The Polar Star, the only U.S. ship capable of bludgeoning through heavy ice

Re:The Polar Star, the only U.S. ship capable of bludgeoning... by tekkk on Saturday August 03, 2019 @03:39PM (#20602219)

Enough different to explain why it's 5.5 times more expensive? Knowing US military spending, F-35 as the most prominent example, it will surely be engineered to withstand every possible scenario there could exist. And US will have the most awesome ice breaker in the world, for sure. But is it wise spending? Who knows.

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Re:The Polar Star, the only U.S. ship capable of bludgeoning... by jabl on Saturday August 03, 2019 @05:00PM (#20602651)

I think the price for the awesomest ice breaker goes to the newest Russian nuclear powered ones: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_22220_icebreaker

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Re:The Polar Star, the only U.S. ship capable of bludgeoning... by scottlocklin on Sunday August 04, 2019 @12:11AM (#20604379)

The Aegis missile system they're sticking in it kind of explains it. Anyway, the Russian nuke icebreakers are definitely more awesome and cost about the same thing:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_22220_icebreaker

And unlike the US ones, they appear to be icebreakers of peace.

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Re:The Polar Star, the only U.S. ship capable of bludgeoning... by ceejayoz on Saturday August 03, 2019 @06:10PM (#20603015)

Finland's is going to toodle around the Baltic.

The US ships are going to go to Antarctica, patrol the Northwest Passage, etc. It'll also have an Aegis integrated combat system.

It's not the slightest bit shocking they're 5.5x the price. They're totally different ships.

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