The proud Texan navy

N&P: Discuss governments, nations, politics and recent related news here.

Moderators: Alyrium Denryle, Edi, K. A. Pital

Post Reply
User avatar
dragon
Sith Marauder
Posts: 4151
Joined: 2004-09-23 04:42pm

The proud Texan navy

Post by dragon »

According to the big logo on the side they belong to the highway patrol. Favorite part 35 ft long, 300 horsepower, bullet proof plating and 6 machine guns each.
Texas is getting its own navy.

Next month, the state's Department of Public Safety will deploy the first of a fleet of six gunboats on the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between the state and Mexico, CNN affiliate WFAA-TV reports.

The 34-foot-long boats, each powered by three, 300-horsepower outboard engines, will have bulletproof plating and six machine guns apiece, not unlike the river patrol boats the U.S. Navy used during the Vietnam War.

The vessels will be able to operate in as little as 2 feet of water, according to the report, and will work with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to combat drug smuggling coming across the Rio Grande.

"They're finding out when those people are coming across, and one of the things they need to be able to do is interdict them on the water," Texas state Rep. Paul Workman told CNN affiliate KVUE-TV when the first of the boats, the JD Davis, was christened in December.

"If you're trying to suppress organized smuggling activity, there's no substitute for putting people on the ground," Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven C. McCraw said at the December ceremony. "The way they're operating right now, you need them on the water as well."

"It sends a message: Don't mess with Texas," Jose Rodriguez, a regional commander of the Texas Department of Safety, told WFAA.

The six boats will be named after Texas state troopers killed in the line of duty. The first was named after Jerry Don Davis, who was shot and killed in 1980. Another, to be commissioned Thursday in Austin, will be named in honor of trooper David Irvine Rucker, who was killed in 1981, according to The Brownsville Herald.
link
"There are very few problems that cannot be solved by the suitable application of photon torpedoes
User avatar
PhilosopherOfSorts
Jedi Master
Posts: 1008
Joined: 2008-10-28 07:11pm
Location: Waynesburg, PA, its small, its insignifigant, its almost West Virginia.

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by PhilosopherOfSorts »

This is already mentioned in the Wyoming aircraft carrier thread, and like I said there, its not that crazy. I'm actually surprised they didn't already have something like this.
A fuse is a physical embodyment of zen, in order for it to succeed, it must fail.

Power to the Peaceful

If you have friends like mine, raise your glasses. If you don't, raise your standards.
User avatar
CJvR
Sith Devotee
Posts: 2926
Joined: 2002-07-11 06:36pm
Location: K.P.E.V. 1

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by CJvR »

If they are really, really concerned about illegal immigration why not do something that might actually work - like crucify anyone caught employing an illegal? Kill the market (well much of it at least) and you can stop with futile things like fences, border patrols and gunboats.
I thought Roman candles meant they were imported. - Kelly Bundy
12 yards long, two lanes wide it's 65 tons of American pride, Canyonero! - Simpsons
Support the KKK environmental program - keep the Arctic white!
Slacker
Jedi Knight
Posts: 807
Joined: 2003-01-16 03:14am
Location: New York
Contact:

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by Slacker »

The NYPD already sports a small force for keeping New York Harbor patrolled. Can't say I'm shocked or surprised.
"I'm sorry, you seem to be under the mistaken impression that your inability to use the brain evolution granted you is any of my fucking concern."
"You. Stupid. Shit." Victor desperately wished he knew enough Japanese to curse properly. "Davions take alot of killing." -Grave Covenant
Founder of the Cult of Weber
User avatar
PhilosopherOfSorts
Jedi Master
Posts: 1008
Joined: 2008-10-28 07:11pm
Location: Waynesburg, PA, its small, its insignifigant, its almost West Virginia.

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by PhilosopherOfSorts »

CJvR wrote:If they are really, really concerned about illegal immigration why not do something that might actually work - like crucify anyone caught employing an illegal? Kill the market (well much of it at least) and you can stop with futile things like fences, border patrols and gunboats.

This isn't aimed at illegal immigration, its aimed at heavily armed drug cartels, a whole different problem.
A fuse is a physical embodyment of zen, in order for it to succeed, it must fail.

Power to the Peaceful

If you have friends like mine, raise your glasses. If you don't, raise your standards.
User avatar
Mr Bean
Lord of Irony
Posts: 22431
Joined: 2002-07-04 08:36am

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by Mr Bean »

Calling these things gunboats is a little generous, these are speed boats with LMG's and armored plating tacked on. Just about one step above a technical. They have done better to trade in four of those machine guns for an extra two boats. These things are not going to get into running gun battles with the VC after all. A dual turret of .50s forward is all you really need, a pair of singles to the sides from the pilot house at most and your set.

"A cult is a religion with no political power." -Tom Wolfe
Pardon me for sounding like a dick, but I'm playing the tiniest violin in the world right now-Dalton
User avatar
JME2
Emperor's Hand
Posts: 12258
Joined: 2003-02-02 04:04pm

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by JME2 »

Ah, but Texas already has a navy -- or rather, had one back during the Mexican War days. One of the ships iscurrently underneath a parking lot in Galveston.
User avatar
Sea Skimmer
Yankee Capitalist Air Pirate
Posts: 37389
Joined: 2002-07-03 11:49pm
Location: Passchendaele City, HAB

Re: The proud Texan navy

Post by Sea Skimmer »

Not only had a navy, the Republic of Texas Navy is perhaps the only navy to ever defeat a enemy force that included steamers with a completely sail force in a regular battle on the high seas at Campeche. Course the Mexicans were fairly incompetent.
"This cult of special forces is as sensible as to form a Royal Corps of Tree Climbers and say that no soldier who does not wear its green hat with a bunch of oak leaves stuck in it should be expected to climb a tree"
— Field Marshal William Slim 1956
Post Reply