charlesboyer: blog 
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woe be to pirates: the navy's new 50+ mph ship
Published Oct. 22, 2009Views: 457
The Independence is a 418-foot warship built in Alabama, and she boasts a top speed in excess of 45 knots, or about 52 mph. Independence cruised at 44 knots for four hours during builder trials that wrapped up this month off the Gulf Coast. The 378-foot Freedom, a ship built in Wisconsin by a competing defense contractor, has put up similar numbers.
Both versions of the Littoral Combat Ship use powerful diesel engines, as well as gas turbines for extra speed. They use steerable waterjets instead of propellers and rudders and have shallower drafts than conventional warships, letting them zoom close to shore. Regular boaters are somewhat familiar with the concept -- jet skis and jet boats use the same principles to operate.
The ships, better able to chase down pirates, have been fast-tracked because the Navy wants vessels that can operate in coasta waters. Freedom is due to be deployed next year, two years ahead of schedule.
More about the USS Independence (LCS-2) on Wikpedia
-- via AP
Filed under: News & Issues
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October 22, 2009 12:46 p.m.
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October 22, 2009 12:59 p.m.
I’ll just bet the first of the skull-and-crossbones dudes that sees one of these boiling up over the horizon are going to just soil their pantaloons ....
IMHO, couldn’t happen to a better bunch ....
:-)
STS
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October 22, 2009 1:00 p.m.
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