
David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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LSD - Whidbey Island / Ha
Function: Dock landing ships which support amphibious operations.
History: The Whidbey Island Class ships (LSDs 44 to 48) were built by Avondale Industries of New Orleans, which was also selected to build the cargo version of the ship, the Harpers Ferry Class (LSD 49 to LSD 52).
Description: The Whidbey Island Class ships were built to transport and launch air-cushioned landing craft (LCAC). The ships also provide docking and repair facilities for LCACs and for a range of conventional military, utility and personnel landing craft and also provide landing facilities for helicopters. The Harpers Ferry Class provides an increased cargo capacity and reduces the number of air-cushioned landing craft carried from four to two. As well as 340 crew members, the ships have capacity for 500 troops.
The last of this class, USS Pearl Harbor (LSD 52), was commissioned in May 1998
Under a U.S. Navy program, the Whidbey Island (LSD 41) was fitted with a Quick Reaction Combat Capability/Ship Self Defense System to provide it with a more co-ordinated and effective defence against attack by anti-ship missiles and aircraft. SSDS integrates the weapon control system, the close-in weapon system, the air search radar, the electronic warfare systems and the anti-air missile system. The latest ship of the class, the USS Pearl Harbor, has already been fitted with SSDS, and all twelve ships will be retrofitted with the SSDS by the year 2002.
General Characteristics, LSD
Builders:
Avondale Industries, New Orleans
Power Plant:
Four SEMT-Pielstick 16 PC2.5 V 400 diesel engines
Length, Overall:
610 feet (136 meters)
Beam:
84 feet (25.6 meters)
Displacement:
16,400 long tons (16,663 metric tons) full load
Aviation Facilities:
Landing deck for two Sikorsky CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters
Cargo Capacity:
67,000 cubic feet for marine cargo
20,200 square feet for vehicles
Maximum Speed:
20+ knots
Range:
8,000 miles at 18 knots
Weapons Systems:
Two 20 mm six barrel Phalanx Mark 15 close-in weapon systems fitted at the fore and aft of the top deck
Two 25mm Mark 38 and eight 12.7mm machine guns
Countermeasures:
AN/SLQ-25A Nixie towed decoy system
AN/SLQ-49 inflatable decoy cartridges
Mark 36 Mod 18 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Chaff (SRBOC) launchers
Raytheon AN/SLQ-32Q(V) system
Radar:
Northrop Grumman SPS-67V which operates at G-band
Raytheon SPS-49V5, which operates in C and D bands
Raytheon I- to J-band SPS-64(V)9
Crew:
340 crew, including 22 officers
418 enlisted men for LCAC attachment (air cushioned landing craft attachment)
Landing Force of 441 Marines, 102 surge troops
Ships:
USS Whidbey Island (LSD-41)
USS Germantown (LSD-42)
USS Fort McHenry (LSD-43)
USS Gunston Hall (LSD-44)
USS Comstock (LSD-45)
USS Tortuga (LSD-46)
USS Rushmore (LSD-47)
USS Ashland (LSD-48)
USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49)
USS Carter Hall (LSD-50)
USS Oak Hill (LSD-51)
USS Pearl Harbor (LSD-52)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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T-AE - Kilauea Class Ammu
Function: Seven ammunition ships provide logistic support to U.S. Navy ships at sea.
History: The USNS Kilauea was the first ship of the Kilauea class ammunition ship to be transferred to Military Sealift Command Oct. 1, 1980. Flint was transferred in August 1995, Butte in June 1996, Kiska in August 1996 and Mount Baker in December 1996. The USNS Shasta (T-AE 33) was transferred Oct. 1, 1997. The USNS Santa Barbara (TAE 28) transferred to MSC's operation on September 30, 1998. Ships undergo a civilian modification overhaul during which accommodations are improved, main armament taken out and ships outfitted for reduced crewing by MSC. Seven UNREP stations are operational: four port, three starboard.
Description: Ammunition ships operated by Military Sealift Command provide underway replenishment of all types of ammunition via connected replenishment and vertical replenishment methods. Additionally, these ships will frequently assist with the transfer of ammunition between weapons storage and maintenance facilities worldwide.
General Characteristics, Kilauea Class
Builders:
General Dynamics, Quincy and Ingalls Shipbuilding
Power Plant:
Three Foster-Wheeler boilers; 600 psi (42.3kg/cm2); 8700F (4670C); one GE turbine, 22,000 hp (16.4 MW); one shaft
Length, Overall:
564 feet (171.91 meters)
Beam:
81 feet (24.69 meters)
Displacement:
9,340 long tons (9,489.89 metric tons) light; 19, 940 long tons (20,260 metric tons) full load
Speed:
20 knots (23.02 mph, 37.05 kph)
Crew:
125 civilians, plus 24 naval personnel, including a helicopter detachment
Aircraft:
Two UH-46E Sea Knight helicopters (cargo normally embarked)
Ships:
USNS Prevail (T-AGOS 8)
USNS Assertive (T-AGOS 9)
USNS Bold (T-AGOS 12)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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T-AH - Mercy Class Hospit
Function: Two hospital ships operated by Military Sealift Command are designed to provide emergency, on-site care for U.S. combatant forces deployed in war or other operations.
