David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:02pm
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SA-6 Gainful
Function: Low altitude, forward deployed, mobile radar guided surface to air missile.
Description: The SA-6 is a low altitude surface to air missile dependent on radio command guidance immediately after launch and switching to semi-active radar homing in the terminal phase. In the event of jamming or radar shut down the SA-6 may be guided optically and acquire its target after launch. The SA-6 is a two-stage missile armed with a 56kg fragmentation warhead, with contact and proximity detonation capability.
The first stage of the missile is a solid rocket motor located inside the main body, near the tail fins. When this motor expends its fuel, it is ejected out of the tail and the cavity created by its absence becomes the combustion chamber for a ramjet sustainer. Ramjets are technically simple and relatively fuel efficient, allowing good performance and range. The rocket booster is needed to get the missile up to a speed that allows sufficient airflow to sustain combustion in the ramjet.
An SA-6 battery consists of four launchers, each armed with 3 missiles, a command vehicle equipped with a STRAIGHT FLUSH fire control radar, and missile reloads carried on modified 6x6 wheeled vehicles. The STRAIGHT FLUSH radar is capable of acquiring targets at 75km and can begin tracking and target illumination at 28km. The radar can only track a single target at a time, but can guide three missiles at a time. Normal practice is to volley fire a number of missiles from one or more launchers at each target to better ensure target destruction.
At the Regimental level a LONG TRACK target acquisition radar may be used to acquire and track targets at high altitude. While the STRAIGHT FLUSH radar is capable of engaging targets detected by the LONG TRACK radar at low altitude (via target data hand off) the SA-6 is dependent upon the LONG TRACK for target tracking and guidance at higher altitudes. When electronically guided the SA-6 has a minimum altitude of 100m and 80m when optically guided. The SA-6 is highly mobile and can be displaced to a new location within 15 minutes after system shut down.
Martin D. King contributed to this file.
General Characteristics, SA-6 GAINFUL Surface to Air Missile
Propulsion:
Booster and sustainment stages; solid rocket propellant
Length:
18.7 feet (5.7 meters)
Diameter:
13.2 inches (33.5 centimeters)
Weight Fully Armed:
1,320 pounds (599 kilograms)
Maximum Range:
24 kilometers
Minimum Range:
3 kilometers
Minimum Height:
100 meters (STRAIGHT FLUSH)
80 meters (Optical)
Fuzing:
Impact, proximity, missile armed after 50 meters of forward travel
Ceiling:
12 kilometers
Speed:
Mach 2.8
Guidance System:
Radio command, semi-active radar in terminal phase
Warhead:
56 kilograms fragmentation
Rate of Fire:
Three missiles per target but limited to one target at a time
Introduction Date:
1966
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:02pm
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SA-10 Grumble
Function: Low to high altitude, mobile radar guided surface to air missile capable of engaging multiple targets.
Description: The SA-10 was designed to defeat massed aircraft raids at any altitude and represents a serious improvement over previous theater SAM systems in that it can engage multiple aircraft at different altitudes, is low altitude capable, can engage targets with a low radar cross section, such as stealth aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or cruise missiles, as well as tactical ballistic missiles. Though its primary purpose is the defense of large military complexes and population centers, the SA-10b is a mobile system and is capable of being forwardly deployed on the battlefield and is capable of engaging targets within 5 minutes of vehicle emplacement.
The SA-10 is a low to high altitude vertically launched single stage surface to air missile utilizing track via missile guidance. The FLAP LID radar is capable of engaging six targets simultaneously and can assign two missiles to each target. The SA-10 is armed with a 100 kilogram fragmentation warhead (a low yield tactical nuclear warhead is also possible) with proximity detonation capability. An SA-10 battalion consists of a battery command post and fire direction center, a CLAM SHELL three dimensional continuous wave pulse Doppler target acquisition radar, a FLAP LID A multifunction phased array engagement radar and up to twelve semitrailer erector-launchers, each armed with four tubular missile launcher-containers. A Regimental sized unit will have three battalions as well as the BIG BIRD long range three dimensional surveillance and tracking radar. The SA-10 is capable of engaging targets at any altitude between 25 and 30,000 meters and can engage high altitude targets beyond 90 kilometers. In forested environments the FLAP LID radar can be deployed on a special trailer mounted 24.4 meter extendable platform, which increases the low altitude engagement range from 32 kilometers to 43 kilometers.
