I’m not sure if this is pork or just… never mind it sounds like pork. The House approved a bill in which the military would take 4 Ohio Class Ballistic Missle Subs, replace the ballistic missles with tomahawk cruise missles (ok idea so far) and also make them troop carriers for Spec Ops Missions. (This is where the train is derailed).
The Ohios are being converted into so-called “Tactical Tridents,” designated SSGNs, with accommodation for 66-102 special forces troops, special attachments for new Advanced SEAL Delivery Systems (ASDS) or the older Seal Delivery Vehicle (SDV) “mini-subs,” and a mission control center. In future, the SSGNs may also carry UUV underwater robotic vehicles and even UAVs for aerial operations, the report said.
The major problem is that most times if Spec Ops troops need let out to assault a place… it’s needed in brown water (Shallow Water). The Ohio Class subs ARE the quietest subs out there… but they can’t operate in brown water for beans. they’re too big, and they have too deep a draft. Mind I like some of the ideas meantioned in this article. But the bits about Bush wanting only 2, and Congress giving him 4… as well as the above dounbts screams pork belly to me.