History: Both hospital ships are converted San Clemente-class super tankers. Mercy was delivered in 1986 and Comfort in 1987. Normally, the ships are kept in a reduced operating status in Baltimore, MD, and San Diego, CA, by a small crew of civilian mariners and active duty Navy medical and support personnel. Each ship can be fully activated and crewed within five days. Mercy went to the Philippines in 1987 for a humanitarian mission. Both ships were used during Operation Desert Shield/Storm. Comfort twice operated during 1994 ? once for Operation Sea Signal's Cuban/Haitian migrant interdiction operations, and a second time supporting U.S. forces and agencies involved in Haiti and Operation Uphold Democracy. In 1998, Comfort participated in exercise Baltic Challenge '98, a multinational exercise involving 11 European nations and the United States to improve cooperation in peace support operations.
Description: USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) and USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) each contain 12 fully-equipped operating rooms, a 1,000 bed hospital facility, radiological services, medical laboratory, a pharmacy, an optometry lab, a cat scan and two oxygen producing plants. Both vessels have a helicopter deck capable of landing large military helicopters, as well as side ports to take on patients at sea.
General Characteristics, Mercy Class
Builders:
National Steel and Shipbuilding Co., San Diego, CA
Power Plant:
Two GE turbines; two boilers; 24,500 hp (18.3MW); one shaft
Length, Overall:
894 feet (272.6 meters)
Beam:
105.6 feet (32.2 meters)
Displacement:
69,360 tons (70,473.10 metric tons) full load
Speed:
17.5 knots (20.13 mph)
Crew:
63 civilian mariners, 956 Naval medical staff, and 258 Naval support staff
Aircraft:
Helicopter platform only
Ships:
USNS Mercy (T-AH 19)
USNS Comfort (T-AH 20)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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T-AKR - Fast Sealift Ship
Function: The Fast Sealift Ships are the fastest cargo ships in the world. The ships can travel at speed of up to 33 knots and are capable of sailing from the U.S. East Coast to Europe in just six days, and to the Persian Gulf via the Suez Canal in 18 days, thus ensuring rapid delivery of military equipment in a crisis. Combined, all eight Fast Sealift Ships can carry nearly all the equipment needed to outfit a full Army mechanized division.
History: All were originally built as container ships for Sea-Land Services, Inc., Port Elizabeth, N.J., but because of high fuel consuption were not cost-effective as merchant ships. Six ships of this class were approved for acquisition in FY81 and the remaining two in FY82. The purchase price included 4,000 containers and 800 container chassis for use in container ship configuration. All eight were converted to Fast Sealift Ships, which are vehicle cargo ships. With speeds up to 30 knots, they are the fastest cargo ships ever built. Conversion included the addition of roll-on/roll-off features. The area between the forward and after superstructures allows for emergency high hover helicopter lifts. Ninety-three percent of a U.S. Army mechanized division can be lifted using all eight ships. Seven of the class moved 13 percent of all the cargo transported between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia during and after the Persian Gulf War. Six were activated for the Somalian operation in December 1992 and all have been used in various operations and exercises since then. The FSS are all based in Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico ports.
Description: Fast Sealift Ships are roll-on/roll-off and lift-on/lift-off ships equipped with on-board cranes and self-contained ramps which enable the ships to off-load onto lighterage which anchored at sea or in ports where shore facilities forunloading equipment are unavailable. The vessels are specially suited to transport heavy or bulky unit equipment such as tanks, large wheeled vehicles and helicopters.
General Characteristics, Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class
Builders:
T-AKR 287, 289, 293 - Rotterdamsche D.D.Mij N.V., Rotterdam, the Netherlands
T-AKR 288, 291 - Rheinstahl Nordseewerke, Emden, West Germany
T-AKR 290, 292 - A.G. Weser, Bremen, West Germany
Power Plant:
Two Foster-Wheeler boilers, 875 psi (61.6kg/cm2); 9500F (5100C); two GE MST-19 steam turbines; 120,000 hp (89.5 MW); two shafts (60,000/shaft)
Length, Overall:
946.2 feet (288.40 meters)
Beam:
106 feet (32.31 meters)
Displacement:
55,350 long tons (56,238.26 metric tons) full load
Speed:
33 knots (37.98 mph, 61.12 kph)
Crew:
42 (fully operational); 24 (USCG minimum); 18 (reduced operating status)
Ships:
USNS Algol (T-AKR 287)
USNS Bellatrix (T-AKR 288)
USNS Denebola (T-AKR 289)
USNS Pollux (T-AKR 290)
USNS Altair (T-AKR 291)
USNS Regulus (T-AKR 292)
USNS Capella (T-AKR 293)
USNS Antares (T-AKR 294)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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LPD - San Antonio Class A
Function: The Landing Platform Dock 17, San Antonio Class, is the latest class of amphibious force ship for the United States Navy. The mission of the LPD 17 ships is to transport marines, with helicopters and air-cushioned landing craft to trouble spots around the world. The first ship, the San Antonio (LPD 17), is currently under construction and is scheduled to be delivered in November 2002.
History: In December 1996 the U.S. Navy awarded a contract to an industrial alliance led by Litton Industries Avondale with Bath Iron Works and Raytheon Company to design and construct the first of an anticipated twelve ships under the Navy's LPD 17 program. Litton Avondale will build eight of the twelve, including the first of class ship and the second. Bath will construct four, including the third of class vessel. The second ship, New Orleans (LPD 18), is planned to commission in 2004.