General Characteristics, SA-10 GRUMBLE Surface to Air Missile
Propulsion:
Single stage air fired, solid rocket propellant
Length:
24.6 feet (7.5 meters)
Diameter:
19.7 inches (50 centimeters)
Weight Fully Armed:
3,968.3 pounds (1,800 kilograms)
Maximum Range:
90+ kilometers
Maximum Altitude:
25 meters
Fuzing:
Proximity
Ceiling:
30,000 meters
Speed:
Mach 5.6
Guidance System:
Track via missile
Warhead:
100 kilograms fragmentation
Rate of Fire:
Two missiles per target up to six targets
Introduction Date:
1980
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:02pm
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SA-8 Gecko
Function: Low altitude, forward deployed, mobile radar guided surface to air missile.
Description: The SA-8 is a low altitude single stage surface to air missile dependent on radar command guidance. The LAND ROLL radar is capable of aquiring targets at 30km and can begin tracking targets at 20 - 25km. Two seperate missile guidance radars are used (with off set frequencies to reduce the effectiveness of Electronic Counter Measure (ECM) activity)and each can guide a single missile. In the event of jamming or radar shut down the SA-8 may track targets optically. The SA-8 is armed with a 19kg fragmentation warhead with contact and proximity detonation capability.
An SA-8 battery consists of two launch vehicles, each armed with 6 missiles, and two transload vehicles with eighteen missile reloads. The lethal radius of the SA-8 at low altitude is 5 meters. The SA-8 is highly mobile, fully amphibious,air transportable, and can be displacing to a new location within 4 minutes after system shut down.
General Characteristics,SA-8 GECKO Surface to Air Missile
Propulsion:
Single stage solid rocket propellant
Length:
10.4 feet (3.1 meters)
Diameter:
8.2 inches (20.96 centimeters)
Weight Fully Armed:
286.6 pounds (130 kilograms)
Maximum Range:
15 kilometers
Minimum Range:
1500 meters
Minimum Altitude:
25 meters
Fuzing:
Impact, proximity
Ceiling:
5 kilometers
Speed:
Mach 2.4
Guidance System:
Radar command
Warhead:
19 kilograms fragmentation
Rate of Fire:
Three missiles per target but limited to one target at a time
Introduction Date:
1980
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:15pm
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BMP-1 APC
Function: Soviet Union's first tracked Armored Personnel Carrier.
Description: The BMP-1 is a tracked, amphibious, fully enclosed armored personnel carrier armed with a 73mm smoothbore cannon, one 7.62mm coaxial machine gun and the AT-3 SAGGER antitank guided missile (ATGM). The BMP-1 represents a significant improvement over the wheeled BTR series in all aspects, including mobility, firepower, and survivability. Fielded in 1966, the BMP-1 has been modified to serve as a common chassis for a number of additional vehicle types. No longer in production, the BMP-1 has been surpassed by the BMP-2 and 3 in both service in the Russian army as well as export abroad.
General Characteristics, BMP-1 Armored Personnel Carrier
Transmission:
Manual with five forward gears and one reverse
Engine:
6 cylinder diesel engine producing 290 horsepower
Length:
22 feet (6.7 meters)
Width:
9 feet (2.74 meters)
Height:
7 feet (2.13 meters)
Combat Weight:
14 tons
Cruising Range:
372 miles (600 kilometers)
Speed:
Maximum: 40 mph (65 kph), or 45 mph (70 kph) for limited periods
Cross Country: 28 mph (45 kph)
Obstacle Crossing:
Trench: 8.2 feet (2.5 meters)
Slope: 31 degrees
Crew:
Three: driver, gunner and commander (who serves as squad leader when the the infantry squad dismounts)
Armament:
Main: 73mm 2A20 smoothbore cannon
Secondary: One AT-3 SAGGER ATGM, one 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun
Ammunition:
40 73mm cannon rounds (fin stabilized HEAT only)
2,000 7.62mm machine gun rounds
Introduction Date:
1966
Variants:
BMP-A: Also known as the Model 1966, this was the original version of the BMP. It has a shorter bow compared to its successor, the BMP-1 and does not have a Nuclear, Biological, Chemical (NBC) protection system.
BMP-1: Also known as the Model 1976 this was the base production model from which all variants were designed.
BMP-1K: The command variant of the BMP-1. It differed from the BMP-1 in that it carried additional communications equipment and had the rifle firing ports welded shut. In addition the troop compartment was redesigned to accommodate folding tables and map charts. Can be used as a battalion level command vehicle.
