I like war. At least I prefer it to many alternatives including defenseless invasion of our borders, tyrants seeking world domination, and slavery. I think most people do – they just lie about it. As General Patton put it, “Americans love to fight… America loves a winner.” I disagree with Patton on centrality of infantry however. Foot soldiers fare much worse than those backed by high technology. War and technology make a great combination, and you whiney Barbara Lee followers in San Francisco owe your iPhones to it. I chuckle to see the peace activist’s tongue-tied efforts to form a rally cry without using the word fight.
I try to get out to see war technology whenever it’s in town. The crowds for this sort of thing are usually minimal in San Francisco. This week the Royal New Zealand Navy frigate Te Kaha was in town, along with the tanker Endeavour. No San Francisco newspaper mentioned the visit. I was alone with my 17mm lens.
Te Kaha (F77) is one of two Anzac class frigates in the Royal New Zealand Navy. Te Kaha is the Māori word for fighting prowess. It can travel at 30 miles per hour and carries the Phalanx CIWS anti-ship missile system and the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow anti-aircraft missile system.
HMNZS Te Kaha at Pier 27
Bow of the Te Kaha with Transamerica Pyramid in the background.
HMNZS Te Kaha funnels and vertical launch system
SH-2G Seasprite helicopter on deck of the HMNZS Te Kaha.
The five-inch (54 caliber) gun of the Te Kaha can fire 20 rounds
per minute with a range of over 15 miles. Each shell weighs 14 pounds.
Deck of the New Zealand Endeavor tanker
I’m impressed by your writing. Are you a prosfesioanl or just very knowledgeable?