Description: The ship is of all steel construction with diesel propulsion. The ship provides three vehicle decks of 25,402 square feet and two cargo holds with 25,548 cubic feet for bulk cargo and ammunition magazines in addition to 1,234 cubic m for cargo fuel. Accommodation is provided for two LCAC (Landing Craft Air Cushioned), 720 troops and 15 vehicles.
At the stern of the ship the landing deck is able to accommodate two Sikorsky CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters, four Bell AH/UH-1 Iroquois twin Huey helicopters, four Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, or two Bell V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
The hangar deck provides aviation maintenance facilities and is sufficiently large to accommodate one Sea Stallion, two Sea Knight, three Iroquois helicopters or one Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. The hangar doors are constructed by Indal Technologies. Each blast-resistant door weighs 18,000 kilograms and has three horizontal folding panels.
LPD 17 was planned to be equipped with the Mark 41 launcher for the Raytheon Evolved Seasparrow surface-to-air missile (ESSM), but budgetary considerations have meant that this may not now be fitted. Two Mark 31 launchers are capable of launching the fire and forget Raytheon Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). RAM is a point defence anti-missile missile.
San Antonio will have two Mk 15 Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS) from Raytheon and General Dynamics. Each Phalanx CIWS has one 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan Gatling-principle gun which fires 3,000 rounds per minute at a range of 1.5 km. The ship is also equipped with three Mark 38 25-mm machine guns and four 12.7 mm machine guns.
San Antonio is one of the classes of vessels planned to receive the SSDS (Ship Self Defense System) being developed by the U.S. Navy. SSDS will be an integration of all the ship's self defence systems and will include multi-function radar, ESSM, Advanced Integrated Electronic Warfare System and infrared search and track system (IRST). LPD 22, the sixth of class is scheduled to be the first ship to receive the complete system, which will be retrofitted to the rest of the class. SSDS is also to be fitted to the U.S. Navy projected new carriers (CVN 76) and destroyers (DD 21).
General Characteristics, LPD
Builders:
Defoe SB Co, Bay City
Dillingham SR, Portland
Norshipco, Norfolk
Tampa SY
Keith Ship Repair, New Orleans
Power Plant:
Four medium speed turbocharged marine diesels; two shafts; two single reduction gears; two controllable pitch propellers
Length, Overall:
683 feet (208.18 meters)
Beam:
105 feet (32 meters)
Displacement:
25,300 long tons (25,706 metric tons) full load
Aviation Facilities:
Hangar "O" level maintenance facilities for one CH-53E, or two CH-46s, or three UH/AH-Is helicopters, or one MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft
Landing deck for two CH-53E, or four AH/UH-1, or four CH-46, or two MV-22 tiltrotor aircraft
Medical Facilities:
Two operating rooms
24-person hospital ward
100 casualty overflow
Maximum Speed:
22+ knots
Weapons Systems:
Mark 41 16-cell vertical launch missile system for evolved Sea Sparrow missile
Mark 31 Mod 0, Rolling Airframe missile launchers
Two Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS
Mark 38 25mm machine guns
Mark 26 0.50 calibre machine guns
Countermeasures:
AN/SLQ-25A Nixie towed decoy system
Mark 36 Mod 18 Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Chaff (SRBOC) launchers
Nulka decoy countermeasures
Raytheon AN/SLQ-32Q(V) system
TISS
Radar:
AN/SPS-48E
AN/APQ-9B
AN/SPS-64(V)9
AN/SPS-67(V)3
Crew:
Ship's crew, 422; officer accomodation, 190;
accomodation for enlisted men, 1038
Ships:
San Antonio (LPD 17), commissioned September 2002
New Orleans (LPD 18), to be commissioned Summer 2003
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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T-AFS - Mars Class Combat
Function: Six combat stores ships operated by Military Sealift Command provide supplies, including frozen, chilled and dry provisions, to U.S. Navy combatant ships at sea for extended periods of time.
History: The USNS Concord (T-AFS 5) became the first of five Navy Mars class ships to be transferred to Military Sealift Command on Oct. 15, 1992. The Mars followed on Feb. 1, 1993, USNS San Diego on Aug. 11, 1993, the USNS San Jose on Nov. 2, 1993 and the USNS Niagara Falls on Sept. 23, 1994. The San Diego was deactivated on Dec. 10, 1997, and the Mars was deactivated on Feb. 12, 1998. The USNS Sirius (T-AFS 8) was transferred from the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary to MSC on Jan. 18, 1981; the USNS Spica (T-AFS 9) on Nov. 5, 1981; and the USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10) on Dec. 13, 1983.
Description: Combat stores ships provide underway replenishment of all types of supplies, ranging from repair parts to fresh food, clothing and mail via tensioned cargo rigs and UH-46 Sea Knight helicopters.
