Is the Carrier too weak on defense?

[Panag]

hi ,

"two of a kind , ......"

not how the there are some e2c small awacs ready for launch , the monment the pic was taken there where 8 above for protection , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

the good old Enterprise , not the planes on deck , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

a small part of the large hangars , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

the good old school ship Kitty Hawk , ...

the four heli's aboard are at that moment in the air

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

and the list of what we have today and in a couple years , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

with a bit of luck there could be funds for maybe more , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CTOL
Conventional Take Off and Landing
Aircraft STOVL
Short Take Off and Vertical Landing
Aircraft
Large Air Wing
(80 Aircraft) Conventional
Study 2B (Traditional FLT DK)
Study 2B1 (CVV Equivalent)
Nuclear
Study 2 (Traditional FLT DK)
Study 2A (Study 2-Alt FLT DK)
Conventional
Study 2C1 (STOVL FLT DK)
Nuclear
Study 2C (STOVL FLT DK)

Medium Air Wing
(60 Aircraft) Conventional
Study 3B (Study 3-Conventional)
Study 3B1 (CVV Equivalent)
Study 3D (Stealth Catamaran)
Nuclear
Study 3 (Traditional FLT DK)
Study 3A (Study 3-Alt FLT DK)
Study 3C (Stealth Monohull)

Small Air Wing
(40 Aircraft) Conventional
Study 4 (Traditional FLT DK)
Study 4A (Study 4-Alt FLT DK #1)
Study 4B (Study 4-Alt FLT DK #2)
Nuclear
Study 4C (Traditional FLT DK)

Conventional
Study 5 (Traditional FLT DK)
Study 5A (Study 5-Alt FLT DK #1)
Study 5B (Study 5-Alt FLT DK #2)
Study 5D (CVV Equivalent)
Nuclear
Study 5C (Traditional FLT DK )

hi ,

in light of 9/11 and further threads there is now a study with an XL airwing , 100 aircraft with at least 30 UAV's , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
Cost-Effectiveness of Conventionally and Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carriers


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



MISSIONS GENERATED BY EACH
CARRIER WERE COMPARABLE FOR THE
REGIONS IN WHICH THEY OPERATED
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:1

When Operation Desert Storm began on January 17, 1991, the Navy had
three conventional carriers, U.S.S. America (CV-66),
U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67), and U.S.S. Saratoga (CV-60),
positioned in the Red Sea and two conventional carriers, U.S.S.
Midway (CV-41) and
U.S.S. Ranger (CV-61), in the Persian Gulf. The nuclear-powered
U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), sailing from the Red Sea to the
Persian Gulf when hostilities began, did not begin to strike targets
until January 22nd. The Navy operated three carriers each in the Red
Sea and Persian Gulf for about 3 weeks until the America moved to the
Persian Gulf in mid-February 1991, shifting the number of carriers in
each operating area to two and four ships, respectively.

Navy fixed-wing carrier-based aircraft flew over 18,000 sorties
during the war, according to statistics developed by Center for Naval
Analyses in an analysis of Desert Storm carrier operations. Aircraft
from the Red Sea Battle Force flew nearly 6,200 sorties (one-third of
the sorties), while aircraft from the Persian Gulf Battle Force flew
nearly 11,800 sorties. We believe that the significant differences
in the operations of the two battle forces were largely driven by the
ranges to their targets. The Red Sea carriers were about 400 to 600
nautical miles away from their targets. Their aircraft had to fly
even greater distances to get to and from aerial tanker positions and
to use specific entry and exit corridors to reach the targets. The
Persian Gulf carriers, on the other hand, launched many missions to
the coastal region and were generally closer to their targets than
the Red Sea carriers. As a result, the Persian Gulf carriers
generally launched more sorties of shorter duration. As the war
progressed, the Persian Gulf carriers moved further north in the
Gulf, reducing strike ranges even more. The shorter distances
allowed the carriers to shift into cyclic operations and generate
many more sorties in the same span of time. In addition, the
America's move to the Persian Gulf increased the number of carriers
to four and added further to the total sorties generated by those
carriers.

