Artificial Reefs?

[AG124]

Does anyone know if the US Navy has approved any more obsolete warships to be sunk as artificial reefs? I doubt the Oriskany is going to be the last one, and I've heard rumours about the USS Forrestal joining her soon. Also, according to some sites, the following ships were approved for sinking:

"[a supply ship]"
"five missle cruisers"
"three aircraft carriers"
"seven destroyers"
"seven missile ships [unspecified types]"
"an amphibious support ship"

Of course, that list was compiled back in 2004, and probably included the USS Oriskany, USS America, and USS Valley Forge; all of which have already been sunk (and the latter two were sunk in deep water as targets). Also, have any of those worn-out auxiliaries kept in reserve on the James river been approved for sinking yet?

EDIT - Here is a good site withsome pictures of some of the reserve fleet ships (some of these still have military value though, I presume):

http://community.webshots.com/album/66281976Cgnkbm

[bookworm_020]

Nice photos of the reserve fleet there AG124. The N. S. Savannah I heard was going to become a muesum ship, doesn't look like it in the photo!

The Australian Navy has had a policy of any retired ship is to be offered to any state government that may want it. Needless to say there is always a fight to get one, and then off which town to sink it. They do use the occasional Hulk for weapons testing, but most get turned into reefs.

It's pretty much a standard proccess of three to four years from decommisoning to Reef. Everyone's happy! The Navy gets some good publicity, A town gets a tourist attraction and the fish get somewhere new to live!

[AG124]

What kinds of ships get used for these Australian reefs, or for target practice? Destroyers, frigates, and auxiliaries for the most part, I would guess. And do you know where to find any pictures or video online of any of those sinkings?:hmm: I remember seeing footage of the sinking of the N. Korean freighter Pong Su being sunk as a target earlier this year, and have seen pictures of tugboats and fishing vessels being sunk as reefs.

Here's some various ships being sunk, as well as some obsolete tanks and personnel carriers.:o (You can navigate to different sections of the page, but I've added more links for convenience).

http://www.njscuba.net/reefs/misc_materials.html

http://www.njscuba.net/reefs/chart_09_atlantic_city.html#Bushey

http://www.njscuba.net/reefs/chart_13_cape_may.html

More sites:

http://www.ships2reefs.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=6

http://www.goldenrockdive.com/cb.htm

http://www.diveexhmashobart.com/ship/scuttling.html

http://www.hmasperth.com.au/home.html

http://www.capedive.com/swan.htm#ArtificialReef

http://www.buccaneerdiving.com/wreck/sinking.htm

[bookworm_020]

There is links on this site to footage of the Ex-HMAS Stuart being hit by a Mk48 Torpedo.

Other ships sunk as reef have been HMAS Australia (WW1 Battlecruiser) 1921

HMAS Brisbane (DDG) 2005

HMAS Hobart (DDG) 2002

HMAS Swan (DD) 1999

A patrol boat (?)

More ships are planned. They will be offered to any group that wants one free of charge