

How about a relative swarm of mid-size arsenal drone ships, to be more distributed targets. Plus, they can rotate in an out as needed, always leaving the group with some for protection.

@Kriss_L

28 күн бұрын

Read about the Atlantic Conveyer. Lose one arsenal ship, and you're SOL. The US Navy doesn't buy enough missiles to lose that many in one ship.

Good points--Sal's channel had a few episodes on this subject--he is pissed the Navy has kept putting off building these ships!

The inability to re-arm the mark 41 VLS has always bothered me, a one magazine rifle is useless in high intensity combat. Also we are suffering greatly by not replacing the huge number of frigates we used to have. The litoral ships are a bust that has weakened our blue water capability more than any other bad decision. Someone should pay for that, and the blame should go to top of decision makers. The OH Perry and Knox frigates were very effective in war games like Harpoon

61 cell VLS launchers were also installed on the SPRUANCE (DD 963) class destroyers, repalcing the forward ASROC launcher and TLAM ABLs.

Great comprehensive video as always. Chapters would be appreciated 👍

Great job on this video. Liked and subscribed. Look forward to seeing more of your videos like this 🤓

Philippines is God sent for the navy. Batanes was just recently added as a port and Santa Fe at the tip of Luzon is a naval base. You also have Lolilo airport nearby can accommodate heavy transports so there’s a slew of options. Besides Subic, Sangley, Cebu. There’s plenty to go to during the war. The whole Philippines will be open for use when war breaks out.

Great informative & interesting video Alex!

Hear me out, the nfl skycam but it's the pod. So the ship that's getting supplied sends 4 or more lines that are attached to 4 or more motors that are attached to the vertical launch pod at the bottom. Then the supply ship crans it over, as it does the motors take out the slack in the lines. Once the vertical launch pod is over the correct arear the motors are able to have control of the bottom as the pod is lowered simular to how the use 4 motors to move the sky cam all over the stadium

There is another issue to consider. You cannot shot all the missiles on board because, in this case, you got no protection on the way back to a friendly port. So the problem is still bigger than it appears, an Arley Burkle can shot at maximum 2/3 of her anti air missiles, needing the other 1/3 to defend herself, alternatively she can shot all missiles, but than will need an escort vessel (at least a frigate) to navigate miles and miles back to her base...

I had assumed that the Navy could rearm their vertical lunch systems at sea for years. Yikes. Understanding now how difficult such a undertaking is thanks to your video. The Navy has a way of pulling off the most amazing tasks imagable. This capability is a must and I will be looking for the successful implementation for our ships. With the likelihood of a naval conflict with China over Taiwan growing more possible each day, we have to have the ability to rearm the Navy's combat ships while underway

Not an engineer, but i do make and fix things. Heres what I would do. Fabricate an angle iron type frame that would swing open to lay the VLS container inside of and bolt shut once the cell is laid inside. Then, from a pivot point that would line up exactly with the opening to load the VLS into, swing the angle iron frame up to the 90° loading position and bolt it onto the deck and into place at all 4 corners and for extra stability, all 4 sides as well, to ensure that it stays put and then lower it into the ship. The crane lowering the VLS container horizontally into the angle iron frame would greatly reduce the dangerous swinging and swaying motion while it would be vertical and as such would make it much easier and safer to get it onto the ship. Then with the frame being attached to the deck of the ship and then bolted to it once vertical, would eliminate the need for a crane to lower it into the ship. I know since everyone is honorable and upstanding citizens, that if they use this idea and it works, that everyome will male sure o get credit and get paid. But if it helps us win.... well, i at least still want credit. Haha.

Thank you. Great vid.

Solid piece & best wishes on your surgery Alex

I would think the solution would be to use the simple methods for moving the systems off the supply ship, but to then have a robotic arm, instead of just a crane, on the destination ship which is tasked with picking the systems up and installing them rapidly.

@Alex I love Ground News! I used to get my world news from shortwave in the '90's. I would hear about huge news stories that involved the US that I never heard from domestic news sources! Brodcasts by Deutche Welle and other European news agencies were far more infomative than our US news agencies were. Now, Ground News gives me an overview and blindspot coverage that is very thorough. I'm glad to see that you are using them too.