General Characteristics, Mars Class
Builders:
National Steel and Shipbuilding Co, San Diego, CA
Power Plant:
Three Babcock & Wilcox boilers, 580 psi (40.8 kg/cm2); 8250F (4400C); one De Laval turbine (Westinghouse in TAFS 6); 22,000 hp (16.4MW) sustained; one shaft
Length, Overall:
581 feet (177.09 meters)
Beam:
79 feet (24.08 meters)
Displacement:
9,200 long tons (9,347.64 metric tons) light
15,900-18,663 long tons (16,155.17 - 18,962.51 metric tons) full load
Speed:
21 knots (24.17 mph, 38.90 kph)
Crew:
49 Navy personnel, 125 civilians
Aircraft:
Two UH-46E Sea Knight helicopters (cargo normally embarked)
Ships:
USNS Niagara Falls (T-AFS 3)
USNS Concord (T-AFS 5)
USNS San Jose (T-AFS 7)
General Characteristics, Sirius Class
Builders:
Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne, UK
Power Plant:
One Wallsend-Sulzer 8RD76 diesel, 11,520 horsepower (8.59 MW); one shaft
Length, Overall:
524 feet (159.72 meters)
Beam:
72 feet (21.95 meters)
Displacement:
9,010 long tons (9,154.59 metric tons) light
16,792 long tons (17,061.48 metric tons) full load
Speed:
19 knots (21.85 mph, 35.20 kph)
Crew:
49 Navy personnel, 115 civilians
Aircraft:
Two UH-46E Sea Knight helicopters (cargo normally embarked)
Ships:
USNS Sirius (T-AFS 8)
USNS Spica (T-AFS 9)
USNS Saturn (T-AFS 10)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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T-AK - Maritime Prepositi
Function: The 13 Maritime Prepositioning Ships are part of Military Sealift Command's Prepositioning Program. They preposition U.S. Marine Corps vehicles, equipment and ammunition throughout the world.
History: The Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class is the original class of MPS ships chartered by Military Sealift Command. The five ships are Maersk Line ships converted by Bethlehem Steel. During conversion, the ships gained an additional 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing pad, among other additions. The Sgt. Matej Kocak Class, the second class of MPS ships chartered by MSC, also gained 157 feet amidships and a helicopter landing platform after conversion. These ships, delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s, are National Steel and Shipbuilding, San Diego, conversion ships owned and operated by Waterman Steamship Corp. The 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo Class ships are new construction ships delivered to MSC in the mid-1980s from General Dynamics, Quincy, Mass. They are owned and operated by American Overseas Marine.
Description: The MPS ships are assigned to three Maritime Prepositioning Ship squadrons located in the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean at Diego Garcia and the Western Pacific at Guam and Saipan. The MPS ships in each squadron have sufficient equipment, supplies and ammunition to support a Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force for 30 days. The MPS ships are self-sustaining, having cranes which enable them to unload their own cargo.
General Characteristics, Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. Class
Builders:
Odense Staalskibsvaerft A/S, Lindo
Power Plant:
One Sulzer 7RND76M diesel; 16,800 horsepower; one shaft; bow thruster
Length, Overall:
755 feet (230.12 meters)
Beam:
90 feet (27.43 meters)
Displacement:
46,552 long tons (47,299.07 metric tons) full load
Speed:
17.5 knots (20.14 mph, 32.41 kph)
Crew:
32 civilians, 10 technicians
Ships:
MV Cpl. Louis J. Hauge, Jr. (ex-MV Estelle Maersk) (T-AK 3000)
MV PFC William B. Baugh (ex-MV Eleo Maersk) (T-AK 3001)
MV PFC James Anderson, Jr. (ex-MV Emma Maersk) (T-AK 3002)
MV 1st Lt. Alex Bonnyman (ex-MV Emilie Maersk) (T-AK 3003)
MV Pvt. Franklin J. Phillips (ex-Pvt. Harry Fisher, ex-MV Evelyn Maersk) (T-AK 3004)
General Characteristics, Sgt. Matej Kocak Class
Builders:
Pennsylvania SB Company, Chester, PA
Power Plant:
Two boilers; two GE turbines; 30,000 horsepower; one shaft
Length, Overall:
821 feet (250.24 meters)
Beam:
105.6 feet (32.19 meters)
Displacement:
48,754 long tons (49,536.41 metric tons) full load
Speed:
20 knots (23.02 mph, 37.05 kph)
Cargo Capacity:
Containers, 532; ro-ro, 152,236 square feet; JP-5 bbls, 20,290; DF-2 bbls, 12,355; Mogas bbls, 3,717; stable water, 2,189; cranes, two twin 50 ton and 1-30 ton gantry
Helicopters:
Platform Only
Crew:
34 civilians, 10 technicians
Ships:
MV Sgt. Matej Kocak (Ex-SS John B. Waterman) (T-AK 3005)
MV PFC Eugene A. Obregon (ex-SS Thomas Heywood) (T-AK 3006)
MV Maj. Stephen W. Pless (ex-SS Charles Carroll) (T-AK 3007)
General Characteristics, 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo Class
Builders:
General Dynamics, Quincy
Power Plant:
Two Stork-Wartsilia Werkspoor 16TM410 diesels; 27,000 horsepower sustained; one shaft, bow thruster; 1,000 horsepower
Length, Overall:
675.2 feet (205.80 meters)
Beam:
105.5 feet (32.16 meters)
Displacement:
44,330 long tons (45,041.41 metric tons) full load
Speed:
18 knots (20.71 mph, 33.33 kph)
Cargo Capacity:
Containers, 530; ro-ro, 152,185 square feet; JP-5 bbles, 20,776; DF-2 bbls, 13,334; Mogas bbls, 4,880; stable water, 2,357; cranes, one single and two twin 39 ton
Helicopters:
Platform Only
Crew:
38 civilians, 10 technicians
Ships:
MV 2nd Lt. John P. Bobo (T-AK 3008)
MV PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK 3009)
MV 1st Lt. Baldomero Lopez (T-AK 3010)
MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK 3011)
MV Sgt. William R. Button (T-AK 3012)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:52pm
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U.S. Coast Guard Barque E
Function: Training vessel for CG Academy Cadets
History: The Eagle bears a name that goes back to the early history of the United States' oldest contiunous seagoing service. The first Eagle was commissioned in 1792, just two years after the formation of the Revenue Marine, the forerunner of today's Coast Guard. Today's Eagle, the seventh in a long line of proud cutters to bear the name, was built in 1936 by the Blohm & Voss Shipyard, Hamburg, Germany, as a training vessel for German Naval Cadets. It was commissioned Horst Wessel and following World War II was taken as a war prize by the United States. On May 15, 1946, the barque was commissioned into U.S. Coast Guard service as the Eagle and sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany to New London, Connecticut.