Because of the extended ranges involved during attacks on Iraq,
carrier-based aircraft required refueling from land-based tankers.
Aircraft from the Red Sea carriers relied on land-based tankers for
the duration of the war. In the Persian Gulf, the carriers were
initially positioned about 280 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait
City. As the war progressed and the threat of Iraqi air and missile
attacks on the Persian Gulf carriers diminished, the carriers moved
farther north, reducing their dependence on land-based tankers. By
the start of the ground war in late February, the carriers were
positioned about 185 nautical miles southeast of Kuwait City. After
the carriers' arrival in the northernmost operating areas, Navy
refueling aircraft provided all refueling for Persian Gulf naval air
strikes.

The total sorties generated by each carrier, as well as the average
number of sorties flown during the war, are shown in table V.1. The
Kennedy and the Saratoga operated in the Red Sea during the entire
period, while the Midway, the Ranger, and the Roosevelt operated in
the Persian Gulf. The America began the war in the Red Sea but moved
to the Persian Gulf in mid-February for the final stages of the war.



Table V.1

Average Sorties Per Day Per Carrier
During Desert Storm (43 days)

Sarato Roosev
Midway ga Ranger Americ Kenned elt
(CV- (CV- (CV9- a (CV- y (CV- (CV-
41) 60) 61) 66) 67) 71) Total
------------------------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total sorties 3,019 2,374 3,329 2,672 2,574 4,149 18,117
================================================== ==============================
Daily average 70.2 55.2 77.4 62.1 59.9 96.5 421.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Our analysis of Center for Naval Analyses data.


NUMBER OF SORTIES GENERATED BY
INDIVIDUAL CARRIERS WERE
PROPORTIONAL TO THE SIZE OF
THEIR AIR WINGS
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:2

The number of aircraft assigned to each carrier varied considerably
and had a direct impact on the sorties generated by each carrier.
When the average number of sorties per assigned aircraft are
compared, there is little difference between carriers operating in
the same area (see
table V.2). Although the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
launched the most sorties of any carrier (4,149), the ship, along
with the
U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67), had the most aircraft assigned--78
aboard each carrier. Since the Roosevelt operated in the Persian
Gulf, considerably closer to assigned targets than the Kennedy in the
Red Sea, it was able to generate more sorties. On the other end of
the spectrum, the World War II-vintage U.S.S. Midway (CV-41) had
only 56 aircraft assigned (nearly 30 percent less than the
Roosevelt), the least of any carrier, followed by the U.S.S. Ranger
(CV-61) with 62 aircraft.

When sorties are compared based on the number of aircraft assigned,
the sortie generation rates are nearly identical between the
carriers. The significant differences are between the Red Sea and
Persian Gulf carriers. When carriers in the same region are
compared, their sortie generation rates are also almost identical.
The Kennedy and the
U.S.S. Saratoga (CV-60), which operated in the Red Sea for all of
Desert Storm, each averaged 33 sorties per aircraft. The three
full-time Persian Gulf carriers, Midway, Ranger, and Roosevelt, each
averaged about 53 sorties per aircraft.



Table V.2

Comparison of the Average Number of
Sorties Generated By Each Carrier

Midway Saratoga Ranger America Kennedy Roosevelt Tota
(CV-41) (CV-60) (CV-61) (CV-66) (CV-67) (CVN-71) l
-- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ====
================================================== ==============================
To 3,019 2,374 3,329 2,672 2,574 4,149 18,1
t 17
a
l
s
o
r
t
i
e
s

Aircraft
assigned:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
F- 0 20 20 20 20 20 100
14
F/ 30 18 0 18 0 19 85
A-
1
8
A- 14 14 22 14 13 18 95
6E
A- 0 0 0 0 24 0 24
7
E- 4 4 4 4 5 4 25
2
EA 4 4 4 5 5 5 27
-
6
B
KA 4 4 4 4 3 4 23
-
6
D
S- 0 8 8 8 8 8 40
3B
================================================== ==============================
To 56 72 62 73 78 78 419
t
a
l
================================================== ==============================
Av 53.9 33.0 53.7 36.6 33.0 53.2 43.2
e
r
a
g
e
s
o
r
t
i
e
s
p
e
r
a
i
r
c
r
a
f
t
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Our analysis of Center for Naval Analyses data.