BMP-1P: The AT-3 SAGGER ATGM has been replaced by the AT-4 SPIGOT ATGM. Additionally, smoke grenade launchers have been mounted on the turret rear.
BMP-1PK: Command variant of the BMP-1P. Similar to the BMP-1K, it has additional communications equipment and has been modified to serve as a command vehicle. BMP-R: Also known as the BRM, BRM-1 and BMP M1976, this variant serves as a cavalry recon vehicle. The turret is larger and has had ATGM launcher removed. The back deck of the hull has been redesigned with two smaller hatches rather than the four large ones found on the BMP-1.
BRM-1K: Also known as the BMP M1976/2 this variant is based off of the BRM-1 with the PSNR-5K (NATO designation TALL MIKE) battlefield surveillance radar mounted in the rear section of the turret. Also included in the vehicle's sensor package are the DKRM-1 laser rangefinder, ARRS-1 location device, IMP mine detector and 1PN33B night vision devices. For navigation the BRM-1K uses the TNA-1, IG11N gyro-compass and the 1T25 survey device.
BMP KShM: Also known as the BMP M1978 it is a heavily modified BMP-1K with additional communications gear and a telescoping radio antenna for increased transmission range.
BMP-SON: Also known as the PRP-3, this is a BMP-1 modified to serve as an artillery reconnaissance and fire support vehicle. The turret has been redesigned to include two forward opening crew hatches equipped with observation periscopes as well as a large spotting optics. A large telescoping optical device is mounted on the left rear corner of the turret. The 73mm gun has been removed and replaced by a 7.62mm machine gun. Mounted on the rear of the vehicle is the SMALL FRED (NATO designation) battlefield surveillance radar. As with the command variants, the BMP-SON has an augmented communications package. The BMP-SON has a crew of 5.
PRP-4: This is essentially an upgraded and improved version of the PRP-3 (BMP-SON). Externally, the only difference is an additional fairing on the right side of the turret.
IRM: Amphibious Engineer Reconnaissance Vehicle. Based on the BMP-1, it uses the BMP-1 engine and suspension in a new hull design. Designed to perform specialized engineer missions such as mine detection and river bottom reconnaissance the IRM has two retractable mine detection devices mounted low on the bow and rapidly deployable snorkel. The IRM is propelled through the water via two shrouded propellers.
BMP-PPO: A heavily modified BMP-1 designed to serve as a mobile training center. The turret has been removed and eight roof mounted cupolas each equipped with a TNPO-170 and type MK-4 observation device, have been installed for trainees under instruction.
OT-90: Czechoslovakian version of the BMP-1. The turret has been replaced with the standard Czechoslovakian APC turret, equipped with a 14.5mm machine gun and a 7.62mm machine gun, found on the OT-64 8x8 wheeled APC.
BVP-1: Czechoslovakian produced BMP-1.
DP-90: Maintenance/recovery version of the OT-90.
MP-31: Air defense version of the BMP-KShM mobile command post.
MU-90: Mine laying version of the OT-90. The turret has been removed and the opening covered by sheet steel.
SVO: Mine clearing version of the BMP-1. The turret has been removed and a hedgehog type launcher has been installed in the troop compartment.
VPV: Maintenance/recovery version of the BMP-1. The turret and troop hatches have been removed and a crane has been installed on the roof of the troop compartment.
VP-90: Reconnaissance version of the OT-90. Similar to the BMP-R in all other respects.
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:15pm
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BTR-70 APC
Function: Soviet 1970-era wheeled APC.
Background: Introduced in 1978 as a replacement to the BTR-60, The BTR-70 is very similar externally to the older vehicle, as many if the improvements made to the vehicle are internal.
The BTR-70 uses the standard Warsaw Pact APC weapons turret equipped with one KPV 14.5mm machine gun and one PKT 7.62mm machine gun. As with the BTR-60, power is supplied to all eight wheels by means of a unique twin engine/transmission arrangement. The BTR-70's power plants, however, have been upgraded to two 120hp gasoline engines. The gearbox arrangement, however, remains unchanged; one supplies power to the 1st and 3rd axles and the other supplies power to the 2nd and 4th axles.
The BTR-70 is also fully amphibious and does not require any preparation time. Steering, both on land and in the water, is provided by the forward two axles, which are also power assisted. Water propulsion is provided by a single rear mounted water jet.
Though replaced by the BTR-80 in the early eighties, the BTR-70 continues to serve in many armies world-wide, including most former Warsaw Pact as well as many Middle Eastern, African, and Asian countries.
