Study says Aegis radar systems on the decline

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

This thread is about Navy Time's article 5 July 2010. Its quite harsh report of U.S. Navy shape at the time. What you think about this? Have anything changed since then?

The advanced radar systems aboard cruisers and destroyers are in their worst shape ever, according to an independent probe into Navy readiness, raising questions about the surface fleet***8217;s ability to take on its high-profile new mission next year defending Europe from ballistic missiles.

Poor training, impenetrable bureaucracy and cultural resignation have caused a spike in the number of technical problems and a dip in the operational performance of the Aegis system, considered the crown jewel of the U.S. surface force, according to members of a ***8220;fleet review panel***8221; tasked with assessing the surface fleet. And if that***8217;s the situation with Aegis ***8212; which includes warships***8217; iconic, hexagonal SPY-1 radar arrays ***8212; the panel wondered what that could mean for other, lower-profile equipment.

Here is the article

[Rockstar]

Who knows what this 'Lifer Times' article is all about. If you ask me the National Equirer or Weekly World News have better stories. I know, maybe, just maybe the article was written by a spy in the hopes to get a response from Ageis users in order to guage the actual material condition of the system without actually having to sign up for four years, go to A School and get underway on a big hazey gray.

[Catfish]

Have no fear,
in the unlikely event of a symmetric war happening,
England will be glad to help you out once more with Radar technology, like they did in 1942.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Blogger's analysis (and ofcourse opinion its blog after all):
http://www.informationdissemination....le-report.html

and the original document:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/43245136/B...orce-Readiness

and latest readines report from USN:
http://www.navsea.navy.mil/teamships/Readiness/pdf/SEA21_Material_Readiness_Report_Final15Feb11.pdf

EDIT: Alternate route to original document:
http://www.informationdissemination....le-report.html

[Platapus]

When reading stories like this, I like to pull out the Old Analysts Credo -- Cui Bono (who benefits)

Who would benefit from this story coming out at this time?

All of the military is facing large budget cuts in the near future and the Navy is especially vulnerable. Now if only there was a special circumstance where the Navy could get more money..... Perhaps if an important warning system is on the fritz.... or people could be convinced that an important warning system is on the fritz and these people call their congressional representation.... wouldn't that be..... convenient.

Methinks we will be hearing more of these type of stories in the next few years.

The Military Industrial Complex is getting into full "yeah but" mode.

We need to cut spending

Yeah but xxx is really too important to cut now.

(profit)

Yeah, I am that cynical these days.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Platapus

When reading stories like this, I like to pull out the Old Analysts Credo -- Cui Bono (who benefits)

Who would benefit from this story coming out at this time?

That was my first thought, too. But - the report is from summer 2010, one and a half year ago. And about growing bureaucracy and personnel drain there have been reports before, too.

That does not prove your idea is wrong. But both points also do not especially support it, but contradict it.

Anyway, the whiole military machine is terribly much greatere than what American can afford by own financial power. And as I said in some other thread, it leaves me with a dilemma, for I honestely have no answer what to do. Doing business as sual and all on tic, will spell disaster sooner or later. Shortening the military probbaly also will. And sicne America fter WWII never switchzed back to peace time production and thus allowed its economy depending and the profiteering people growing strong within the military, this has brought America very much into a dead end.

Solution? I have none. Maybe it just is meant to blow up.

[nikimcbee]

Originally Posted by Platapus

When reading stories like this, I like to pull out the Old Analysts Credo -- Cui Bono (who benefits)

Who would benefit from this story coming out at this time?

All of the military is facing large budget cuts in the near future and the Navy is especially vulnerable. Now if only there was a special circumstance where the Navy could get more money..... Perhaps if an important warning system is on the fritz.... or people could be convinced that an important warning system is on the fritz and these people call their congressional representation.... wouldn't that be..... convenient.

Methinks we will be hearing more of these type of stories in the next few years.

The Military Industrial Complex is getting into full "yeah but" mode.

We need to cut spending

Yeah but xxx is really too important to cut now.

(profit)

Yeah, I am that cynical these days.

I think I did a thread on the subject over the summer. (What would you cut in the military budget?)

[magicstix]

*Yawn* What's NYT's source on this? I fail to see how they could make a comment as to the effectiveness of a highly classified sensor system.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by magicstix

*Yawn* What's NYT's source on this? I fail to see how they could make a comment as to the effectiveness of a highly classified sensor system.

Yawn indeed - it is not the New York Times but the Navy Times, and it did not comment on the SPY-1 as if it had examined it itselves, but it reported the findings of a panel that did an eximination and that consited of these peoples, your "sources" :

The panel was convened last September by Adm. John Harvey, head of Fleet Forces Command. The seven-member panel, which was chaired by retired Vice Adm. Phillip Balisle and included two serving admirals, produced a comprehensive indictment of Navy decision-making since the late 1990s.

Reading the article in full and more carefully helps!

The panel must have done it'S examination before September 2009, obviously - the Navy Times published the article in summer 2010.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Catfish

Have no fear,
in the unlikely event of a symmetric war happening,
England will be glad to help you out once more with Radar technology, like they did in 1942.

But how much help is England's 1942 radar technology going to be this time around?

[Kongo Otto]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

But how much help is England's 1942 radar technology going to be this time around?

[Kazuaki Shimazaki II]

Originally Posted by Skybird

Anyway, the whiole military machine is terribly much greatere than what American can afford by own financial power. And as I said in some other thread, it leaves me with a dilemma, for I honestely have no answer what to do. Doing business as sual and all on tic, will spell disaster sooner or later. Shortening the military probbaly also will. And sicne America fter WWII never switchzed back to peace time production and thus allowed its economy depending and the profiteering people growing strong within the military, this has brought America very much into a dead end.

Solution? I have none. Maybe it just is meant to blow up.

It might help if people would recognize that excessive defense budget is not the only way to bring down an economy. With the end of the Soviet Union and the poverty of North Korea, it has been proved that excessive defense as a proportion of your national strength is potentially lethal. Now we seem to be learning this is true of welfare as well.

Even if it means breaking some promises, it is time to "lock" welfare to a certain percentage of GNP like Japan locks "defense". If Defense is Guns rather than Butter, Welfare is Lard rather than Butter. Both need to be limited so they don't overwhelm the ability of the People to sustain them.