CARRIERS OPERATED ON A ROTATING
BASIS
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:3

Although Navy aircraft flew sorties every day throughout Desert
Storm, none of the carriers operated around-the-clock. Instead, they
rotated on an operating schedule that enabled them to have intervals
of off-duty time. According to the Center for Naval Analyses data,
the three carriers initially operating in the Red Sea, the U.S.S.
America (CV-66), the
U.S.S. John F. Kennedy (CV-67), and the U.S.S. Saratoga (CV-60),
followed a rotating schedule with two carriers conducting flight
operations while the third stood down for 2 days. When the America
departed for the Persian Gulf on February 7th, the remaining two
carriers continued to operate with periodic stand-down intervals. In
the Persian Gulf, the
U.S.S. Midway (CV-41), the U.S.S. Ranger (CV-61), and the
U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) also followed a rotating
operating schedule. Each carrier conducted air operations for
approximately
15 hours during a 24-hour interval. During the remaining 9 hours of
a 24-hour interval, one carrier suspended air operations. The
Ranger's and Roosevelt's on-duty periods occurred during opposite
portions of the 24-hour interval--with 3 hours of concurrent
operations during turnovers. The Midway's on-duty period was roughly
centered on one of Ranger's and Roosevelt's turnovers. The Center
for Naval Analyses reported that there were only 6 days during the
war when all six carriers operated. The rest of the time usually
four or five carriers were on line while others stood down.


AVERAGE SORTIES PER OPERATING
DAY WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY
DIFFERENT AMONG THE CARRIERS
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:4

When daily sortie rates were based on the number of days each carrier
operated, there was a significant increase in average sorties. As
shown in table V.3, the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) led all
carriers, averaging about 106 sorties per day. The smallest and
oldest carrier, the
U.S.S. Midway (CV-41), averaged about 89 sorties, 17 less than the
Roosevelt, but did so with 22 fewer aircraft. When we factored in
the number of assigned aircraft to average number of sorties per
operating day, the Midway led all carriers. The Midway averaged 1.59
sorties per aircraft per operating day, followed by the U.S.S.
Ranger (CV-61) with an average of 1.41 sorties, and the Roosevelt
with 1.36 sorties.



Table V.3

Average Sorties Per Operating Day
Generated By Each Carrier

Midwa Sarato Range Ameri Kenned Roosev
y ga r ca y elt
(CV- (CV- (CV- (CV- (CV- (CVN-
41) 60) 61) 66) 67) 71)
------------------------- ----- ------ ----- ----- ------ ------
Total sorties 3,019 2,374 3,329 2,672 2,574 4,149
Aircraft assigned 56 72 62 73 78 78
Operating days 34 33 38 31 31 39
Average sorties per 88.8 71.9 87.6 86.2 83.0 106.4
operating day
================================================== ====================
Average operating day 1.59 1.00 1.41 1.18 1.07 1.36
sorties per aircraft
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Our analysis of Center for Naval Analyses data.


LOGISTICS SUPPORT WAS
COMPARABLE FOR ALL CARRIERS
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:5

The Navy committed about 40 percent of its Combat Logistics Force
ships--combat stores ships, oilers, ammunition supply ships, and
multicommodity fast combat support ships--to Desert Storm. Each of
the carrier battle groups was assigned its own dedicated support
ships, to the extent possible, that remained on station with its
battle group and enabled frequent replenishment of fuel and ordnance.
According to Center for Naval Analyses, all carriers were replenished
at about the same frequency, approximately every 3 to 3-1/2 days.
The Center for Naval Analyses concluded that the increased capacity
for ordnance and aviation fuel in the nuclear design was not
sufficient to untether the battle force from the logistics pipeline.
It also concluded that the hoped for increase in freedom of
operational employment for nuclear carriers was restricted by the
fossil fuel dependence of their accompanying surface combatants.