Description: The BTR-70 an all-wheeled 8x8 fully amphibious armored personnel carrier. The boat shaped vehicle is divided up into three sections: crew compartment, personnel compartment, and engine compartment. In the case of the BTR-70 the hull has been lengthened somewhat and the axles now have a paired appearance, with a distinctive gap between the second and third axles.
The BTR-70 may be readily distinguished from the 60 and 80 series by the presence of a single, large, curved "caterpillar" insulated exhaust located on either side of the hull rear. In addition the amphibious operations trim vane has been moved from underneath the nose of the vehicle, BTR-60 series, to on top of the nose, just forward of the driver's station.
The BTR-70 is equipped with the standard Warsaw Pact APC turret. The small, one man turret is mounted over the second axle and contains one KPV 14.5mm machine gun and one PKT 7.62mm machine gun.
The personnel compartment can be accessed by a triangular doorway located between the second and third axles. The three infantry mounting steps and the three additional mounting rails located on the hull above the steps, present on the BTR-60, have been eleminated. The large personnel compartment access hatches located on each side of the hull have also been eliminated and replaced with three firing ports.
General Characteristics, BTR-70 Armored Personnel Carrier
Manufacturers:
Soviet Union
Transmission:
2x manual
Engine:
2x 120hp V-8 gasoline
Length:
25.51 feet (7.85 meters)
Width:
9.1 feet (2.80 meters)
Height:
7.96 feet (2.45 meters)
Combat Weight:
11.5 tons
Cruising Range:
450 kilometers
Speed:
Maximum: 50mph ( 80kph)
Off-road: 38mph (60kph)
Fording:
Fully amphibious without preparation
Crew:
2; driver, gunner-commander
8 passengers
Armament:
Main:
One 14.5mm KPV HMG
Secondary:
One 7.62mm PKT-T MG
Introduction Date:
1978
Variants:
BTR-70 M1986/1: Improved version of the Basic BTR-70.
BTR-70Kh: Chemical recon variant. Equipped with a proximity fuse jammer. This device is designed to prematurely detonate proximity fused artillery rounds.
BTR-70MS: Communications support variant.
BTR-70KShM: Mobile command post variant.
BREM: Armored Recovery Vehicle variant.
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 10:35pm
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T-AVB - Wright Class Avia
Function: Two aviation logistics support ships are assigned to the Military Sealift Command Maritime Prepositioning Program. They carry aviation maintenance equipment in support of U.S. Marine Corps fixed and rotary wing aircraft.
History: SS Wright and SS Curtiss are outfitted with both a stern ramp and side ports. Their roll-on/roll-off deck runs the complete length of the ship. When outfitted with mobile facilities, the ships can service aircraft while anchored offshore.
Description: The mission of the rescue and salvage ships is four-fold: to debeach stranded vessels, heavy lift capability from ocean depths, towing of other vessels, and manned diving operations. For rescue missions, these ships are equipped with fire monitors forward and amidships which can deliver either firefighting foam or sea water. The salvage holds of these ships are outfitted with portable equipment to provide assistance to other vessels in dewatering, patching, supply of electrical power and other essential service required to return a disabled ship to an operating condition. The U.S. Navy has responsibility for salvaging U.S. government-owned ships and, when it is in the best interests of the United States, privately-owned vessels as well. The rugged construction of these steel-hulled ships, combined with speed and endurance, make these rescue and salvage ships well-suited for rescue/salvage operations of Navy and commercial shipping throughout the world. The versatility of this class of ship adds immeasurably to the capabilities of the U.S. Navy with regard to rendering assistance to those in peril on the high seas.
General Characteristics, Wright Class
Builders:
Todd Shipyards, Galveston, TX
Power Plant:
Two combustion engineering boilers; two GE turbines; 30,000 hp; one shaft
Length, Overall:
602 feet (183.49 meters)
Beam:
90.2 feet (27.49 meters)
Measurement:
11,757 dead weight tons
Displacement:
23,872 long tons (24,255.1 metric tons) full load
Speed:
21 knots (24.17 mph, 38.90 kph)
Crew:
37 crew and one Aircraft Maintenance Detachment totaling 362 men
Ships:
SS Wright (ex-SS Young America) (T-AVB 3)
SS Curtiss (ex-SS Great Republic) (T-AVB 4)
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:33pm
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CV67 - John F. Kennedy Cl
Function: Centerpiece and Flagship of the Navy's "Forward....from the sea..." power projection mission.
