A quote you will live to regret

I don't know who this dude is - but someone get him a subscription to USNI's Classics of Naval Literature series and Naval History magazine - please.

Sid, you may want to take a deep breath and sit down before you get to the end of this quote.

From Dan Taylor at InsideDefense;

The fiscal year 2010 defense authorization bill allocates $15 million for the Navy to look into a "mobile maritime sensor" that would essentially be a dedicated radar ship for use in sea-based ballistic missile defense, according to Senate Armed Services Committee staff.

An Oct. 7 committee press release following the passage of the conference report on the bill announces that the funding would be added "for a mobile maritime sensor development program to provide options for the Navy in meeting its sea-based missile defense requirements."
...
Dave Baker, a naval author and analyst, said a dedicated radar ship "is not a bad idea." The option would be "infinitely cheaper" than doing it on a CG(X), and the service could use cruiser hulls or even merchant designs instead of developing a whole new platform.

"There's no sense in going out and building something specialized for that role," he told ITN Oct. 21. "A bulk cargo ship could do it."

Baker said such ships might preclude the need for some CG(X) hulls in the future. It would also be important for the surface warfare community to get a new mission, he said.

"They're not going to be shooting at other ships at sea," he said. "Getting a new mission for the surface community is important to the surface community."

YMBFKM. From the same train of thought that told the Royal Navy in the early 80s that is would never need a gun on their ships again and that there was no use for Aircraft Carriers in the "new navy." Do we ever learn?

"Phibian Salamander, a naval author and analyst, said that Dave Baker must be high."

Hat tip Mike.