Posted on 10/05/2015 7:01:34 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
In September, the Navy decommissioned USS Simpson (FFG 56), the last Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate in service. This ended 38 years of this service from this class of 51 vessels in the United States Navy, but for those 38 years, the Navy got one heck of a ship.
Displacing 4,100 tons, the Perry-class frigates were equipped with a Mk 13 missile launcher that held RIM-66B SM-1 surface-to-air missiles and RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, the Mk 75 76mm gun, a Mk 15 Phalanx Close-In Weapon System, two banks that held three 324mm anti-submarine torpedoes, and two helicopters (either SH-2 Sea Sprites or SH-60/MH-60 Seahawks). Their mission had been to serve as convoy escorts, protecting against aerial threats and submarines.
In the 1980s, the ships proved they could take punishment. In 1987, an Iraqi Mirage hit USS Stark (FFG 31) with two AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. While a single hit by a dud sufficed to sink a British destroyer during the Falklands War, Stark survived the two hits and eventually returned to the fleet – serving for 12 more years until she was decommissioned despite having been in service for less than 17 years. USS Stark would make her final trip to a scrap yard in 2006.
A year later, the Samuel B. Roberts (FFG 58) survived being hit by an Iranian mine that broke her keel and flooded her engine room, damage that by all rights should have sent her to the bottom. Thanks to heroic damage control efforts by her crew, she survived.
The Perry-class frigates USS Simpson (FFG 56), Jack Williams (FFG 24) and USS Gary (FFG 51) took part in America’s response, Operation Preying Mantis, days after the mine attack. USS Simpson took part in the sinking of the Iranian missile boat Joshan, hitting the vessel with four SM-1s. USS Jack Williams took part in the sinking of the Iranian frigate Sahand.
USS Samuel B. Roberts went on sea trials less than a year after hitting the mine – with a new engine room. She would serve until this past May. The Perry-class frigates would later see action during Desert Shield (two of them were near Kuwait when Saddam invaded), Desert Storm (USS Nicholas sank four patrol craft and captured the first POWs of the war), and help escort the fleet through the 1990s.
The ships quickly caught the attention of American allies. Australia had the United States build four Perry-class frigates, and then built two more on their own. Spain would build six more to a modified design in the late 80s and early 90s, while Taiwan built seven in the 90s and one more in 2004. When the Clinton Administration began retiring some of the older Perry-class frigates, Poland snapped two up, Bahrain bought one, Egypt got four, and Turkey acquired eight.
The remaining Perry-class frigates continued to serve – and proved their worth. Then, in 2004, the Navy decided to remove the Mk 13 missile launchers from these ships. The ships still deployed, though, but their days were numbered as retirements began in earnest as this decade started. Some are slated to be sold to American allies, with Pakistan and Taiwan reportedly among those slated to acquire second-hand Perry-class frigates. Others, like USS Samuel B. Roberts, are destined to share the fate of USS Stark – scrapping.
The Littoral Combat Ships are supposed to replace the Perry-class frigates. The Navy is currently buying both the Freedom-class vessels and the Independence-class ships. These ships are fast (capable of reaching 47 knots), stealthy, and versatile. While they are presently the subject of controversy, one thing that is certain is the fact that the Littoral Combat Ships will have very big shoes to fill.
Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/04/tough-little-ships-that-could-remembering-the-perry-class-frigates/#ixzz3nhauX800
The Perry's helped us surge toward 600 ships.
We need another 50+ of the same weight class, and we need them SOON.
Maybe there we can SURGE to a 300 ship Navy.
One even participated in the defection of the Red October even tho it would not be commissioned until two years later.
http://www.moviemistakes.com/film636
My brother was an officer on FFG-9 USS Wadsworth in the ‘90’s, prior to being XO at the navy base at Pascagula, MS.
I used to consider them a “throw-away” design. It’s kind of hard to say that now since you can’t, apparently, sink the little buggers.
Besides the overall manpower reductions, and Obama, the biggest part of their downfall came when the SM1-MR missile became obsolete, and the Mk.13 launcher couldn’t be upgraded for the extended range versions. It became, in essence, an expensive gunboat. With a crappy, low field of fire gun.
A truly capable vessel. It may not have been America’s strongest, but definitely was one of America’s finest.
After repairs, USS Iowa joined us in the Med. Nothing like manning up a jet and seeing a BB plowing through the water right next to you.
Damage control and firefighting are part of the basic training routine for every Navy recruit. There are designated DC and firefighting teams on every ship, but every sailor is expected to pitch in if the situation demands it.
I served on the Simpson when we sunk the Joshan. It was April 18th. We had a SEAL detachment onboard and the blew up an Iranian oil platform. After the missile hit we were order to sink it and we fired ten rounds from our 76mm gun.
Hope that they stripped off the Phalanx systems and put them on other ships, or are using them as static defense for valuable land targets. THAT is a hellishly good system.
navet97 that was not a SEAL detachment it was a Navy EOD detachment out of Charleston SC EODMU 6. I was the OIC.
My first at sea assignment was onboard FFG 60 Rodney M. Davis as the CIC Officer/Electronic Warfare Officer. Ended up having Anti-submarine officer tacked on when we were short manned. Chief somehow managed to turn our mess cooks into supplemental operation specialists plotting ASW contacts. Everyone had more than two jobs, but we got stuff done.
Only thing everyone seemed to hate was there was no real Ship’s wheel in the pilot house - instead they had this little rinky dink wheel mounted to the console. It wa like driving with an RC controller - lol.
It can SEA 1390 phase 4
Thanks for correcting me. Just knew you guys were badass! We were in battle dress during GQ and you guys were on the flight deck in shorts and T-shirts, I remember one guy was filming the event! Thanks for serving!
The Australian upgrade is to an SM2-MR variant, not the SM2-ER (Extended Range), like I said. Still, the US Navy is keeping the SM2-MR for another 20 years, so they could have done something like this if they really wanted to. Thanks for the link.
That was the last time a US ship sunk an enemy vessel.
With the retirement of the Simpson the only active-roster ship that has sunk an enemy vessel is the Constitution.
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