So this is how the US Navy gets their ships into the water...

[olds]

Beats this:

 

[ProfJohn]

I saw one launched length wise years ago at Bath Iron Works in Maine.

I believe that when ships are launched like this they are still rather empty inside and that most of the inner guts of them are added after the launch.

 

[CZroe]

It was designed to withstand that kind of thing in storms and battle, so why not test it when launching it?

 

[JulesMaximus]

Um, this is how ships have been launched for centuries.

 

[illusion88]

That doesn't seem like the first way Id launch a boat. I know they have been doing it forever, but what about rolling it in? Or getting the launching point at water level, so it doesn't fall as far?

 

[Rubycon]

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2097473&highlight=displacement

 

[Meghan54]

Aren't they scared that thing is gonna go under just throwing it like that into the water? 😱

So, let me guess......you're just finding out about things like this? Things that have been around for decades, if not centuries...like this type of boat launching? Must suck to be sequestered in a basement 24/7.

 

[ShadowOfMyself]

Watching ship launches is surprisingly entertaining

Also LOL, so much for backwards launch being safer 😛
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPoAOXf8RIo

 

[ichy]

The Navy's policy for naming ships has gotten completely screwed up. The first two LCSs were Freedom and Independence (that first name still makes me gag) and now the third one is Fort Worth?