Norfolk Navy Base - ships at dock

Cirrus · #1 Posted **Aug 5, 2012, 6:33 PM**

Here's something neat that most folks probably don't see much of.

Last September (golly, almost a year) I was in Norfolk, and got a quickie tour of the navy base there. It's headquarters of the US Atlantic Fleet, and is therefore one of the biggest naval ports in the world.

Just a handful of pics of ships at dock.

In this picture, the four ships from left to right are:

San Antonio class amphibious transport dock,
Arleigh Burke class destroyer,
Wasp class amphibious assault ship,
Austin class amphibious transport dock

USS Enterprise, aircraft carrier:

Here's that Wasp class amphibious assault ship, which you might mistake for an aircraft carrier if the more massive Enterprise wasn't right nearby:

Destroyers:

Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate:

Last but not least, the modern-looking San Antonio class amphibious transport dock:

Rico Rommheim · #2 Posted **Aug 5, 2012, 7:16 PM**

Some mighty powerful ships right there. Thanks for the tour.

You know its funny, I hate the US Military–industrial complex, but I've always loved these kinds of titanic ships, maybe that makes me a hypocrite,or maybe that just makes me a man. Probably both.

volguus zildrohar · #3 Posted **Aug 5, 2012, 7:36 PM**

Sorry, but that's gnarly.

Centropolis · #4 Posted **Aug 5, 2012, 9:14 PM**

neat, but where are all the atomic powered montana class super battleships?

I was obsessed with battleships when i was a kid and toured the uss alabama, but never have seen the big boys - iowa class. like where they were lobbing shells on the fucking desert during desert storm with the uss missouri.

dobermankid · #5 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 4:12 PM**

Sorry to rain on your parade but were you authorized to take pictures of these ships? This is a huge threat to Operations Security..

Cirrus · #6 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 4:55 PM**

I was not in a restricted area. You can see which ships are in port any time you want from either of the two Interstate highways that run nearby and offer views of the base, or from the opposite shore of the river. And you can find far more detailed information about the design and capabilities of each ship on Wikipedia. There's nothing classified or even remotely secret in any of these pictures.

wong21fr · #7 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by dobermankid

Sorry to rain on your parade but were you authorized to take pictures of these ships? This is a huge threat to Operations Security..

Then the Navy better start building 500-foot high fences to obscure the piers at their bases. Oh, and the ships better depart by traveling underwater until they are a couple hundred miles offshore. Hey, that sounds like another great 25 billion dollar project to waste money on to keep the defense contractors fat and happy.

Seriously, there's nothing in any of those pictures that would violate OPSEC rules.

Gordo · #8 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 5:19 PM**

Cool pics Cirrus, thanks. I've always had a fascination with really big ships, whether they be military, cargo, cruise, whatever.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Then the Navy better start building 500-foot high fences to obscure the piers at their bases. Oh, and the ships better depart by traveling underwater until they are a couple hundred miles offshore. Hey, that sounds like another great 25 billion dollar project to waste money on to keep the defense contractors fat and happy.

I prefer the idea of spending untold billions developing some type of cloaking device.

dobermankid · #9 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 5:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Then the Navy better start building 500-foot high fences to obscure the piers at their bases. Oh, and the ships better depart by traveling underwater until they are a couple hundred miles offshore. Hey, that sounds like another great 25 billion dollar project to waste money on to keep the defense contractors fat and happy.

Seriously, there's nothing in any of those pictures that would violate OPSEC rules.

Roger that.

brickell · #10 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 6:49 PM**

Nice tour Cirrus. I'm assuming if you got to board any of the ships you'd have pictures of those. I got to tour the Saratoga in Jacksonville shortly before it was decommissioned. That thing was massive and had all the toys, but I'd hate to have to serve on one. There's not a lot of "window seats".

navyweaxguy · #11 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 7:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wong21fr

Then the Navy better start building 500-foot high fences to obscure the piers at their bases. Oh, and the ships better depart by traveling underwater until they are a couple hundred miles offshore. Hey, that sounds like another great 25 billion dollar project to waste money on to keep the defense contractors fat and happy.

