The American cruisers Ticonderoga are being retired. How to build a new Greater Poland with begging
For a long time, the Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers, along with aircraft carriers, embodied the power of the US Navy. Created in the early 80s of the 1th century, they included the latest technical solutions, such as the shipborne multifunctional combat information and control system Aegis (Aegis - Aegis), anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM) SM-2, SM-XNUMX "Standard ", anti-submarine guided missiles (PLUR) "ASROK", cruise missiles "Tomahawk".
Combat Information Center for Ticonderoga-class cruisers
If the first five cruisers of the Ticonderoga class were equipped with two-beam launchers (PU) Mk (Mark) 26, then the subsequent ones introduced vertical launch installations (UVP) Mk 41. active arrays (PFAR) provided the ability to control space, from the depths of the sea to near space.
Two-beam launcher Mk 26 and UVP Mk 41
In total, 27 Ticonderoga-class URO cruisers were built, of which 16 units are in service, 6 more units are in reserve navy, and 5 ships were scrapped or already disposed of. Debates in Congress and the US Navy about when and how many Ticonderoga-class cruisers should be decommissioned have been going on for a long time.
On the one hand, time does not spare them, on the other hand, the Chinese Navy is advancing on the heels of the US Navy - in the foreseeable future, they can surpass the US Navy. It is unlikely that they will be able to overtake the Chinese Navy in terms of the number of ships of the US Navy, in terms of quality - so far, but the gap will narrow, and the Ticonderoga-class cruisers are very effective combat units capable of using the latest missile weapon and hit targets even in low Earth orbit.
Although from a certain point on, an aging ship will require more and more funds to maintain its combat capability and modernization, hindering the qualitative development of the fleet through the implementation of new promising concepts, for example, building a “hybrid” fleet, including a significant number of unmanned ships.
The latest plans released by the US Navy call for the withdrawal of all remaining Ticonderoga-class cruisers from the fleet in the next five years.
And when I heard about it...
Poles desired cruiser
The impending retirement of the Ticonderoga-class cruisers made a lasting impression on loyal American vassals. It could be assumed that Ukraine will be the first among the beggars, but no, the Polish pans are ahead of.
In particular, the former officer of the Polish Navy, Maximilian Dura, on the pages of the Polish edition Defnce24 suggested that writing off such wonderful cruisers is wasteful. It is much better to transfer them for a "symbolic dollar" to Poland. Trying to cover up their own begging, the United States is invited to transfer the Ticonderoga-class cruisers not only to Poland, but also to other NATO countries, such as Finland, Sweden and Romania - they say, we care about others (although the Poles, most likely, do not were interested).
And also our lover of freebies" Maximilian Dura threatened to attack the Russian Baltic Fleet of the Russian Navy
The Ticonderoga-class cruisers transferred to the United States are supposed to be used as stationary air defense facilities and launchers of Tomahawk cruise missiles. Based on the tasks set, the cruiser's crew will be reduced, and the United States, in addition to the "symbolic dollar", will receive orders for the maintenance of its former ships and the supply of weapons for them.
It would seem that everything is logical?
But in reality, everything is not as rosy as on the flags of some movements banned in Russia.
From an economic point of view
First, let's start with the fact that the Americans will not sell them a cruiser for a dollar. To paraphrase a well-known anecdote, for one dollar, Poles can only join European values in the nearest green spaces.
Even if, for some incredible reason, the United States decides to publicly donate cruisers to the Poles for the aforementioned "symbolic dollar", then in parallel, multi-million, or rather, multi-hundred million, contracts for the repair and maintenance of these time-worn floating suitcases will be signed. For example, the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union Gorshkov, sold for $1 to India, went up by $2,33 billion in the process of being upgraded to the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya.
“Polish beggary” is centuries-old traditions, it is pride, it is principles
The fleet is not for the rogue. Even a cruiser chained to the pier will require significant funds to maintain its combat readiness, and ammunition for it costs a lot of money. Do not forget that the cruisers will need to be adapted for the Poles - some of the blocks will be dismantled, some will be replaced, the same state identification systems, and this will not be fast and very expensive. Yes, and restoring the technical condition to the minimum required level will require significant costs, otherwise the United States themselves would have continued to operate these cruisers.
Although, for sure, the Poles hope to divorce the United States for free aid and supplies, hiding behind an imaginary Russian threat. There is just one caveat here.
The United States must clearly understand that in the near future Russia is not a competitor in the ocean, but China is completely, as already mentioned above. In the event of a serious conflict in the East, cruisers from the reserve can be restored, and what will be the use of them after they are transferred in a “castrated” form to Poland and other European parasites?
