Fun at the range: SINKEX

[GunnyGene]

The range is out in the Pacific Ocean. The targets are ships. The USN gets to sink them, hence the name of the exercise. This year it's the USS Tarawa that will be going to the bottom.

https://www.twz.com/sea/flattop-amp...o-be-pummeled-with-weapons-in-rimpac-wargames
Excerpt:

The ex-USS Tarawa, a decommissioned U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship, is set to be sunk off the coast of Hawaii at the upcoming 2024 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise. This is the first time in nearly two decades that a Tarawa class vessel will be destroyed as a target and it is only the second example to be used for this purpose. This is also the first time in more than a decade that an amphibious assault ship of any kind will be sent beneath the waves in a U.S.-led exercise. As such, RIMPAC 2024 will offer a valuable opportunity to gather data on the effectiveness of different weapons against such a large warship, as well as how the vessel stands up to the punishment.

Tarawa, which was decommissioned in 2009, is currently at Ford Island in the center of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. This year's iteration of the U.S.-led multi-national RIMPAC exercise is set to kick off on June 26 and run through August 2. A so-called sink exercise (SINKEX) is the capstone event at each biennial RIMPAC, though the type of ship used varies.

 

[blume357]

They need to have a full armory down in the hull to match actual battle condition.... and see if some of our rockets can penetrate to it.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

They need to have a full armory down in the hull to match actual battle condition.... and see if some of our rockets can penetrate to it.

Well neither the Navy or the Marine armories on her would amount to much.....they would just hold small arms/etc....nothing that would go boom. Now the magazines are a different story. Although she didn't store as much ordnance as a CV/CVN carrier. Mostly ATG type for the Harrier commands on LHA carriers.

 

[blume357]

that's actually what meant, the magazine. Blow the sucker up and I'll bet she sinks.

 

[Jeepnik]

I’m kind of sad to hear the Tarawa is being sunk. I worked on one of her major refits. On the other hand, hopefully the newer ships have better berthing for the Marines.

 

[GunnyGene]

^^^ Bunch of amateur's.....low yield tactical nuke, deck level detonation.
Make it fun and entertaining for the whole world, give the diplomats and assorted
environmentalists something besides global warming to whine about.

We did that already back in1946. And this was only 23kt, what we consider now as a tactical nuke.

 

[ProfessorWes]

How many sailors actually get to cook off a Harpoon or a MK 48 for real? I expect they're lining up for the chance to push the button . . .

 

[XUSNORDIE]

that's actually what meant, the magazine. Blow the sucker up and I'll bet she sinks.

HOOYAH!

 

[XUSNORDIE]

I'm kind of sad to hear the Tarawa is being sunk. I worked on one of her major refits. On the other hand, hopefully the newer ships have better berthing for the Marines.

Why just the Jarheads?.....I racked out with them in the bush a few times....they didn't care if I had anything better....

I've seen the Tarawa berthing's for their squadron level and MARDET........same as our berthing compartments.....

 

[Jeepnik]

Maybe it's just an old Airedales point of view. Other than a couple of training courses and a few days on the ground I always had a nice comfortable bunk with clean sheets.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

I'm an old Airdale myself....with a ton of training courses and more than a few days/nights on the ground with Jarheads and various froggy type and dirt type Squids.....but when onboard ship always had the same rack/sheets as the Jarheads.

 

[Jeepnik]

I'm an old Airdale myself....with a ton of training courses and more than a few days/nights on the ground with Jarheads and various froggy type and dirt type Squids.....but when onboard ship always had the same rack/sheets as the Jarheads.

Should have joined the air force. Better food, better hours and better quarters. Oh, and we always had a full compliment of degreed medical professionals on standby. No offense to corpsmen, but I was much happier having a surgeon removing metal from my body that an enlisted guy.

 

[WAYNO]

I'm kind of sad to hear the Tarawa is being sunk....

Me too. I know this stuff has to happen, and time marches on, but I'm also sad to see aircraft scrapped, and military posts being bulldozed.

I can never go back to Ft. Ord.

 

[Jeepnik]

Me too. I know this stuff has to happen, and time marches on, but I'm also sad to see aircraft scrapped, and military posts being bulldozed.

I can never go back to Ft. Ord.

Sure you can. It's a National Monument now. My first air base was outside of Victorville Ca. It was one of the first to be shutdown. I figured that was the end of it. It was later turned into a freight airport. But I had no real reason to go up there.

Then I got a contract with the US Bureau of Prisons. They were building a complex of three men's prisons and one women's prison. I got the contract to handle the water treatment end of the construction for the three men's prisons.

Being right there I drove across the street and right into what had been the air base. I was amazed at the number of abandoned buildings that were still standing. And more so at the number that had been repurposed to small business.

My Barracks was gone (found out later it was burnt by an arsonist). But the firehouse was still there. Repurposed to house county road repair equipment. I visited a few times on on one stopped by the nice new fire station. Talked to a couple of guys and they took me down and let me walk through. I was amazed at just how little it had changed inside.

We had a 3 D light up map on the wall that would light up the location of a run. The map was still there, but the lights had probably long ago ceased operation.

So maybe plan a trip and see what's left.

 

[freakindawgen]