Description: Hosting 85 aircraft and carrying enough supplies to sustain her Air Wing and escorts for 90 days, the modern U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, in effect, represents a mobile piece of American real estate, capable of projecting the power and influence of the United States any where in the world. With the end of the Cold War the navy carrier mission has shifted from maintaining Sea Lanes of Communication and confronting the Soviet Navy to addressing regional threats to U.S. interests. While still fully capable of dominating the open seas, the Navy, through the Carrier Battle Groups, now focuses on supporting near shore "littoral zone" and inshore U.S. ground operations. While the Ticonderoga class Guided Missile Cruisers and Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyers possess an awesome amount of firepower, they lack the flexibility of the carrier air wing. By swapping out and adjusting the number of aircraft aboard, the aircraft carrier can tailor its air wing to meet mission needs. Though powered by eight conventional boilers, the Kennedy was originally supposed to be nuclear powered, but budget constraints forced its conversion to conventional boilers. The USS John F. Kennedy became the first active carrier assigned to the Naval Reserve fleet in September of 1995, where she supports active Navy training.
General Characteristics, John F. Kennedy Class
Builders:
Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA
Power Plant:
Eight Foster & Wheeler boilers, four Westinghouse steam turbines, four shafts, 280,000 total shaft horsepower
Date Deployed:
September 7, 1964
Length, Overall:
1052 feet (320.65 meters)
Flight Deck Length:
252 feet (76.81 meters)
Beam:
130 feet (39.62 meters)
Displacement:
82,000 long tons (83,315.95 metric tons) full load
Speed:
30+ knots (34.52+mph, 55.55+ kph)
Crew:
Ship's Company: 3,117
Air Wing: 2,480
Armament:
Three Mk 29 Launchers for NATO Sea Sparrow (RIM-7M) Surface to Air missile
One Mk 15 Mod 2 Close-In Weapon System (3 mounts)
Sensors:
One AN/SPS-49 air search radar
One AN/SPS-67 surface search radar
One AN/SPS-64 navigational radar
Three Mk 91 fire control directors (Sea Sparrow)
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 (Nixiee)
Aircraft:
Approximately 85
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:33pm
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CVN68 - Nimitz Class Airc
Function: Centerpiece and Flagship of the Navy's "Forward....from the sea..." power projection mission.
Description: Hosting 85 aircraft and carrying enough supplies to sustain her Air Wing and escorts for 90 days, the modern U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, in effect, represents a mobile piece of American real estate, capable of projecting the power and influence of the United States any where in the world. With the end of the Cold War the navy carrier mission has shifted from maintaining Sea Lanes of Communication and confronting the Soviet Navy to addressing regional threats to U.S. interests. While still fully capable of dominating the open seas, the Navy, through the Carrier Battle Groups, now focuses on supporting near shore "littoral zone" and inshore U.S. ground operations. While the Ticonderoga class Guided Missile Cruisers and Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyers possess an awsome amount of firepower, they lack the flexability of the carrier air wing. By swaping out and adjusting the number of aircraft aboard, the aircraft carrier can tailor its air wing to meet mission needs. The Nimitz-class carriers, eight operational and one under construction, are the largest, most powerful, warships in the world. The USS Nimitz (CVN 68) underwent its first refueling during a 33-month Refueling Complex Overhaul at Newport News Shipbuilding in Newport News, Va., in 1998.
General Characteristics, Nimitz Class
Cost:
About $4.5 billion each
Builders:
Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA
Power Plant:
Eight Westinghouse A2W nuclear reactors, four geared steam turbines, four shafts
Date Deployed:
May 3, 1975 (USS Nimitz)
Length, Overall:
1,092 feet (332.85 meters)
Flight Deck Length:
252 feet (76.81 meters)
Beam:
134 feet (40.84 meters)
Displacement:
Approx. 97,000 long tons (98,556.67 metric tons) full load
Speed:
30+ knots (34.52+mph, 55.55+ kph)
Crew:
Ship's Company: 3,200 - Air Wing 2,480
Armament:
Three Mk 29 Launchers for NATO Sea Sparrow (RIM-7M) Surface to Air missile
One Mk 15 Mod 2 Close-In Weapon System (3 mounts on Nimitz and Dwight D. Eisenhower, and 4 mounts on Carl Vinson and later ships of the class)
Sensors:
One AN/SPS-48 air search radar
One AN/SPS-49 air search radar
One AN/SPS-67 surface search radar
One AN/SPS-64 navigational radar
Three Mk 91 fire control directors (Sea Sparrow)
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 (Nixiee)
Aircraft:
85
Ships:
USS Nimitz (CVN-68), Norfolk, VA
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), Norfolk, VA
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Bremerton, WA
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), Norfolk, VA
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Everett, WA
USS George Washington (CVN 73), Norfolk, VA
USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), San Diego, CA
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), Norfolk, VA
Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) (under construction)
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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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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:34pm
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CV63 - Kitty Hawk Class A
Function: Centerpiece and Flagship of the Navy's "Forward....from the sea..." power projection mission.