Seriously, there's nothing in any of those pictures that would violate OPSEC rules.

True, however, most Naval Bases have signs at the gate noting no unauthorized photography. Even here at NAS North Island you aren't allowed to take pictures on base without permission.

Usually it's not the vessal that they don't want photographed, it's the security measures that they have around the ships.

Austinlee · #12 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 10:11 PM**

Cool pics...

Interesting chart:

Austinlee · #13 Posted **Aug 6, 2012, 10:15 PM**

When is the military gonna build one of these:

http://strikefighterconsultinginc.co...raft-carriers/

DungHeap · #14 Posted **Aug 7, 2012, 12:39 AM**

now that would be a sight !

UrbanImpressionist · #15 Posted **Aug 7, 2012, 1:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by navyweaxguy

True, however, most Naval Bases have signs at the gate noting no unauthorized photography. Even here at NAS North Island you aren't allowed to take pictures on base without permission.

Usually it's not the vessal that they don't want photographed, it's the security measures that they have around the ships.

^ Exactly, and numbers, and comings and goings of vessels.

Lose lips, sink ships.

The worst part is nowadays the greatest source of lost of National Security secrets doesn't come from hacking by the Chinese, but from the most ironic source of all ...the military itself publishing far too much information and images on the net for the public to see.

Tony · #16 Posted **Aug 7, 2012, 1:54 AM**

coooool!

Ex-Ithacan · #17 Posted **Aug 7, 2012, 12:51 PM**

Brings back memories from '72. I had to wait in Norfolk (big a$$ base) for my ship to pull into port. I had to work on a destroyer tender doing mess duty until my destroyer got there. Norfolk was a lot different back then, as were the ships. The Arleigh Burke class replaced my old tin can (which is now rusting away in mothballs).

On a side note, in '73 we were on a cruise and hit port in Recife, Brazil. Our schedule of stops was suppose to be secret. When we pulled up to the dock there were a couple of dozen working girls waiting on the pier with a sign welcoming us. They had misspelled the ship's name, but they made a boatload of money during our visit anyway. So much for OPSEC. LOL

Thanks for the pics Cirrus, good stuff.

bunt_q · #18 Posted **Aug 21, 2012, 3:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by UrbanImpressionist

^ Exactly, and numbers, and comings and goings of vessels.

Lose lips, sink ships.

The worst part is nowadays the greatest source of lost of National Security secrets doesn't come from hacking by the Chinese, but from the most ironic source of all ...the military itself publishing far too much information and images on the net for the public to see.

Oh lord. Anybody who can realistically do anything to those ships also has far better means of gathering intel.

Unless we're talking about some Yemen rowboat stuff, in which case, well... we better have security enough to foil those plots, with or without intel on how many roving half-asleep hungover seamen are strolling around pretending to provide "security" from the numerous threats facing Virginia.

Frankly, the Navy benefits more from the "aww hell yeah" factor - and the money in Congress that public interest generates - than any risk from general photos like these.

mhays · #19 Posted **Aug 21, 2012, 3:44 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Some mighty powerful ships right there. Thanks for the tour.

You know its funny, I hate the US Military–industrial complex, but I've always loved these kinds of titanic ships, maybe that makes me a hypocrite,or maybe that just makes me a man. Probably both.

You and me both. I'd spend way less on the military, but not when I'm reading Red Storm Rising for the 10th time.

whatsthepoint13 · #20 Posted **Aug 21, 2012, 3:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rico Rommheim

Some mighty powerful ships right there. Thanks for the tour.

You know its funny, I hate the US Military–industrial complex, but I've always loved these kinds of titanic ships, maybe that makes me a hypocrite,or maybe that just makes me a man. Probably both.

I agree completely. I respect and honor our veterans and service members, but I'm certainly no fan of such massive military spending. I do think that military craft tend to be so fascinating to see. Quite imposing.

My father was in the Navy in the 80s and 90s and was stationed here.

Thanks for the pics!