FUEL REPLENISHMENT DURING
DESERT STORM WAS COMPARABLE FOR
NUCLEAR- AND CONVENTIONALLY
POWERED CARRIERS
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:6

According to the Center for Naval Analyses, which published several
studies related to Desert Storm, the frequency that aviation fuel was
replenished was essentially the same for all carriers, including the
U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), even though nuclear-powered
carriers have about 1.7 million more gallons of aviation fuel storage
capacity. Table V.4 shows that aviation fuel was replenished about
every 3 days for the carriers operating in the Persian Gulf.



Table V.4

Frequency of Aviation Fuel Replenishment
by Persian Gulf Carriers During January
and February 1991

Roosev
Midway Ranger Americ elt
(CV- (CV- a (CV- (CVN-
41) 61) 66) 71)
-------------------------------------- ------ ------ ------ ------
Number of replenishments 19 41 6 12
Days in Persian Gulf 59 46 16 40
Replenishment frequency (days) 3.1 3.1 2.7 3.3
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: Our analysis of Center for Naval Analyses data.

Similarly, in the Red Sea, the conventionally powered carriers
operating also received aviation fuel every 2 to 3 days. The Center
for Naval Analyses stated that, ¹In practice, ships are topped-off
whenever other operational demands make it possible.º It reported
that from February 17-27, 1991, the peak period of the air campaign,
aircraft from the Roosevelt consumed an average of over 4,930 barrels
(207,060 gallons) of fuel daily, while
U.S.S. America (CV-66) aircraft consumed about 4,990 barrels
(209,580 gallons) daily. The amount of aviation fuel consumed daily
represented only a small percentage of each carrier's JP-5 capacity.


ORDNANCE WAS ALSO REPLENISHED
FREQUENTLY
--------------------------------------------------------- Appendix V:7

According to Center for Naval Analyses, ordnance expenditures by the
Persian Gulf carriers averaged about 49 tons per day per carrier
during the entire war. This rate increased to 116 tons per day
during the 4-day ground offensive. Each Red Sea carrier averaged
about 43 tons per day during the war and 59 tons per day during the
ground war. The smaller Red Sea expenditure rates were probably due
to the smaller number of sorties flown as a result of the longer
distances these aircraft had to fly to reach their targets. Like
fuel, ordnance was also replenished about every 3 days for the
Persian Gulf carriers and about every 1 to 2 days in the Red Sea,
even though the ordnance expended over a 2- to 3-day period was only
a fraction of the ships' storage capacities. For example, according
to Center for Naval Analyses, the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
was rearmed seven times during the last 20 days of February 1991,
receiving over 1,600 tons of ordnance. During this period, the Roosevelt
expended an average of about 2 percent of the capacity (by weight) per day.
The U.S.S. Ranger (CV-61) was also rearmed seven times over this
interval, even though only about 5 percent of its ordnance capacity
was consumed daily. Similarly, the U.S.S. Midway (CV-41) was
rearmed nine times between January 16 and February 16, 1991, even
though only about 5 percent of its ordnance capacity was expended
daily.

[Panag]

NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
Cost-Effectiveness of Conventionally and Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carriers

COMPARISON OF THE TRANSIT TIME OF
CONVENTIONALLY AND NUCLEAR-POWERED
CARRIERS RESPONDING TO SELECTED
CRISES
Appendix IV

We examined the movement of carriers that responded to several crisis
situations in this decade to compare the transit times of
conventionally and nuclear-powered ships. The crises examined were
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, U.N. operations in Somalia in
1993, threatening Iraqi troop movements toward Kuwait in 1994, and
operations in Bosnia in 1995. We also examined the transits of
carriers responding to the crisis caused by Iraq's violation of the
¹no-fly-zoneº over southern Iraq in October 1997 and actions taken in
January 1998 to maintain a two-carrier presence in the Persian Gulf.


OPERATIONS DESERT SHIELD/DESERT
STORM
-------------------------------------------------------- Appendix IV:1

When Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990, the nuclear-powered
U.S.S. Eisenhower (CVN-69) was in port in Naples, Italy. The
carrier traveled about 1,040 nautical miles to Port Said, Egypt, from
August 3-7, a period of 5 days, and later moved through the Suez
Canal into the Red Sea. The conventional powered U.S.S.
Independence (CV-62) was operating near Diego Garcia in the Indian
Ocean when the invasion began. The Independence arrived in the Gulf
of Oman on August 5th, covering about 2,200 nautical miles in 3 to 4
days. Considering the time taken to travel this distance, the
Independence would probably have made the voyage at a sustained speed
of between 24 and 32 knots.

