Launch of USS Detroit tentatively moved fr this wkend to Oct. 18th

Marinette, WI, USA- USS Detroit is in her launch stocks at the Marinette Marine Fincantieri Yards on the Menominee River- hopefully ready for her new launch date of October 18th. Fourth in her class, Detroit is eagerly awaited by the US Navy.

The citizens of Marinette, WI, and Menominee, MI [[where these ships are constructed) are quite proud to be able to present this technological wonder to the City of Detroit! :-)

Anyone coming to the launch in Marinette... get ahold of me if you need any local info or assistance.

Some more info

It has an aircraft hangar aboard. That's impressive.

When will it be coming through Detroit on it's way out to sea?

^^^ I looked on boatnerd.com but did not see its passage but was rushing when I looked...

Interesting. It is a stealth design littoral [[near to shore) combat ship seemingly for use in launching Seal and other special ops teams. Over 30 are projected to be built.

Global projection of American naval power while our urban prairies grow. No wonder we end up in so many wars -- because we have the capacity.

It can be seen being built in this satellite view. http://goo.gl/maps/Mjws3 At least it would appear that Michigan workers from Menominee might be employed. It also looks like that is the only thing going on in that shipyard.

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Originally Posted by Malcove Magnesia

When will it be coming through Detroit on it's way out to sea?

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At least 6 months for final outfitting before she transits the Lakes. She is scheduled for a photo op in Detroit on the way thru..

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Originally Posted by Lowell

It can be seen being built in this satellite view. http://goo.gl/maps/Mjws3 At least it would appear that Michigan workers from Menominee might be employed. It also looks like that is the only thing going on in that shipyard.

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And if our current nuclear-powered carriers and subs weren't roaming the seas- the urban prairie would still probably be there, imho. Well of course Michigan workers are helping the buildout- the shipyard is only 150 yds. from Michigan, lol!

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Originally Posted by Lowell

It can be seen being built in this satellite view. http://goo.gl/maps/Mjws3 At least it would appear that Michigan workers from Menominee might be employed. It also looks like that is the only thing going on in that shipyard.

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Btw, the yard is producing vessels for other customers like Mackinaw Island ferries, Staten island ferries, and NOAA vessels, simaltaneously.

Launched!!!!!!!!!!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WPE_4bqQXc

First, thanks to the OP for posting this.

Second, why are we still building these when we have more naval power than the rest of the world combined [[I believe it may be double what the rest of the world combined has but I'm too lazy to look it up)

Perhaps our politicians need to really check into our military spending as opposed to having the masses arguing over the 1-2% of other programs that may be cut.

For 2012 we spent the following, by percent, of federal dollars:

24% - Social Security
22% - Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP
19% - Defense
12% - Safety net programs
other stuff
I know the following are primarily locally supported but.....
3% - Transportation infrastructure
1% Education

People bitch that SS is underfunded, medicare and medicaid can't be touched and the problem is that the evil safety net programs are killing our budget but the 19% of fed money going to defense is untouchable.

As a nation, we care more about killing than helping our own citizens. Completely disgusting.

I think this ship should stay in the Great Lakes, protecting us from Canada.

Nice looking ship and impressive launch.

I am so happy to have another stunningly expensive war machine! Perhaps we can use it to go slaughter some more people halfway around the world. Or, like most of the rest of our navy, maybe it can just be used as intimidation, cruising endlessly around the world oceans while sucking up millions of dollars worth of fuel going nowhere.

Good thing that we have so few problems here at home that we can continue expanding our already ridiculously bloated navy...

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Originally Posted by DetroiterOnTheWestCoast

I think this ship should stay in the Great Lakes, protecting us from Canada.

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As a Canadian, based on events this week in Montreal and Ottawa, if we continue to radicalize our citizens at the current rate you may need protection.

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Originally Posted by 401don

As a Canadian, based on events this week in Montreal and Ottawa, if we continue to radicalize our citizens at the current rate you may need protection.

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Yup! Ann Coulter may not have been so wrong about Canada after all. I remember when Ahmed Ressam was arrested years ago trying to cross the border into the US and planning to bomb LAX airport. There is now a distinct development to this story; the recruiting of Canadian and American youth into terrorist cells. Foreign nationals are a menace but it becomes worse when misguided kids get sucked into this madness.


The story of three teenage girls from Denver of Somali and Sudanese origin detained in Frankfurt en route to joining ISIS is pretty scary.

