Posted on 01/16/2014 1:08:16 AM PST by Brad from Tennessee
The Navy needs to perfect three technologies on its quest for its next generation of large warships, Rear Adm. Thomas Rowden, director of surface warfare (N96) for the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (OPNAV) told USNI News in an interview in the Pentagon on Jan. 9.
Energy weapons (like lasers), electromagnetic rail guns and advanced energy systems to power the new weapons are all likely to be part of the next major surface ship, though the specifics for a ship (or ships) — which won’t begin construction in 15 years — are far from settled.
“There’s some technologies we have to work through,” he said. “I’d like to say that it’s going to be a week and a half, but the unfortunate reality is that we have to have time for the technology to mature.”
The Navy is now in the very early stages of starting new warship designs for a ship Rowden estimates will begin construction in 2028 and enter the fleet in the 2030s.
“It takes about 15 years to work your way methodically through to field these types of ships that we’re talking about building,” he said.
The early steps for the next generation of warships follow the service’s failed attempt to create a new trio of surface ships in the 2000s that would replace the existing Arleigh Burke-class (DDG-51) destroyers, Ticonderoga-class (CG-47) cruisers and Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates (FFG-7). . .
(Excerpt) Read more at news.usni.org ...
Am I wrong or is this a typo or is it simply awkward.
Seems to me that should be which should begin construction in 15 years or something similar.
I think it should be “—won’t begin construction FOR 15 years—”
I never thought the Perry class FFG’s would be in service longer than the Spruance class DD’s...
The latter, some of the platforms going through a NTU (New Threat Upgrade) with VLS (Vertical Launch System) which basically turned them into DDG’s for the duration...
All but one or two IIRC have been turned into reefs, none were sold either...
The 4 Kidd class DDG’s were sold to Taiwan, and those were just basically Spruance Class DD’s with a Virginia Class cruiser AAW package which made them, in their heyday, the most versatile Destroyer class at the time...
With the advent of the Zumwalt class DDG’s, it appears we will only get 3-4 of those in the entire fleet...
They are already mothballing some of the Ticonderoga class CG’s, and that’s about it...
What I do like about this is the Gator Navy has had a major shift in the amphibious classes being fairly self sufficient in offensive and defensive weapon systems, they are stealthier, and way more capable needing less of a specialized escort for their combat operations...
When I was in the Navy, we almost had Reagan’s goal of 600 ships in the entire fleet...Almost...
I don’t believe the Navy will be allowed to venture closer to that number ever again...
I hope we do not have too much of a problem with the ChiComs who are building up a substantial “blue water” navy now...
I still think we can take them on as they can only mimic our CV operations, and their coordination between those HVT’s and the escorts is still being ironed out...Our submarines should be able to really lock them down both surface and sub-surface assets...
It just stinks to have a Navy, yet nowhere near what we really need to operate in a dominant worldwide presence...
You can tell that these news websites are operated on shoestring budget because it is obvious that editing and proofreading are a thing of the past.
It is a texting world.
Precision in writing does not exist.
There is a Kidd Class DDG “like” ship at Point Hueneme. It has a strange hull number (can’t remember} and no commissioning pennant. It has a wide array of weapon systems and sensors. It must be an experimental platform for R&D.
Ex-Gator Navy SWO!
Actually, you can see the ship on Google maps
Looks like one of the “Ayatollah class” or Kidd class DDGs. Looks like they pulled the 5” gun off; put a VLS system where the forward MK26 launcher used to be, and put a SeaSparrow box launcher or some such where the aft MK26 was. Lots of antennas and equipment boxes lashed down on it too.
Ok, I went to go scope it out on Google Earth...
That is the one Spruance class DD left in the inventory...
Yes, that is the testbed for a variety of combat systems the Navy comes up with...
Yes, the 5” gun has been removed, the VLS system is up forward there...Note the old Sea Sparrow system back aft...
There is a tower/mast back on the helo deck it looks like, and that is an Aegis array...
So to me that looks like the the USS Cushing (DD-985)...I could not et a low angle shot to confirm the hull number, but since it is a test ship, the Navy might have officially struck it from the list...
It looks like they are setup to test, or have tested all those SM-2 (block ???) space interceptors before they are deployed on the DDG-51 class...
That’s just my initial knee-jerk reaction...
Coming from an old Scope Dope, who went to school to add an intel interpretation NEC, and give briefs to anyone who gave a damn when I was in the fleet...
OSCS(SW) “Stevie-D”
Nope, I was mistaken...
http://www.navy.mil/submit/display.asp?story_id=63886
It’s the Foster...
I remember a couple of years ago they made a big deal out of the LM2500’s using that special fuel blend that was supposed to save the Navy some money...No one followed up with how that went...
It is also what I said, it is the testing platform for the Space interceptors (SM2 block whatever’s) out of that forward VLS launcher...
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