An explosion in the ocean off the coast of Florida is measured at 3.9 on the Richter scale. It’s not the first of its kind.
Florida – A massive explosion lifted a fountain of water off the Florida coast into the sky. The measuring instruments of the US authority “United States Geological Survey” gave the strength of vibration as 3.9 on the Richter scale.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the cause was an “experimental explosion” around 160 kilometers off the coast of Daytona Beach, a small town in the southern state of Florida. A month ago, the instruments had already recorded an explosion of the same magnitude.
USA: Explosion off Florida to test the new aircraft carrier
The explosions were triggered by bombs weighing more than 18 tons dropped by US military. The US armed forces are using it to test a new aircraft carrier for the Navy: the USS Gerald R. Ford. Both the resilience of the hull and its behavior on the water in a bombardment are to be tested. According to information from the US Navy, the aircraft carrier has already been tested by simulations. “The current tests provide us with further data on the resilience of the ship in combat missions,” reports the task force in a press release.
The construction of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford recently aroused criticism in the USA. The skyrocketing costs in particular became a point of contention. As the star reported, flushing the toilet on the aircraft carrier alone is said to cost up to $ 400,000.
US Army builds new aircraft carriers and tests them with bombs
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the current series of tests is the first of its kind in over 30 years. Aircraft carriers were last tested using such methods in 1987. The area off the east coast of Florida was chosen because the environmental impact there is less than elsewhere. When choosing the time, the “migratory movements of maritime life” were taken into account.
According to the US media, it is not known whether and how many more tests will be carried out. According to the US Navy, this is confidential. Should more bombs be detonated, this would also happen on the east coast. The tests for the USS Gerald Ford are expected to be completed by the end of summer. The aircraft carrier is expected to start service by the end of the year at the latest. (Daniel Dillmann)
Rubriklistenbild: © US Navy via www.imago-images.de
