Goeben outgunned Russia's predreadnoughts individually bit the Russians had anticipated a dreadnought arriving in the Black Sea and had drilled in a technique which allowed them to share fire control data across the line of battle, and permit four ships to fire as a unit. They gave Goeben a lot of trouble using this method, as can be seen from the combat record.
My takeaway here is that there is huge value in having the right assets available for foreign military sales to improve our diplomacy and strength abroad. FFG-7 has proven a massive success in those terms. LCS has not. Right now we are only really providing hordes of patrol boats under 35 meters (115 feet). We could easily be a leader in missile boats and smaller corvettes. Look at MUSV/Overlord ships and think a smidge bigger. We could also translate our UUV work into viable manned mini subs. When you wonder why we don't have a foreign buyer for FRCs consider they can all just buy the original 43m Damen model for much, much cheaper. Everyone hates aluminum, but the reality is this is a material our shipbuilding industry has mastered. It and waterjets provide more speed, range, and shallower draft for smaller vessels such they can use the littoral terrain.
We should also look at developing a smaller, high speed connector as no one in the west has one smaller than an LCAC (or the French thingy). I'd also say the Birdon concept for LSM probably plays closest to leveraging our offshore building capacity.
Full bore indeed. As a matter of note: I have a piece of Goeben. When my last command was in the Med in 1983, we were sent to Golcuk Naval Shipyard for an upkeep availability. Good yard with hard working people. I received a miniature brass cannon on a plank--both made from parts of Goeben as a farewell gift after our availability.
You are exactly right. I've been thinking that for years now and am not surprised you recognize the grand strategic and historical incluence Goeben and Breslau had in their time. Hard to name a single ship (Goeben mostly, of course) with a more significant historical influence. Brought the Turks into the war (German successes on land in August 1914 were important, too -- perhaps necessary but insufficient). Split the Triple Entente, isolating Russia, creating conditions that led to the Bolshevik Revolution. In sum, brought German victory in WWI as whole to within an ace of success.
Well, Germany was only half there in 1963. It would have been sporting of the British to accept the gift in lieu of Germany. She would have looked good under the old John Brown crane at Clydebank.
Quite possibly the only ship of the Imperial German Navy to receive a NATO Pennant Number: B70. Still in reserve when Turkey joined.
Not a Navy thing, but deserving of a toast.
Here's to Sam Whittemore, aged 78, who on this day in 1775, took on 700 Brits
https://youtu.be/rDo6x0MhERE
"Get off my lawn!"
Goeben outgunned Russia's predreadnoughts individually bit the Russians had anticipated a dreadnought arriving in the Black Sea and had drilled in a technique which allowed them to share fire control data across the line of battle, and permit four ships to fire as a unit. They gave Goeben a lot of trouble using this method, as can be seen from the combat record.
My takeaway here is that there is huge value in having the right assets available for foreign military sales to improve our diplomacy and strength abroad. FFG-7 has proven a massive success in those terms. LCS has not. Right now we are only really providing hordes of patrol boats under 35 meters (115 feet). We could easily be a leader in missile boats and smaller corvettes. Look at MUSV/Overlord ships and think a smidge bigger. We could also translate our UUV work into viable manned mini subs. When you wonder why we don't have a foreign buyer for FRCs consider they can all just buy the original 43m Damen model for much, much cheaper. Everyone hates aluminum, but the reality is this is a material our shipbuilding industry has mastered. It and waterjets provide more speed, range, and shallower draft for smaller vessels such they can use the littoral terrain.
We should also look at developing a smaller, high speed connector as no one in the west has one smaller than an LCAC (or the French thingy). I'd also say the Birdon concept for LSM probably plays closest to leveraging our offshore building capacity.
Okay, I am rambling......
Do not dismiss Russia’s contribution to the Allied war effort.
It is quite possible Paris might have fallen in 1914 has it not been for the russsian invasion of east prussia
One thing we got right....
https://youtu.be/b0E9kTdYBXM?si=WzGOY2JDcV1v58I7
(and scored a large ship drydock in Galveston...)
https://www.gulfcopper.com/services/dry-docking/
An impressive legacy of service under two flags - if only the Turks could have preserved her like the Greeks did Averof: https://museumships.us/greece/georgios-averof
Full bore indeed. As a matter of note: I have a piece of Goeben. When my last command was in the Med in 1983, we were sent to Golcuk Naval Shipyard for an upkeep availability. Good yard with hard working people. I received a miniature brass cannon on a plank--both made from parts of Goeben as a farewell gift after our availability.
You are exactly right. I've been thinking that for years now and am not surprised you recognize the grand strategic and historical incluence Goeben and Breslau had in their time. Hard to name a single ship (Goeben mostly, of course) with a more significant historical influence. Brought the Turks into the war (German successes on land in August 1914 were important, too -- perhaps necessary but insufficient). Split the Triple Entente, isolating Russia, creating conditions that led to the Bolshevik Revolution. In sum, brought German victory in WWI as whole to within an ace of success.
Influence, I meant. Any word other than "impact"! Not sure exactly what "incluence" they had -- presume it must've been enormous!
Well, Germany was only half there in 1963. It would have been sporting of the British to accept the gift in lieu of Germany. She would have looked good under the old John Brown crane at Clydebank.
Read Dick Van Der Vat’s ‘The Ship That Changed The Word’ for a good popular account of Goeben’s glory.