[ExI] diamandis commentary

[Jason Resch]

On Sat, May 23, 2026, 4:01 PM Gregory Jones via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> I recognize a cover story.  We don't know what the budget is covering
> for.  But we do know the navy will not build an antiquated system on orders
> of POTUS.
>


If you look at modern naval ships, perhaps a majority of their missile load
is setup for defense: anti missile missiles like the SM-2, SM-3, and SM-6.
The more defensive missiles ships must carry the fewer offensive ones they
can carry (like tomahawk missiles).

The motivation for a "battleship" is to have a large ship that can carry a
large number of very long range hypersonic anti-ship missiles, in order to
take out enemy ships (or enemy missile launch systems) before they have a
chance to launch their anti-ship missiles.

The navy uses the analogy: shoot the archer rather than shooting down every
one of their arrows. And this can be cost effective as a force multiplier,
as it frees up magazine space in the rest of the surface ships to carry
more offensive missiles.

For example, if their standard load out can go from a 2/3 defensive load to
a 2/3rd offensive load by including one of these "battleships" in the task
force, then you can double the effective number of ships in that task force
(you've at least doubled their offensive capacity and so can get by with
half as many ships).

Historically a battleship was a ship with the biggest guns and therefore
the longest range. They could engage enemy ships before the ships with
smaller guns could even pose a threat. That is the same idea here, the only
difference is that with modern weapons the range can be thousands of miles
rather than 20-30 miles with battle ships of the past, but the analogy and
purpose is the same: have greater range so you can shoot them before they
can shoot you.


Jason


> I have an idea however.  When guided missiles came into being in the early
> 1950s, the fighter jockey Chuck Yeager suggested retrofitting an old B747
> with dozens of sidewinders and sparrows along with advanced radar.  In that
> spirit a battleship could ride on a light, fast narrow keel, carrying
> missiles such as vertical launch patriots, laser defensive  systems,
> drones, etc.  It wouldn't look like what we think of as a battleship.
>
> spike
>
> On Sat, May 23, 2026, 12:05 PM Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat <
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>
>> I display my experience in this.
>>
>> For some evidence of which of us is demonstrating a lack of knowledge
>> here: who precisely have you been speaking with on this branch of this
>> thread?
>>
>> On Sat, May 23, 2026 at 2:46 PM Gregory Jones <spike at rainier66.com>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> > John that battleship is a cover story.  You display and parade your
>> gullibility.  s
>> >
>> > On Sat, May 23, 2026, 11:16 AM Adrian Tymes via extropy-chat <
>> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> On Sat, May 23, 2026 at 1:09 PM Gregory Jones <spike at rainier66.com>
>> wrote:
>> >> > The concept you claim has been abandoned has morphed into a form we
>> may not recognize as a battleship.  It's architects have not revealed what
>> it looks like or what it does.  They have revealed what it isn't however.
>> This is both intentional and highly effective.
>> >>
>> >> "We have a definite design, but we can't tell you much about what it
>> >> is, only that it isn't exactly what you think it is" often means
>> >> they're planning something quite close to what one thinks it is based
>> >> on what little they have said.
>> >>
>> >> They said "battleship".
>> >>
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