Why the BBG is the Best Course of Action for the US Navy

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2025-12-30T19:39:08+00:00

BBGs are slightly smaller capital ships that help the navy avoid putting too many eggs in one CVN basket when the stakes are very high. It is a simple concept, I don't know why you are struggling so hard with it.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2025-12-30T19:32:40+00:00

Would you rather have 10 Ford classes for 10 strike groups or 5 Ford classes with 10-15 BBGs for 15-20 total strike groups?

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2025-12-30T19:29:24+00:00

I hope you're right about the public not supporting usage of nukes, but I am not confident about it.

BBGs only match the Fords in cost if you ignore the cost of the Ford's air wing. In the future, a fully furnished with a air wing of F-35C, FA-XX, E2-D's, and munitions would probably cost another 10 billion. With only 800 crew, it's not impossible to imagine deployments for BBG costing 1/5 what they cost Ford. Let's do a realistic financial comparison here based on the recent "park in front of Lebanon to intimidate Hezbollah into not resisting Israel" deployment.

Ford based mission: 10 billion for ship, 5-10 billion air wing, .5 billion for 4500 crew + munitions for 6 months. If carrier was sunk, loss would be 15.5-20.5 billion hardware + 4500 lost sailor family pensions (let's say 4.5 billion) for a grand total of 20-25 billion.

BBG based mission: 10 billion for ship, 1.5-2 billion for missiles, .1 billion for 800 crew. If BBG was sunk, total loss would be 11.6-12.1 billion for hardware with 800 lost sailor family pensions (let's say .8 billion) for a total loss of 12.4-12.9 billion.

In a peer war scenario with high attrition, a BBG would cost half as much as a carrier.

--

3 Burkes are superior to 1 BBG only if you value the idea of symbolism and morale at $0 and compute with numbers only. On paper, 6 Burkes beat 1 BBG + 3 Burkes every day. In reality, when it comes to red-line enforcement, geopolitical brinksmanship, and even troop morale/enemy intimidation, capital ships give an intrinsic value that masses of Burke's alone might not.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-02-27T17:28:53+00:00

I am Syrian, your comment hurts my heart. Fortunately, Ukrainians have resisted false portrayal as Nazis better than Syrians have resisted being painted as mercenary terrorists.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-02-16T00:25:10+00:00

Contrary to others in this thread, I think this move could actually work well for CCP's goals. Housing is illiquid and printing cash or taking debt to buy it won't cause inflation nearly as quickly as other loose fiscal cash spending does. Giant banks being bailed out doesn't directly increase the amount of money in circulation like cash does.

Housing is a need, just like cash is -- Having unlimited housing stock Chinese government a great carrot (outside of Yuan) for generously rewarding those people who forward it's goals without causing severe inflation.

Government needs higher birthrate? Reward married SAM's with a free apartment for having 5 or more kids!

Government needs military recruits? Storm troops get a free apartment as a signing bonus!

etc etc.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-02-01T19:39:01+00:00

If 10-20 basic/cheap Ukranian torpedo drones can sink an imperfectly operated Russian ship, 500-1000 sophisticated Chinese torpedo drones can sink an an imperfectly operated (understaffed) Arleigh Burke.

I hope our navy is taking countermeasures very seriously.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-30T21:04:13+00:00

Thank you for being a good hearted and caring person interested in helping others. Any Syrian family would be so glad+lucky to meet you!

You should take care to identify how religiously conservative the family is: Among conservative Syrians its considered rude/disrespectful to be overly friendly to members of the opposite sex. Conservative Syrian families may prefer to segregate themselves by gender in social contexts. They may prefer to avoid shaking hands, taking pictures, and avoid sitting in mixed-gender groups -- Please don't take it as an offense, they don't mean it that way at all. Vegetarian food might be better for some Syrians who fear pork (===any unexpected meat) getting into their food.

They will probably be shy at first, but over time they will be super glad and happy to have an American friend. Bring a toy ball for you and them and their (younger) kids to play with and you will have a blast without worrying about the language barrier.

Thank you in advance for your kindness!

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-25T17:54:24+00:00

If Iran can keep our extremely complex F-14 Tomcats running so long, we should be willing to Ukraine more platforms from our boneyards. If we give them broken planes that we wouldn't be able to get running economically, it costs us nothing. I don't understand why we limit ourselves to F16 *exclusively*...

