READERS' STORIES

Comments  from Ken Murray from Australia

[ Here is an interesting idea from "down under" ]
08/12/00
I think this new, improved letter will give your readers a clearer understanding of what we really need down here.

Regards,
Ken

[ Revised letter for the OZ brass ]

05/07/00
Dan,
How's it going? Hope you didn't lose anything from that little creeps virus. They should bring back hanging, after putting him on the rack for a while.

Do any of your pals know anything about the current missile inventory of the USN? A hypothetical question:
How would one of those PTF,s ( wood or glass construction) equipped with an Exocet (small) and stingers  stack up to a destroyer or frigate  or aircraft in todays navy? Just how much would the speed, maneuverability and material composition aid in the PTF,s ability to avoid being hit by whatever the Navy from surface combatant or aircraft could throw at it. If the PTF,s were out there in large numbers v/s a large ship how many would it take to swing the scales?

Leave it with you.
Ken

05/03/00
Dan,
Well i have gotten most of my stuff back together so i am sending you this letter (make sure you get to the actual bottom of the letter as its is fairly long)  that i will be sending to the various institutions that give the say on what we buy for the military. plus some chiefs of staff.

they will either think i am nuts and tell me that they will do anything i want but just dont hurt them or their family, or they will see merit in it and go for the gusto.

please just keep it for  yourself and if you want a few fellas who know something about the boats  and may have some input .

if the military is interested then i could have you put out the word on the net for feedback from the guys who have had experience setting up or maintaining pt or ptf bases.

i still have to have the missus check it for grammatical mistakes its been a long time since i took english. anyway i welcome your input and feedback. i am one person who does listen to constructive criticism. dont be shy.

ken

re those subs:
the idiot leader of the opposition bought the plans for those subs when he was defence minister from sweden a country that has never built a sub. ...nuff said. oh just in case you wondered defence is how they spell defense here.

Mon 2/21/00
Dan ,
Congratulations, great site .

If you do come across any pix of the Osprey I sure would like to see it . I am currently trying to get the RAN (Australian Navy) to start building PTF's along with basic 3 boat Quonset hut bases ( 2 boats on patrol, one in maintenance) with a C-130 supply airstrip for the islands along northern maritime approaches . These boats with the capability of being armed with small Exocets and Stinger missiles are the best bang for the buck around.

Unfortunately our navy along with most other think big is better and are currently building billion dollar subs and a bigger blue water navy that is utterly useless for the type of operations that we will most surely face one day. I hope to persuade them that they are putting square pegs in round holes, so any assistance I could get would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Ken Murray