Originally Posted by
TBM-Legend
Well, I don't know what grade of cable is commonly fitted to US warships, but the coating of paint renders any good fire properties of the insulation redundant. The paint will burn quite happily regardless.
The RN Navel Engineering Standards got updated for improved wiring practises after the Falkands War, where fire spread by cabling was a significant hinderance to firefighting on HMS Sheffield. Vessels built since then have (or are supposed to have) immaculately neat cabling, laid in with metal straps, properly labelled, using LSZH insulation, etc. Heaven help you if you tamper with it. And it's always looked good whenever I've seen it.
This was all back in the 1980s. 25 years ago is 1995, some 13 years afterwards. Last time I was on a USN vessel was 2005, on a brand new ship, still with the rats nest of painted cabling. I'm wondering whether the USN's architects ever chat to their colleagues across the pond...
That link is interesting. I note that they're stimulating the idea of more fire resistant cable, as an upgrade from cable that just won't create billows of toxic smoke.