Description: The Eagle is a three-masted sailing Barque with 21,350 square feet of sail. It is homeported at the CG Academy, New London, Connecticut. It is the only active commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. maritime services. (One of five such Training Barques in world. Sister ships include: MIRCEA of Romania, SAGRES II of Portugal, GORCH FOCK of Germany, and TOVARICH of Russia). The Eagle serves as a seagoing classroom for approximiately 175 cadets and instructors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. It is on the decks and rigging of the Eagle that the young men and women of the Academy get their first taste of salt air and life at sea. From this experience they develop a respect for the elements that will be with them throughout their lifetime. They are tested and challenged, often to the limits of their endurance. Working aloft they meet fear and learn to overcome it. The training cadets receive under sail has proven to be an invaluable asset during their subsequent Coast Guard careers. On the Eagle, cadets have a chance to practically apply the navigation, engineering and other training they receive in classes at the Academy. As upper-class cadets, they perform the leadership functions normally handled by junior officers. As under-class cadets, they fill positions normally taken by the enlisted crew of the ship, including helm watch at the huge brass and wood wheels used to steer the vessel. Sailing in the Eagle, cadets handle more than 20,000 square feet of sail and 5 miles of rigging. Over 200 lines must be coordinated during a major ship maneuver, so cadets must learn the name and function of each line. The ship readily takes to the task for which it was designed. Eagle's hull is built of steel, four-tenths of an inch thick. It has two full length steel decks with a platform deck below and a raised forecastle and quarterdeck. The weatherdecks are three-inch-thick teak over steel. When at home, the Eagle rests alongside a pier at the Coast Guard Academy on the Thames River. The Academy was originally founded in 1876 with a class of nine students on board the Revenue Cutter Dobbin. In 1932, a permanent Academy was built on land donated by the New London community. Enrollment at the Academy numbers approximately 700 men and women, all of whom sail at one time or another on America's only active duty square rigger.
General Characteristics, Barque Eagle
Length, Overall:
295 feet
Maximum Range:
5,450 miles
Maximum Speed:
11-16 knots (under full sail)
Crew:
12 Officers, 38 crew, 150 cadets (average)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:52pm
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378-Foot High Endurance C
Function: Law Enforcement, Defense Operations, Search and Rescue.
Description: The 378-foot High Endurance Cutter class are the largest cutters, aside from the two Polar Class Icebreakers, ever built for the Coast Guard. They are powered by diesel engines and gas turbines, and have controllable-pitch propellers. Equipped with a helicopter flight deck, retractable hangar, and the facilities to support helicopter deployment, these 12 cutters were introduced to the Coast Guard inventory in the 1960s. Beginning in the 1980s and ending in 1992, the entire class was modernized through the Fleet Renovation and Modernization (FRAM) program. The first of the class was the Hamilton (WHEC-715) commissioned in 1967. Highly versatile and capable of performing a variety of missions, these cutters operate throughout the world's oceans.
General Characteristics, 378-Foot High Endurance Cutter
Length, Overall:
378 feet
Beam:
43 feet
Maximum Range:
14,000 miles
Maximum Speed:
29 knots
Armament:
One Mark 75 76-mm gun (anti-air capable)
Two 25-mm machine guns
One 20-mm Phalanx, close-in weapons system (CIWS)
Crew:
167 Personnel (19 Officers, 148 Enlisted)
378-Foot WHECs in Service:
Boutwell (WHEC-719)
Chase (WHEC-718)
Dallas (WHEC-716)
Gallatin (WHEC-721)
Hamilton (WHEC-715)
Jarvis (WHEC-725)
Mellon (WHEC-717)
Midgett (WHEC-726)
Morgenthau (WHEC-722)
Munro (WHEC-724)
Rush (WHEC-723)
Sherman (WHEC-720)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:33pm
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AGF3 - USS La Salle Comma
Function: Serves as a flagship.
Description: Command ships provide communications and accommodations for fleet commanders and staff. Ships are equipped air and surface radars, helicopter, chaff launchers and an electronic warfare suite.
Background: These ships were converted from amphibious warships for employment as command ships. Amphibious warships are uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. They must be able to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid built-up of combat power ashore in the face of opposition. The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world.
