UsernamealreadyinuseEli5: isn’t this a regular thing? Like ships are gonna ship… That’s what they do. I don’t think an American ship is going to attack any Russian if they are not being attacked themselves?!? But please eli5
The USS Mount Whitney is an amphibious command ship, so there’s no way she’s going anywhere near the Russians. However, she is also the Afloat Command Platform for NATO Naval Forces, which might signal further NATO intervention to protect shipping lanes…
This is NCD, so the only appreciate conclusion to draw here is as follows: Crimea invasion imminent!
verity_kindlePutin found in a bunker with girlfriend and dogs!
She’s also chock full of high end sensor arrays, and probably being used to gather intel on Russian air and surface movements.
Come to think of it the USA and the British Empire before them draw their power from controlling the oceans and ensuring international trade goes smoothly and brings them coins. If a certain someone starts shooting left and right at legitimate merchant ships it’s kinda a matter of credibility to show up for “the maritime power”.
Is the US Navy even a maritime power though? Aren’t they more of an airborne power these days, given they have the second largest fixed-wing air force in the world (right after the USAF)
Slab_Bulkheadnumber of ships ain’t everything.
Top 10 Most Powerful Navies in the World (by total tonnage - 2014): United States - 3,415,893 Russia - 845,739 China - 708,886 Japan - 413,800 United Kingdom - 367,850 France - 319,195 India - 317,725 South Korea - 178,710 Italy - 173,549 Taiwan - 151,662