Description: Hosting 85 aircraft and carrying enough supplies to sustain her Air Wing and escorts for 90 days, the modern U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, in effect, represents a mobile piece of American real estate, capable of projecting the power and influence of the United States any where in the world. With the end of the Cold War the Navy carrier mission has shifted from maintaining Sea Lanes of Communication and confronting the Soviet Navy to addressing regional threats to U.S. interests. While still fully capable of dominating the open seas, the Navy, through the Carrier Battle Groups, now focuses on supporting near-shore "littoral zone" and inshore U.S. ground operations. While the Ticonderoga class Guided Missile Cruisers and Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyers possess an awesome amount of firepower, they lack the flexibility of the carrier air wing. By swapping out and adjusting the number of aircraft aboard, the aircraft carrier can tailor its air wing to meet mission needs. Deployed in 1961, The Kitty Hawk and the Constellation are the only conventional carriers still on active duty with the U.S. Navy, with the Kitty Hawk also being the only forward-deployed conventional carrier. These carriers are expected to remain in service until 2008.
General Characteristics, Kitty Hawk Class
Builders:
CV 63 - New York Ship Building Corp., Camden, NJ
CV 64 - New York Naval Shipyard, Brooklyn, NY
Power Plant:
Eight Foster & Wheeler boilers, four Westinghouse steam turbines, four shafts, 280,000 total shaft horsepower
Date Deployed:
April 29, 1961 (USS Kitty Hawk)
Length, Overall:
1062.5 feet (323.85 meters)
Flight Deck Length:
252 feet (76.81 meters)
Beam:
130 feet (39.62 meters)
Displacement:
Approx. 80,800 long tons (82,096.69 metric tons) full load
Speed:
30+ knots (34.52+mph, 55.55+ kph)
Crew:
Ship's Company: 3,150 - Air Wing: 2,480
Armament:
Three Mk 29 Launchers for NATO Sea Sparrow (RIM-7M) Surface to Air missile
One Mk 15 Mod 2 Close-In Weapon System (3 mounts)
Sensors:
One AN/SPS-48 air search radar
One AN/SPS-49 air search radar
One AN/SPS-67 surface search radar
One AN/SPS-64 navigational radar
Three Mk 91 fire control directors (Sea Sparrow)
Countermeasures:
One Mk 36 Mod 2 Super Rapid-Blooming Off Board Chaff System (SRBOC)
One AN/SLQ-29 electronic warfare suite
One AN/SLQ-25 towed torpedo decoy (Nixie)
Aircraft:
85
Ships:
USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Constellation (CV-64), San Diego, CA
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David
Sat January 3, 2004 11:34pm
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CVN65 - Enterprise Class
Function: Centerpiece and Flagship of the Navy's "Forward....from the sea..." power projection mission.
Description: Hosting 85 aircraft and carrying enough supplies to sustain her air wing and escorts for 90 days, the modern U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, in effect, represents a mobile piece of American real estate, capable of projecting the power and influence of the United States any where in the world. With the end of the Cold War the navy carrier mission has shifted from maintaining Sea Lanes of Communication and confronting the Soviet Navy to addressing regional threats to U.S. interests. While still fully capable of dominating the open seas, the Navy, through the Carrier Battle Groups, now focuses on supporting near shore "littoral zone" and inshore U.S. ground operations. While the Ticonderoga class Guided Missile Cruisers and Arleigh Burke class Guided Missile Destroyers possess an awesome amount of firepower, they lack the flexibility of the carrier air wing. By swapping out and adjusting the number of aircraft aboard, the aircraft carrier can tailor its air wing to meet mission needs. The Enterprise is the first American nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and is expected to remain in service until 2013, when it will be replaced by the CVX-78.