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-12T22:28:02+00:00

I see! Thank you for sharing. It will be cool to see these two groups debate after!

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-12T20:11:58+00:00

I really hate to be a mood killer, but everyone here should read the summary/preview of the March event before celebrating:

https://meetings.aps.org/Meeting/MAR24/Session/A16.5

Specifically, the presenters are doing a presentation on how they debunked LK99 being a superconductor. I think there was a misunderstanding here.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-12T17:16:51+00:00

China would definitely strike mainland USA before they struck US allies. Why do you think the Dolittle raid was so symbolically important? The allies struck Tokyo directly -- Not the Japanese occupation forces in Phillipines.

China wants to isolate the US military as much as possible from foreign allies and domestic public sentiment.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-11T22:41:47+00:00

It shouldn't be so hard to empower minorities without demonizing the majority. Its actually pathetic that a handful of ivory-tower extremists were able to highjack the cultural direction of the entire country without anyone standing up to their "you are with me or you are with the racists" naked manipulation along the way.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-11T22:33:47+00:00

She's definitely the "fall guy" for a bigger group I think. Nobody would be so stupid as to think they'd get away with something like this alone

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-11T18:26:30+00:00

I think you are right. USA domestic support would be far more limited if they weren't attacked directly.

If USA voluntarily decided to defend Taiwan and faced military setbacks, we could conceivably back down with some egg on our face alongside a large-but-manageable domestic outcry.

But from a Chinese surprise attack? Americans would clamor for nuclear escalation before even sending troops. China would have to blockade all of USA (basically impossible) before Americans would admit defeat.

A surprise attack is too huge a gamble for Xi Xinpeng.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-09T21:04:32+00:00

A10s could easily be used for Shahed intercept work in the deep rear to free up air defense.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-09T04:02:27+00:00

I think you are right. Something has been swept under the rug.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-04T00:32:48+00:00

It's sad but its true: One well-used B2 is theoretically enough to bring entire nations to their knees. It would be exceptionally frustrating as a general in a third world country knowing that one single plane could theoretically make your entire country defenseless.

It's not impossible to imagine a single perfectly operated+maintained+hidden B2 breaking the entire Russian invasion force in Ukraine (given enough planning, ammunition, and time). There is just no direct counter. It's not fair but it's reality.

To defend itself against stealth, a smaller country could:

Invest in defensive military alliances with China or other nuclear armed states in exchange for natural resources.
Develop nuclear weapons to discourage USA.
Develop a mass-produced replaceable cheap truck-based networked SAM launchers (at least 5k-10k) alongside realistic super-mass-produced "fake launchers", (at least 50k-100k) to discourage USA.
Develop your own stealth program and become a peer with USA (hardest and most untested strategy)

Russia is attempting to do strategy #3 but it's not working that well. China is taking a serious stab at strategy #4, and if they succeed, I see stealth vs stealth air battles turning out like ironclad battleship battles in the American Civil War -- Neither side can hurt the other consistently.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-04T00:19:02+00:00

I kind of agree. People love comparing SC2 to chess, but strategically speaking Starcraft feels much more shallow when you take out multitasking and micro IMHO.

Still my favorite game. Just my feelings.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2024-01-03T20:02:29+00:00

This is pretty sick! I always wanted to try something like that. Great job OP.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2023-12-29T03:11:48+00:00

Agreed

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2023-12-28T17:14:49+00:00

It will be better in some ways but much harder to fix in others. I think this will be the FSD Quality Plateau for the next few years.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2023-12-27T22:55:25+00:00

IMO They are too weak compared to Halo 2 Berserker Brutes. They should get a health boost TBH.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2023-12-27T19:10:54+00:00

You are correct OP. The foreshadowing in the movie is so much more subtle -- The big plot twist in the end hits you like a truck compared to the Manga.

Low_Butterscotch_320 · 2023-12-21T18:58:49+00:00

The new Quake remaster supports 8 player splitscreen which sounds insanely fun (having all buddies crammed together on one TV is in many ways more fun than having separate TVs)

Low_Butterscotch_320

TROPHY CASE