Current Events in the Americas

Source: Defense Budget - Priorities & Choices January 2012 (PDF is attached) Okay boys and girls, it looks like the final cuts to the US Defense budget have been made and it ain't pretty. Here's the mountain tops above 10,000ft version ... No Ford class CVN slip ... but the sub force won't get two VA class for a year. Marines won’t be happy with L class cuts/slips LCS and JHSV both got slammed pretty hard on the budget mat, with major program cuts. "To ensure sufficient resources to protect these strategic priorities, we will reduce the number of ships by slowing the pace of building new ships and by accelerating the retirement of some existing sh…

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From DefenseNews [excerpt] Link to the document Naval Aviation Vision, January 2012 (PDF) Update to the Carrier air wings thread in the FAQ subforum includes details of the future USN air wings and USMC aviation combat elements.

From DefenseTech [excerpt]

The drama called the US defense budget saga, can be likened to a poorly cast and predictably-plotted soap opera! Here's the source: http://defensenews.com/story.php?c=AME&amp...49668&s=SEA Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the US shipbuilding industry is getting a high priority in our national defense. What I'm saying is - its overrated. Two flavors of LCS (which are white elephants). The Danish experimented with "multi-purpose" warships and found they didn't work. The Virginia class SSN, while nice is not the best platform for the job. UW is shifting from the deep blue water of the oceans to the littoral. It's like taking a race horse and strapping it to a log…

From AOL Defense [excerpt]

Just learned the ARC is planning three additional hulls of their 80m 20 de Julio class offshore patrol vessel (OPV). The ships are based on the Fassmer 80-meter design. This will bring the class up to a total number of five when completed. FWFS, Greg Emerson, DM1(SW), USN-Retired Renton, WA, USA

Here's something interesting, from the Latin America desk: http://navaltoday.com/2012/01/03/brazilian...-of-three-opvs/ FWFS, Greg Emerson, DM1(SW), USN-Retired Renton, WA, USA [CV32: Moved to the 'Current Events in the Americas' subforum]

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Collection of photos of US Navy radar ships over the years, including the newest, USNS Howard O. Lorenzen, here.

From Telegraph [excerpt]

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It seems my Major Kong needs a new ride. From Danger Room [excerpt]

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From Flight Global's DEW Line blog [excerpt]