Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Watch Four Navies Try To Sink The Warship USS Thach (Video)



Daily Mail: The ship that would not die: Stubborn old warship takes 12 hours to sink after US Navy throws everything it has at it in weapons testing exercise

* USS Thach was sunk during the major naval exercise RIMPAC 2016
* The exercise, known as SINKEX, occurs every two years
* Decomissioned ships are stripped of their weapons and fuel and used for target practice by the US, Canada, Australia, and the Republic of Korea
* First launched in 1982, Thach was retired in 2013
* Thach was hit with over 5,000 pounds of high explosives July 14
* It took 12 hours to finally sink, 55 miles north of Kaui

It was a retired war ship hit with over 5,000 pounds of high explosives.

However the USS Thach, which was bombarded from the air, sea, and even underwater last Thursday during a missile-testing exercise, did not go down without a fight, taking 12 hours to finally sink to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

The Rim of the Pacific Exercise, also known as SINKEX or the sinking exercise, takes place every two years, and involves stripping an old frigate of its weapons, ammunitions and fuel.

It is then used for Navy target practice, with ships, submarines and aircraft from the US, Canada, Australia, and the Republic of Korea all taking aim.

Read more ....

Update: Watch the Navy Send a Retired Frigate Out With a Bang (Popular Mechanics)

WNU Editor: It took 5,000 pounds of high explosives to sink the warship .... you have to wonder if they make these ships like they use to.

10 comments:

B.Poster said...

The first thought was "which navies were involved?" Then I saw which ones US, Canada, Australia, and South Korea (Republic of Korea).

These navies are not on the level that Russia, China, North Korea, or even Iran are on. As such, these navies would have probably been able to sink the ship in a matter of minutes.

As to whether or not the ships are made the way they used to be, probably not as nothing really seems to be, however, Iran can sink a US aircraft carrier. Is an aircraft carrier better built than the USS Thach was? I would hope so. So since Iran can sink a US aircraft carrier by itself in less than 12 hours this old ship should not present much a challenge for it.

As I've said for awhile, US military leadership needs to study the tactics and strategies of countries like Russia and their allies. We would learn much!!

Anonymous said...

please stop these "Russia is sooooooo powerful" posts.. it's getting lame

Anonymous said...

Pedro built!

TWN said...

Two possible conclusions, 1-these ships are built really well or 2- the munitions they are using really are bad.

Simple American said...

Sure, many navies could destroy and sink that test bed ship quickly. The purpose was to test the naval and military science in the operation. Even the average yahoo, like myself, can imagine that an operation undertaken every two years like Sinkex would not be for ouhs and awhs.
It would have substantial purpose and specific targets on the ship to test vulnerabilities, strengths and doctrine.

It was not done for our entertainment, but our adversaries may have learned just how tuff a well designed naval vessel can be. Or not.

B.Poster said...

TWN,

I lean in the direction of the munitions being really bad. This is probably used as a good opportunity to get rid of old and poorly functioning munitions and to allow inexperienced crews an opportunity to train. If there are extremely well built ships and good munitions are being used against them, this would seem an enormous waste of time, munitions, and money. In such a case, a better approach would have been to make this ship and others like it floating museums.

Anon,

Pointing out the truth of something is never lame. The first step to good decision making is recognizing reality and acting accordingly. I recall when the US Admiral in charge of Persian Gulf operations received news that Iran can sink a US aircraft carrier. His response was one of ridicule. Very respectfully this was/is completely the wrong response. A better response would have been either 1.) "we are aware of Iranian anti-ship capabilities and have taken the appropriate countermeasures" of 2.)"we are aware Iranian anti-ship capabilities and are taking the appropriate countermeasures." Even if either statements is untrue, it would at least suggest a serious man trying to address serious problems. By flippantly dismissing the problem because it did not fit with his narrative places all of our Naval personnel in graver danger than they already in. Such a person should be nowhere near a command position of anything. Fortunately in your case as commenter on a blog your ignoring of reality and ridiculing the messenger will likely have no harm.

fazman said...

Lol it is lame and it is nonsense. To put the iranian navy on the same page for professionalism reputation and weaponry as those mentioned ( particulary the u.s and RA.N) os just bizarre

Just a carpenter. said...

Bizarre

Just a carpenter. said...

Bizarre

RRH said...

The ship wouldn't have to suffer catastrophic damage to be knocked out of a fight. I'm sure those weapons would have killed/wounded many crew members and rendered the ship hors de combat.