Jimbuna
04-01-19, 03:43 AM
The United States Naval Institute published an article written by renowned naval journalist Annette Curtain on 03/21/2019 hinting towards the strong possibility that the United States navy is currently working on plans to assist the repair of the former battleship USS Texas which is currently moored just outside Houston Texas.
The project nicknamed Nova is to give financial and technical assistance to the museum to ensure that the USS Texas is patched up to a suitable standard and will have the capability to be towed off shore and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Plans are currently under way to tow the ship from her current home to the naval graveyard at Brownsville, unlike the many naval ships that enter here the former USS Texas would be repaired not scrapped and critically made seaworthy once more.
The project Nova team have highlighted that the cost of repairs would be minimal to the U.S Navy budget and that there are no plans to re activate her engines, however there are plans to reactivate one of her massive 12inch guns.
Project Manager and former U.S Navy Captain Mike Oxlong is leading the drive to test new 12inch naval projectiles set to possibly be fitted to the new Zumwalt class after their main guns had been rendered all but useless.
Captain Oxlong surprised the U.S.N.I by stating that one of the 12 inch guns of Texas would be re activated along with the remedial repair work and that plans would be to test fire the gun some twenty miles off the Texas shore using the new projectiles.
When challenged by Annette Curtain on how he plans to sail the ship off shore to conduct the testing Captain Oxlong detailed the plan in full, the USS Texas was to be towed into position by tugs and moored to a buoy during the firing trials, the gun would be fired remotely from the Bridge rather than have any person inside the turret in case of a misfire, only one barrel would be re activated this would be selected during the repair work after all the guns had been ultrasonically tested.
Pentagon Chief Chris P Bacon highlighted when interviewed for the U.S.N.I article that the whole programme would cost less than $50 million and make it much cheaper than building a new gun and platform, Mr Bacon also noted that the news is much welcomed by the museum as it ensures their future survivability.
The Former battleship USS Texas will not however be recommissioned into the United States Navy but will instead sail under the designation USNS Texas as part of the Military sealift command for insurance reasons, but whatever the case may be the future looks bright for this old war horse and certainly it will remain an historic attraction for many decades to come.
Dr B.J Hardick Senior Naval Analyst and freelance journalist
The project nicknamed Nova is to give financial and technical assistance to the museum to ensure that the USS Texas is patched up to a suitable standard and will have the capability to be towed off shore and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Plans are currently under way to tow the ship from her current home to the naval graveyard at Brownsville, unlike the many naval ships that enter here the former USS Texas would be repaired not scrapped and critically made seaworthy once more.
The project Nova team have highlighted that the cost of repairs would be minimal to the U.S Navy budget and that there are no plans to re activate her engines, however there are plans to reactivate one of her massive 12inch guns.
Project Manager and former U.S Navy Captain Mike Oxlong is leading the drive to test new 12inch naval projectiles set to possibly be fitted to the new Zumwalt class after their main guns had been rendered all but useless.
Captain Oxlong surprised the U.S.N.I by stating that one of the 12 inch guns of Texas would be re activated along with the remedial repair work and that plans would be to test fire the gun some twenty miles off the Texas shore using the new projectiles.
When challenged by Annette Curtain on how he plans to sail the ship off shore to conduct the testing Captain Oxlong detailed the plan in full, the USS Texas was to be towed into position by tugs and moored to a buoy during the firing trials, the gun would be fired remotely from the Bridge rather than have any person inside the turret in case of a misfire, only one barrel would be re activated this would be selected during the repair work after all the guns had been ultrasonically tested.
Pentagon Chief Chris P Bacon highlighted when interviewed for the U.S.N.I article that the whole programme would cost less than $50 million and make it much cheaper than building a new gun and platform, Mr Bacon also noted that the news is much welcomed by the museum as it ensures their future survivability.
The Former battleship USS Texas will not however be recommissioned into the United States Navy but will instead sail under the designation USNS Texas as part of the Military sealift command for insurance reasons, but whatever the case may be the future looks bright for this old war horse and certainly it will remain an historic attraction for many decades to come.
Dr B.J Hardick Senior Naval Analyst and freelance journalist