General Characteristics, USS La Salle
Builders:
As LPD-3: New York Naval
Shipyard, NY
Conversion:
To AGF3: Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
Power Plant:
Two boilers, geared turbines, two shafts, 24,000 shaft horsepower
Date Deployed:
November 14, 1970 (USS Blue Ridge)
Length, Overall:
520 feet (158.5 meters)
Beam:
84 feet (26.60 meters)
Displacement:
14,650 tons (14,885.10 metric tons)
Speed:
20 knots (23.82+ miles per hour)
Crew:
440 ship's company, 59 flag staff
Armament:
Two Phalanx close-in-weapons system
Four machine gun mounts
Two saluting guns
Aircraft:
One light helicopter
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:33pm
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BB61 - Iowa Class Battles
Function: Last of the world's Surface Action capital ships.
History: Following a legacy established by the HMS Dreadnaught, the Iowa class battleships represent the ultimate personification of the Ship of the Line. Originally designed as the flagship of the United States fleet, the battleships were overshadowed by the emergence of the aircraft carrier in World War II. Despite this, however, battleships played an indispensable role during that war, their enormous firepower serving to protect not only the carriers but the rest of the fleet from enemy surface and air action as well as providing unequaled fire support during amphibious operations. Despite their age, no other ship currently afloat can deliver the same degree of firepower with the same accuracy over an extended period of time as the Iowa class battleships. Commissioned in the 40's the Iowa class battleships have participated in every major conflict the United States has been involved in since World War Two. Following their peacetime recommissioning in the 1980's the four Iowa battleships were able to serve supporting roles in carrier or amphibious battlegroups, or in low air threat environments, serve as flagships for Surface Action Groups.
General Characteristics, Iowa Class
Ships:
USS Iowa (BB-61), Decommissioned, Inactive
USS Wisconsin (BB-64), Decommissioned, Inactive
Builders:
BB 61 - New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, N.Y.
BB 64 - Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, Philadelphia, PA
Power Plant:
Eight Babcock & Wilcox boilers, four General Electric or Westinghouse steam turbines, four shafts, 212,000 total shaft horsepower
Length, Overall:
888 feet (273 meters)
Beam:
109 feet (33.5 meters)
Displacement:
Approximately 57,353 tons full load
Speed:
35 knots (40 mph)
Dates Deployed:
February 22, 1943;
Decommissioned October 26, 1990 (USS Iowa)
April 16, 1944; Decommissioned September 30, 1991 (USS Wisconsin)
Crew:
Ship's Company: 1,515
Armament:
Guns:
9 Mk 7 16"/50 caliber naval cannons
12 Mk 12 5"/38 caliber general purpose cannons
1 Mk 15 Mod 2 Close-In Weapon System (4 mounts)
Missiles:
32 Tomahawk cruise missiles in Armored Box Launchers (ABL)
4 Mk 141 Harpoon Missile Quad-Cannister Launcher
Sensors:
One AN/SPS-48 air search radar
One AN/SPS-67 surface search radar
One AN/SPQ-9 gunfire control radar
Four Mk 37 gunfire control radar
Two Mk 38 gun director
One Mk 40 gun director
Countermeasures:
One AN/SLQ-29 electronic warfare suite
One AN/SLQ-25 towed torpedo decoy (Nixie)
Aircraft:
Four SH-3 or SH-60 helicopters
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:33pm
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LHA - Tarawa Class Amphib
Function: Primary landing ships, resembling small aircraft carriers, designed to put troops on hostile shores.
Description: Modern U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships are called upon to perform as primary landing ships for assault operations of Marine expeditionary units. These ships use Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC), conventional landing craft and helicopters to move Marine assault forces ashore. In a secondary role, using AV-8B Harrier aircraft and anti-submarine warfare helicopters, these ships perform sea control and limited power projection missions.
Background: Amphibious warships are uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. They must be able to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid built-up of combat power ashore in the face of opposition. The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world.
General Characteristics, Tarawa Class
Builders:
Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MI
Power Plant:
Two boilers, two geared steam turbines, two shafts, 70,000 total shaft horsepower
Date Deployed:
May 29, 1976 (USS Tarawa)
Length, Overall:
820 feet (249.94 meters)
Beam:
106 feet (32.31 meters)
Displacement:
39,400 long tons (40,032 metric tons) full load
Speed:
24 knots (27.62 miles per hour)
Crew:
Ship's Company: 82 officers, 882 enlisted
Marine Detachment: 1,900 plus
Armament:
Two RAM launchers
Two 5 inch/54 cal. MK-45 lightweight guns
Two Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mount
Six 25 mm Mk 38 machine guns
Aircraft:
(Actual mix depends upon mission)
Nine CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters
12 CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters
Six AV-8B Harrier attack planes
Ships:
USS Tarawa (LHA-1), San Diego, CA
USS Saipan (LHA-2), Norfolk, VA
USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3), Sasebo, Japan
USS Nassau (LHA-4), Norfolk, VA
USS Peleliu (LHA-5), San Diego, CA
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:33pm
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MHC Coastal Mine Hunters
Function: Designed to clear mines from vital waterways.
Entered Navy: 20 Nov 1993 (USS Osprey).
Description: In the early 1980s, the U.S. Navy began development of a new mine countermeasures (MCM) force, which included two new classes of ships and minesweeping helicopters. The vital importance of a state-of-the-art mine countermeasures force was strongly underscored in the Persian Gulf during the eight years of the Iran-Iraq war, and in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. To learn more about mine warfare visit the Commander Mine Warfare Command web site.