General Characteristics, Enterprise Class
Builders:
Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, VA
Power Plant:
Eight Westinghouse A2W nuclear reactors, four geared steam turbines, four shafts
Date Deployed:
November 25, 1961 (USS Enterprise)
Length, Overall:
1,040 feet (335.64 meters)
Flight Deck Length:
252 feet (76.81 meters)
Beam:
133 feet (40.54 meters)
Displacement:
89,600 long tons (91,037.91 metric tons) full load
Speed:
30+ knots (34.52+mph, 55.55+ kph)
Crew:
Ship's Company: 3,350 - Air Wing 2,480
Armament:
Three Mk 29 Launchers for NATO Sea Sparrow (RIM-7M) Surface to Air missile
One Mk 15 Mod 2 Close-In Weapon System (3 mounts)
Sensors:
One AN/SPS-48 air search radar
One AN/SPS-49 air search radar
One AN/SPS-67 surface search radar
One AN/SPS-64 navigational radar
Three Mk 91 fire control directors (Sea Sparrow)
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 (Nixiee)
Aircraft:
85
Ship:
USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Norfolk, VA
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David
Sat January 10, 2004 1:57am
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Mobile Strike Force Speci
Mobile Strike Force Special Forces (IDF) 1961-1971
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Doc.2/47
Tue June 1, 2004 5:51pm
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2-47 mobile Bn. Aid Stati
2-47(Mech.)Bn. Aid Station Vietnam
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David
Mon October 4, 2004 11:08am
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Petty Officer 2nd Class M
Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael C. Anderson
36
Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 14, 3rd Naval Construction Regiment
Daytona, Florida
Killed by hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq, on May 2, 2004
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David
Tue August 9, 2005 12:33pm
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USS Hornet CV 12 20 Nov 1
USS Hornet CV 12 20 Nov 1943 26 May 1970
March 1945, with Air Group 17 on the flight deck.
displacement: 27,100 tons
length: 872 feet
beam: extreme width at flight deck: 147? feet
draft: 28 feet
speed: 33 knots
complement: 3,448 crew
armament: 12 five-inch guns, 40 40mm.guns
class: Essex
The eighth Hornet (CV-12) was launched 30 August 1943 by the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va.; sponsored by Mrs. Frank M. Knox, wife of the Secretary of the Navy; and commissioned 29 November 1943, Captain Miles M. Browning in command.
Hornet conducted shakedown training off Bermuda before departing Norfolk 14 February 1944 to join the Fast Carrier Task Force 20 March at Majuro Atoll in the Marshalls. After lending air support to protect the invasion beaches in New Guinea, she conducted massive aerial raids against Japanese bases in the Caroline Islands and prepared to support the amphibious assault for the occupation of the Marianas Islands.
On 11 June 1944 Hornet launched raids on Tinian and Saipan. The following day she conducted heavy bombing attacks on Guam and Rota. During 15 to 16 June, she blasted enemy airfields at Iwo and Chichi Jima to prevent air attacks on troops invading Saipan in the Marianas. The afternoon of 18 June 1944 Hornet formed with the Fast Carrier Task Force to intercept the Japanese First Mobile Fleet, headed through the Philippine Sea for Saipan. The Battle of the Philippine Sea opened 19 June 1944 when Hornet launched strikes to destroy as many land-based Japanese planes as possible before the carrier-based Japanese aircraft came in.
The enemy approached the American carriers in four massive waves. But fighter aircraft from Hornet and other carriers did a magnificent job and broke up all the attacks before the Japanese aerial raiders reached the task force. Nearly every Japanese aircraft was shot down in the great air battles of 19 June 1944 that became commonly known as "The Marianas Turkey Shoot." As the Japanese Mobile Fleet fled in defeat on 20 June, the carriers launched long-range air strikes that sank Japanese carrier Hiji and so damaged two tankers that they were abandoned and scuttled. Admiral Ozawa's own flag log for 20 June 1944 showed his surviving carrier air power as only 35 operational aircraft out of the 430 planes with which he had commenced the Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Hornet, basing from Eniwetok in the Marshalls, raided enemy installations ranging from Guam to the Bonins then turned her attention to the Palaus, throughout the Philippine Sea, and to enemy bases on Okinawa and Formosa. Her aircraft gave direct support to the troops invading Leyte 20 October 1944. During the Battle for Leyte Gulf she launched raids for damaging hits to the Japanese center force in the Battle off Samar, and hastened the retreat of the enemy fleet through the Sibuyan Sea towards Borneo.
In the following months Hornet attacked enemy shipping and airfields throughout the Philippines. This included participation in a raid that destroyed an entire Japanese convoy in Ormoc Bay. On 30 December 1944 she departed Ulithi in the Carolines for raids against Formosa, Indochina, and the Pescadores Islands. In route back to Ulithi, Hornet planes made photo reconnaissance of Okinawa 22 January 1945 to aid the planned invasion of that "last stepping-stone to Japan."