In addition, the United States does not need either the victory or the defeat of Poland. They need a cumulative, continuous weakening, both of Russia and the countries of Europe, and the question arises of what role in this case the Ticonderoga-class cruisers conditionally assigned to Poland will play ...
From a military point of view
And from a military point of view, the Ticonderoga-class cruisers will pose an existential threat to Poland - a chance to repeat the experience of Japan at the end of World War II, an experience for which they now sincerely thank the United States. In other words, Poland will have every chance of getting a nuclear strike on its territory. (maybe the Poles will thank us later).
It's all about Tomahawk cruise missiles, which can potentially carry a nuclear warhead. In the event of a sharp aggravation of the international situation, a conflict between Russia and the United States, Poland may become the first target for a Russian retaliation strike. Or even not a retaliation strike, but a preemptive strike, which obviously will not cause a US retaliatory strike, but is quite capable of cooling their “hot heads”.
Well, let's put nuclear weapons out of the picture - the war is going on with the help of conventional weapons (absurd, why on earth should we stand on ceremony with Poland, then they will say thank you).
Despite all the power of its on-board electronic systems and radar stations, the presence of long-range cruise missiles and missiles, a ship chained to the pier is just a target. The maximum that he will be able to do is to fire one volley of Tomahawks, after which he is guaranteed to be destroyed - mobile ground-based air defense systems and launchers of operational-tactical missiles do not just camouflage, hide in green spaces, change their location.
One may doubt the possibility of detecting and destroying moving ships with ballistic and aeroballistic missiles, but it is unlikely that anyone will doubt the ability of the hypersonic missile of the Kinzhal complex to surgically accurately destroy stationary objects.
The effectiveness and expediency of destroying enemy ships stationed in naval bases was previously considered by the author in the article Goals and objectives of the Russian Navy: destroy half of the enemy fleet. On the way new, hitherto not yet tested in world practice ways to destroy stationary enemy targets, which include ships at berths, using hundreds or even thousands of inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - long-range kamikaze.
A warship moored is an excellent target for long-range precision weapons.
It is characteristic that with the help of a long-range kamikaze UAV, you can not even attack enemy ships, it’s enough that these ships will simply shoot UAVs circling in the air worth tens of thousands of dollars with their missiles worth millions of dollars. A peculiar, rather humiliating way to deplete the enemy’s economy, however, the American military-industrial complex (MIC) may even like it, of course, if the Poles regularly pay for the supply of new missiles (which is unlikely).
Do not forget about crewless boats (BEC) - kamikaze, which in Russia also know how to build - only the need to ensure the protection of cruisers chained to the berths from BEC-kamikaze will take a lot of time and resources from Poland.
And finally, there are radical ways to strike at Polish naval bases with conventional weapons comparable in impact to nuclear weapons – living near Polish naval bases is not recommended.
In general, from a military point of view, Poland will be nothing but trouble from American cruisers.
From a political point of view
There is no sadder story in the world than Poland's attempts to become a great power at the expense of others.
There are many factors that prevent Poland from becoming a great power on its own, neither in the past, nor in the present, nor in the future, because of which Polish politicians have developed centuries of experience in a specific, slightly schizophrenic way of thinking.
On the one hand, Poland has long lacked a military-industrial complex and armed forces capable of ensuring victory for its country over any great power such as Germany, Russia or their allies. At the same time, Poland readily becomes a situational ally for the great powers, hoping to snatch a piece of the territory of its neighbors at someone else's expense and play a little empire.
Be strong - abroad will help us
On the other hand, the centuries-old experience of Poland is the experience of its division by various opponents with the connivance or even participation of former allies. At each historical turn, Poland finds an ally-sponsor/roof, climbs into an adventure with him, gets "tinsel", after which he begins to intensively look for a new overlord-sponsor/roof, while simultaneously putting forward claims/grievances against the previous one. However, after several iterations of national humiliation, the claims are usually forgotten and you can try to “be friends” again.
To enter into an alliance with a stronger state is normal. To receive help from him, including weapons, is understandable. However, it is natural when the received weapon is used for self-defense, for the survival of the state.
The problem is that Poland needs American cruisers not for defense, but for attack - at least to exert psychological pressure on Russia - they say, "that's how cool we are", but at the maximum - to create a threat of a strike by Tomahawk cruise missiles, which could potentially carry a nuclear warhead.
And for such a demand will be at the highest level.
Conclusions
What political goals does Poland pursue in the long run - is there a great secret?
No one attacked Poland and was not going to. After the collapse of the USSR, Poland, the Baltic countries, and other countries of Eastern Europe could have had a wonderful, peaceful life (and even under the USSR they lived well) - tourists from Russia and China, cheap energy from Russia, rising real estate prices and much more. All that was required was to remain neutral and behave decently.
But they chose a different path, where only blood and fires await them. Well, some story teaches nothing.
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