Osprey (MHC 51) class ships are mine hunter-killers capable of finding, classifying and destroying moored and bottom mines. Eleven of the twelve Osprey-class Coastal Minehunter are assigned to the Reserve and homeported at Ingleside, TX. The MHC 51 has a 15-day endurance and depends on a support ship or shore based facilities for resupply. This mine hunter (coastal) is designed to operate from CONUS bases against enemy bottom and moored mines. It is the first US Navy mine countermeasures ship to be constructed of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP). The design is based on the Italian Navy Lerici Class. Voith-Schneider rotors replace the conventional propellers of the MCM and MSO classes. The ship will have modular sweep systems which can be installed as needed.
Avenger class ships are also designed as mine hunter-killers.
These ships use sonar and video systems, cable cutters and a mine detonating device that can be released and detonated by remote control. They are also capable of conventional sweeping measures. The ships' hulls are made of glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) fiberglass. They are the first large mine countermeasures ships built in the United States in nearly 27 years.
General Characteristics, MHC Coastal Mine Hunters
Contractor:
Avondale Industries Inc., Gulfport, MS MHC 53, 54, 56, 57
Intermarine USA, Savannah, GA MHC 51, 52, 55, 58, 59, 60, 61 and 62
Length:
188 feet (57.3 meters)
Beam:
36 feet (11 meters)
Draft (Navigation):
12 feet 1 inch
Displacement:
893 tons (804 metric tons) full load
Ships:
USS Osprey (MHC 51)
USS Heron (MHC 52)
USS Pelican (MHC 53)
USS Robin (MHC 54)
USS Oriole (MHC 55)
USS Kingfisher (MHC 56)
USS Cormorant (MHC 57)
USS Black Hawk (MHC 58),
USS Falcon (MHC 59)
USS Cardinal (MHC 60), forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain
USS Raven (MHC 61), forward deployed to Manama, Bahrain
USS Shrike (MHC 62)
Powerplant:
Two diesels (800 hp each); two Voith-Schneider (cycloidal) propulsion systems
Speed:
10 Knots (18.4 kmph)
Combat Systems:
* AN/SLQ-48 - Mine Neutralization Equipment
* AN/SQQ-32 - Minehunting Sonar
* AN/SYQ-13 - Navigation/Command and Control
* AN/SSQ-94 - On board Trainer
* Two .50 caliber machine guns
Crew:
5 officers, 46 enlisted
Unit Operating Cost Annual Average:
~ $3,000,000
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:34pm
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AGF11 - USS Coronado Comm
Function: Serves as a flagship.
Description: Command ships provide communications and accommodations for fleet commanders and staff. Ships are equipped air and surface radars, helicopter, chaff launchers and an electronic warfare suite.
Background: These ships were converted from amphibious warships for employment as command ships. Amphibious warships are uniquely designed to support assault from the sea against defended positions ashore. They must be able to sail in harm's way and provide a rapid built-up of combat power ashore in the face of opposition. The United States maintains the largest and most capable amphibious force in the world.
General Characteristics, USS Coronado
Builders:
As LPD-11: Lockheed Shipbuilding
& Construction Co.
Conversion:
To AGF11: Philadelphia Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA
Power Plant:
Two boilers, geared turbines, two shafts, 24,000 shaft horsepower
Date Deployed:
November 14, 1970 (USS Blue Ridge)
Length, Overall:
570 feet (173.74 meters)
Beam:
100 feet (30.48 meters)
Displacement:
16,912 long tons (17,183.41 metric tons)
Speed:
21 knots (24.2+ miles per hour, 38.95+ kph)
Crew:
516 ship's company, 120 flag staff
Armament:
Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems
Two 12.7 mm MGs
Aircraft:
Two light helicopters
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:34pm
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CG47 - Ticonderoga Class
Function: Surface Action Combatant with multiple target response capability.
Description: Based on the DD963 Spruance class destroyer hull, the Ticonderoga is the first non-nuclear cruiser since the CG26 Belknap class guided missile cruiser, commissioned in 1964. The Ticonderoga uses the same gas turbine propulsion system as the Spruance, though it lacks hull stabilizers and is equipped with supplemental Kevlar armor to provide additional protection in critical areas. With 27 cruisers slated for construction over a period of 14 years, construction was broken up into four separate "blocks" to take advantage of technological advancements.
Since the commissioning of the final Ticonderoga class cruiser (CG73 USS Port Royal) the class has undergone three technology "block" upgrades.
Block I: Includes CG47 and CG48. Block I represents the "baseline" design, incorporating fore and aft Mk 26 Mod 5 missile launchers, 2 SH-2F Seasprite LAMPS I ASW/Recon helicopters, and the AN/SPY-1A radar.
Block II: Includes CG49-CG51. Replaces the 2 SH-2F LAMPS I helicopters with 2 SH-60B Seahawk helicopters (LAMPS III.) In addition the RAST haul down helicopter landing system is also incorporated and SM-2MR Block II Standard missile is introduced.