Hornet again departed Ulithi 10 February for full-scale aerial assaults on Tokyo, then supported the amphibious landing assault on Iwo Jima 19-20 February 1945.
Repeated raids were made against the Tokyo industrial complex, and Okinawa was hard hit. On 1 April 1945 Hornet planes gave direct support to the amphibious assault landings on Okinawa. On 6 April her aircraft joined in attacks which sank the mighty Japanese battleship Yamato and her entire task force as it closed Okinawa. The following two months found Hornet alternating between close support to ground troops on Okinawa and hard-hitting raids to destroy the industrial capacity of Japan. She was caught in a howling typhoon 4 to 5 June 1945 which collapsed some 25 feet of her forward flight deck.
Hornet was routed back to the Philippines and from there to San Francisco, arriving 7 July 1946. Her overhaul was complete by 13 September 1945 when she departed as a part of the "Magic Carpet" operation that saw her return home troops from the Marianas and Hawaiian Islands. She returned to San Francisco 9 February 1946. She decommissioned there 15 January 1947, and joined the Pacific Reserve Fleet.
Hornet recommissioned 20 March 1951, then sailed from San Francisco for the New York Naval Shipyard where she decommissioned 12 May 1951 for conversion to an attack aircraft carrier (CVA-12). She recommissioned 11 September 1953 and trained in the Caribbean Sea before departure from Norfolk 11 May 1954 on an eight-month global cruise.
After operations in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, Hornet joined the mobile 7th fleet in the South China Sea where 25 July, search planes from her task group shot down two attacking Chinese Communist fighter planes. She returned to San Francisco 12 December 1954, trained out of San Diego, then sailed 4 May 1955 to join the 7th fleet in the Far East.
Hornet helped cover the evacuation of Vietnamese from the Communist controlled north to freedom in South Vietnam, then ranged from Japan to Formosa, Okinawa, and the Philippines in readiness training with the 7th fleet. She returned to San Diego 10 December 1955 and entered the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard the following month for conversion that included a hurricane bow and the installation of an angled flight deck which permits the simultaneous launching and recovery of aircraft.
Following her modernization overhaul, Hornet operated along the California coast. She departed San Diego 21 January 1957 to bolster the strength of the 7th fleet until her return from the troubled Far East 25 July. Following a similar cruise, 6 January-2 July 1958, she was converted to an Antisubmarine Warfare Support Carrier (CVS-12) in the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. On 3 April 1959 she sailed from Long Beach to join the 7th fleet in antisubmarine warfare tactics ranging from Japan to Okinawa and the Philippines. She returned home in October, for training along the western seaboard.
In the following years, Hornet was regularly deployed to the 7th fleet for operations ranging from the coast of South Vietnam, to the shores of Japan, the Philippines and Okinawa. On 25 August 1966 she was on recovery station for the unmanned Apollo moonship that rocketed three-quarters of the way around the globe in 93 minutes before splashdown near Wake Island. Scorched from the heat of its re-entry into the earth's atmosphere, the Apollo space capsule, designed to carry American astronauts to the moon, was brought aboard Hornet after its test.
Hornet returned to Long Beach 8 September, but headed back to the Far East 27 March 1967. She reached Japan exactly a month later and departed Sasebo 19 May for the war zone. She operated in Vietnamese waters throughout the remainder of spring and during much of the summer of 1967 aiding in the struggle to keep freedom alive in Southeast Asia.
Hornet was the recovery carrier for the Apollo 11 moon mission during which astronauts Neil Armstrong, and Edwin Aldrin Jr., landed on and walked on the moon in July 1969. Fellow astronaut Michael Collins remained in orbit around the moon. On 24 November, the Apollo 12 astronauts ? all Naval Aviators ? Richard F. Gordon, Charles Conrad Jr., and Alan L. Bean were recovered by Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Four (HS 4) and returned to Hornet.
Hornet was decommissioned 26 June 1970. Following nearly two decades in mothballs, she was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register 25 July 1989, and sold for breaking up in April 1993. However, the old carrier was saved from the scrap heap by the efforts of historically-minded citizens and was donated to The Aircraft Carrier Hornet Foundation for use as a museum at Alameda, Calif., on 26 May 1998.
Hornet received the Presidential Unit Citation and seven battle stars for service in World War II.
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