Effect of fire in the USS Bonhomme Richard on the US Navy in the Pacific Ocean
After a relative strong explosion and fire on Sunday, July 12, at 9 am local time on the ground-sea ship of USS Bonhomme Richard at the San Diego base in California, this ship was on fire for 4 days and the investigation for damages have not been yet completed.
What can be understood from the photos is that a part of the deck has been completely destroyed and one of the communication towers has collapsed, and due to the burning time and the high temperature of burning the ship (about 650 ° C), probably a noticeable part of the wiring and sensitive communication equipment in the major region of fire have been completely destroyed. This issue shows that even if this ship can return to service, this period will be so long.
After the ship of USS America (LHA-6), the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) was the second ship that was under repairing and upgrading for carrying the F35-B (with the ability for short take-off and vertical landing). This fire will prolong the process of entering to service for the remaining 3 of the 4 ships intended by US, for entering to the Pacific Ocean.
Commissioning process of the remaining three of the four ships intended by the United States to enter the Pacific. This can negatively affect on all of US army activities in the Pacific Ocean against China and even around the world.
The US army must reduce its missions, or put pressure on other parts of its fleet to fulfill its commitments. Both of them will make some risks. The first option will incapacitate the fleet against the probable threats or surprising the US forces against its enemies, and the second will cause more incidents, both of them can tarnish US credibility in the region.
Like the 2017 crashes that put the two USS Fitzgerald and USS John McCain ships out of order for more than two years. According to US Navy researches, tiredness of staff, lack of training and disregarding for instructions have contributed in these incidents, that led to deaths of 17 US sailors.
Also recently, the commander of the aircraft carrier ship of Theodore Roosevelt at Guam base, that led to infection of more than 1000 staffs and death of a sailor after the outbreak of Covid-19, resigned of his position .
The US wants to conduct a drill in the southern China sea with the two aircraft carrier ships and 12,000 troops, that it was supposed the Bonhomme Richard ship also participate in it. All of the incidents will weaken the Washington plans in the Pacific Ocean.
Perhaps it seems that these events or fires aren’t so big or influencive for the US, but it should be said that the level of threats for the US is widespread. We should not ignore a series of events related to a small event. The domestic situation is not also so suitable for the US.
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