Block III: Includes CG52-CG55. Mk 26 Mod 5 missile launchers are removed and replaced with fore and aft Mk 41 Mod 0 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS.) In addition, the Ticonderoga's anti-ship and land strike potential are increased with the introduction of VLS launched Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Block IV: Includes CG56-CG58. The class' ASW capabilities are improved with the addition of the SQQ-89(V)3 towed passive sonar array. Later retrofitted with UYK-43/44 combat information system.
Block V: Includes CG59-CG73. Encompassing the remaining cruisers, the Aegis radar is upgraded to the AN/SPY-1B and the combat information systems are upgraded to the UYK-43/44 standard.
Following the completion of class' production run, a number of weapon and electronic systems upgrades have been introduced, improving the combat and sensor capabilities of the class. The Block IV SM-2 has replaced the SM-2MR Block II, which, coupled with improved tracking ability, gives the class a Theater Ballistic Missile Defense (TBMD) capability. In addition, improvements have been made in Tomahawk guidance capabilities. In order to improve small craft targeting and tracking, the Mk 15 Mod 2 Phalanx Close In Weapon System (CIWS) is being upgraded with thermal imaging units, though the weapon systems are slated to be replaced with the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM block I) beginning in 2001.
History: Commissioned on 22 January, 1983, the Ticonderoga represents a revolution in surface warfare ship design. Though similar in design to earlier ships (specifically the DD963 Spruance class destroyer), the Ticonderoga class differs in that its primary weapon system is not a weapon at all, but the powerful SPY-1 Aegis radar. Capable of acquiring, tracking, and engaging multiple targets simultaneously, the Aegis system sets a new standard in Surface and Anti-Air Warfare. Furthermore, the Aegis system can integrate itself with the weapon and combat information systems of other ships in the battle group, to coordinate and direct the actions of the entire group. This capability allows the Ticonderoga cruiser battle groups to operate effectively and for an extended period in any Anti-Air, Anti-Submarine, Anti-Surface or strike environment.
General Characteristics, Ticonderoga Class
Cost:
About $1 billion each
Builders:
Ingalls Shipbuilding: CG 47-50, CG 52-57, 59,62, 65-66, 68-69, 71-73
Bath Iron Works: CG-51,58,60-61,63-64,67,70
Power Plant:
4 General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 2 shafts with controllable reversible pitch propellers, 80,000 shaft horsepower total
Date Deployed:
January 22, 1983 (USS Ticonderoga)
Crew:
24 Officers, 340 Enlisted
Sensors:
Radars:
1 AN/SPY-1 phased array air search and fire control radar
1 AN/SPS-49 air search radar
1 AN/SPS-55 surface search radar
1 AN/SPS-64 surface search radar
1 AN/SPQ-9A gunfire control radar
4 AN/SPG-62 fire control illuminators
Sonars:
One AN/SQS-53 hull mounted sonar
One AN/SQR-19 towed array sonar
One AN/SQQ-89 ASW combat system
Countermeasures:
One Mk 36 Mod 2 Super Rapid-Blooming Off Board Chaff System (SRBOC)
One AN/SLQ-32(v)3 electronic warfare suite
One AN/SLQ-25 towed torpedo decoy (Nixie)
Length, Overall:
567 feet (172.82 meters)
Beam:
55 feet (16.76 meters)
Displacement:
9,600 long tons (9,754.06 metric tons) full load
Speed:
30+ knots (34.52+mph, 55.55+ kph)
Armament:
Guns:
Two Mk 45 5"/54 caliber Lightweight Gun Mounts
Torpedos:
Two Mk 32 Mod 14 triple torpedo tubes firing either the Mk 46 Mod 5 or Mk 50 ASW torpedoes
CG52 - CG73 Vertical Launch ASROC with Mk 46 Mod 5 or Mk 50 ASW torpedoes
Missiles:
Tomahawk cruise missiles
Standard 2MR Surface to Air missile
Vertical Launch ASROC torpedoes
CG47-CG51 Missiles launched from fore and aft twin rail launchers
CG52-CG73 Missiles launched from 2 forward mounted Mk 41 Vertical Launch Systems (VLS)
Two aft mounted Harpoon Missile Quad-Cannister Launcher
One Mk 15 Mod 2 Close-In Weapon System (2 mounts)
Aircraft:
Two SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS) in CG 47-48
Two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS III)
Ships:
USS Ticonderoga (CG 47), Pascagoula, MI
USS Yorktown (CG 48), Pascagoula, MI
USS Vincennes (CG 49), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Valley Forge (CG 50), San Diego, CA
USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51), Pascagoula, MI
USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), San Diego, CA
USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Antietam (CG 54), San Diego, CA
USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), Norfolk, VA
USS San Jacinto (CG 56), Norfolk, VA
USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), San Diego, CA
USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), Norfolk, VA
USS Princeton (CG 59), San Diego, CA
USS Normandy (CG 60), Norfolk, VA
USS Monterey (CG 61), Norfolk, VA
USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Cowpens (CG 63), San Diego, CA
USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Norfolk, VA
USS Chosin (CG 65), Pearl Harbor, HI
USS Hue City (CG 66), Mayport, FA
USS Shiloh (CG 67), San Diego, CA
USS Anzio (CG 68), Norfolk, VA
USS Vicksburg (CG 69), Mayport, FA
USS Lake Erie (CG 70), Pearl Harbor, HI
USS Cape St. George (CG 71), Norfolk, VA
USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), Norfolk, VA
USS Port Royal (CG 73), Pearl Harbor, HI
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