Posted on 09/20/2017 8:16:18 PM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Maybe the paint and grease for these ships.
Aw, Gee, I was hoping to buy one to convert into a bass boat on a guberment surplus auction for $39.
The Aussies upgraded their frigates to fire the SM-2 from the MK-13 launcher, in addition to installing an eight-cell MK 41 VLS for the ESSM.
http://www.defence.gov.au/Publications/NewsPapers/Navy/editions/5301/5301.pdf
http://www.nepeannaval.org.au/Museum/Frigates/Adelaide-Class-Frigates.html
There are some interesting Israeli, European and Australian radar systems that would be light enough for a frigate like this.
Screw the cost. The Navy needs more ships NOW!
Arm the little bastards and let them take on the Iranian mosquito boats. That would be quite a show.
Most of that stuff would have been removed prior to laying them up. So much of the cost of bringing those ships back to life would be re-installing that weaponry/sensors on their mounts and testing. Not sure what state the engineering plants would be in.
$35 K wouldn’t cover fresh paint.
Served on one in the early 90s as CIC officer. Ship has more capabilities then they are leading on here. Yes it didn’t have the longer range SAMs, but they still had standard missile capability, Harpoons, torpedoes, could hold 2 helos (though usually only had 1) and our biggest asset was the passive sonar capability. Standard defense suite for the time: chaff, could mount 50 cals, CIWS. The SLQ32 was nice for electronic monitoring - though could be pretty finicky at times.
They also have a very sweet 75mm gun with a fairly rapid rate of fire.
We sent a sub back to the docks once because they had an issue they weren’t aware of and we pounced on em for 2 days straight.
They’re good little ships that can do a lot. Yes they are limited, but still..can work in battle groups or alone. Interdiction, patrols, show the flag, ASW, basic anti-surface.
they had a late SM-2 upgrade, but it still didn’t get to SM-1 capability. I’d recommend exactly what you’re saying and replace the 1-arm with VLS. Would get a greater capability out of it.
There’s plenty of billboard space to configure an AEGIS if they wanted, but I wouldn’t put that amount of money into it. Just upgrade the fire control for the VLS and leave it at that.
Other option would be to strip the flight deck and put a launcher there ... but again for the money it would be a waste. plush you would lose the ASW capability they were best suited for.
They are LM2500 Gas turbines. If absolutely needed you just drop a new one down the the stack pretty much. Watched one of our Des-squadron mates replace one in 3 days. across the pier from us.
Last time the Perry-class frigates tangled with the Iranians, it went badly for the camel jockeys.
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