This kind of thing seems to be accelerating. ISIS seems to be more hip to recruiting and more successful than Al Qaedag at fucking things up. Good luck to us...

What's the price tag on this little item?

Dumb question: Why do they launch ships sideways like that so often with all that risky rolling motion instead of lowering them gently on straps like a casket into a grave?

Is it just for some traditional dramatic splash? Is it a final test that it can withstand that extreme roll? Has any ship ever failed that test?

Sincerely. [[If we never ask dumb questions, we never learn.) :o

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Originally Posted by Jimaz

Dumb question: Why do they launch ships sideways like that so often with all that risky rolling motion instead of lowering them gently on straps like a casket into a grave

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Weight. To lower it down would require them to contruct a mechanism to hold and move it. Doing it the way they do is the easiest, most effective way.

It's traditional to side launch ships on the Great Lakes due to limited space in rivers and connecting waterways to launch them stern first. The other option is building them in a drydock and flooding the drydock, but this then ties up the drydock for a long period of time, making it unavailable for repairs. Side launching has been around for years.

The USS Detroit is scheduled to be commissioned on October 22, 2016.

http://www.ussdetroitlcs7.com

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Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Nice looking ship and impressive launch.

I am so happy to have another stunningly expensive war machine! Perhaps we can use it to go slaughter some more people halfway around the world. Or, like most of the rest of our navy, maybe it can just be used as intimidation, cruising endlessly around the world oceans while sucking up millions of dollars worth of fuel going nowhere.

Good thing that we have so few problems here at home that we can continue expanding our already ridiculously bloated navy...

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I agree. The latest wars, especially since the launch of the dubious "war on terror" are rarely to the US's benefit but instead bring death [[4 million since), destruction [[4 souvereign nations obliterated and counting), pillaging of our treasury [[>$5T) and less security [[if you believe the phony propogander on the threat of terrorism). There is however a major beneficiary of all this instability in the ME which is rarely discussed since it inevitably results in political suicide for any elected/unelected official to so much as whisper thier name. So, if we're honestly there for them, and it sounds like it to me, then I'd say let's get the fuck out NOW.....for our own benefit of course.

PS. Apologies for departing from the subject title

In August we requested tickets to the 10/22/16 commissioning and were notified that we would received invitations in the [[postal) mail this week, but it seems more were promised than the 4000 allotted tickets. It looks like we won't be attending the commissioning after all, but wow, what a ship.

I'm proud to see our city's name on a new ship, and am proud that the US unselfishly helps keep the world free.

Naval ships are a very long term investment. You can't wait until you need them to start building. Even for WWII, before the massive amount of community review and approval needed before any shovel is turned, it took years to get our navy modernized. Thousands likely died because we weren't ready.

Democracy is the worst possible system, except for all the others.

Likewise, a strong US military has been the worst possible system, except for all the others too.

One only need look at the South China Sea and the Strait of Hormuz to know what a world without a strong US Navy would quickly become.

I hope the US does not turn into a selfish nation, worried more about only itself and not about the others worldwide. So many posts here suggesting the world would have been a better place if the US had stayed home -- when so much good has been done.

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Originally Posted by Wesley Mouch

So many posts here suggesting the world would have been a better place if the US had stayed home -- when so much good has been done.

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Yes, just ask the Iraqis [[but not the hundreds of thousands of dead ones).

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Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Yes, just ask the Iraqis [[but not the hundreds of thousands of dead ones).

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No doubt our actions have caused many deaths. So have our inactions. [[See Syria, or WWII.)

We killed on a massive scale at Hiroshima and Dresden, and in targeted ways in Somalia and Abbotabad, to name a few.

I think its pompous to condemn the US for its actions that turned out badly, and ignore the broader 'arc of history' that is bending towards justice and humanity. We must fight to minimize our errors, but not become so afraid of action that we let others die who could be saved. Scores of schoolgirls [[and others) in Africa are being killed by Boko Haram. We can easily stay out of every conflict. Is that really right?

Incidentally, I find it amusing that the 'give peace a chance' camp on DY is supporting Mr. Trump's isolationist stance, and disagrees with Ms. Clinton's generally interventionist history. [[See Iraq, Libya)

Restatement: I think it is naive to argue against warships, when the US military has saved so many more lives than it has cost -- even considering our mistakes. I'm proud to see 'Detroit' emblazoned on this ship. May she further the cause of peace in the world.