Table IV.1 summarizes the transit times of six other carriers that
sailed from ports in the United States and Japan and participated in
Desert Storm.



Table IV.1

Steaming Time/Speed of Carriers
Deploying to Desert Shield/Storm

Depart Arrive Days
-------------- --------------- -------------
Net
Distan Elaps Underw speed Rema
From Date At Date ce ed ay \a rks
Carrier ------- ----- -- -------- ----- ------ ----- ------ ----- ----
Midway Yokosuk 10/ Gulf of 11/ 6,495 30 24 11.3 3-
(CV- a, 02/ Oman 01/ day
41) Japan 90 90 port
visi
ts
at
Subi
c
Bay
and
at
Sing
apor
e

Saratog Mayport 08/ Red Sea 08/ 5,867 15 14 17.5 Assu
a (CV- , Fla. 07/ 22/ mes
60) 90 90 a 1-
day
dela
y to
tran
sit
Suez
Cana
l

San 12/ Strait 01/ 11,666 38 33 14.7 5-
Rangers Diego, 08/ of 15/ day
(CV- Calif. 90 Hormuz 91 port
61) visi
t at
Subi
c
Bay;
assu
mes
no
othe
r
stop
s in
rout
e

Norfolk 12/ Red Sea 01/ 5,527 18 17 13.5 Assu
America , Va. 28/ 15/ mes
(CV- 90 91 a 1-
66) day
dela
y to
tran
sit
Suez
Cana
l

Red Sea 02/ Persian 02/ 3,450 7 7 21.1
07/ Gulf 14/
91 91

Norfolk 08/ Red Sea 09/ 5,527 30 27 8.5\b 2-
Kennedy , Va. 15/ 14/ day
(CV- 90 90 port
67) visi
t to
Alex
andr
ia,
Egyp
t,
also
assu
mes
a 1-
day
dela
y to
tran
sit
Suez
Cana
l

Rooseve Norfolk 12/ Red Sea 01/ 5,527 17 16 14.4 Assu
lt , Va. 28/ 14/ mes
(CVN- 90 91 a 1-
71) day
dela
y to
tran
sit
Suez
Cana
l

Red Sea 01/ Persian 01/ 3,540 7 7 21.1
14/ Gulf 21/
91 91
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\a Net steaming speed was derived from the total elapsed days minus
days spent in port and/or awaiting to transit the Suez Canal,
multiplied by 24 (hours), divided into the distance.

\b The Kennedy spent about 7 days in the Virginia Capes operating
area conducting battle group training and carrier landing
qualifications before proceeding eastward. If this time is not
counted as days underway toward the Red Sea, then the ship's transit
speed was 11.5 knots.

Source: Our analysis of Navy data.



COMPARISON OF THE VOYAGES OF
THE LINCOLN AND THE AMERICA
SUPPORTING U.N. OPERATIONS IN
SOMALIA (1993)
Appendix IV:2

The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) operating in the Persian Gulf
supporting Operation Southern Watch was ordered to move to the coast
of Somalia to support U.N. operations on October 7, 1993. The
Lincoln moved through the Straits of Hormuz on October 8 and arrived
off the coast of Mogadishu, Somalia, 4 days later, on October 12th.
We estimate that the Lincoln would have traveled at a sustained speed
of 19 knots to cover the approximately 1,800 nautical miles from the
Straits of Hormuz to Somalia in 4 days. The Lincoln operated off the
coast of Somalia until November 4, 1993.

The U.S.S. America (CV-66) was operating in the Adriatic Sea
supporting U.N. peacekeeping operations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, when
ordered on October 27, 1993, to relieve the Lincoln operating off the
coast of Somalia. The America traveled from the Adriatic Sea to the
Mediterranean Sea entrance to the Suez Canal, in about 2 days,
covering a distance of about 1,040 nautical miles, which equated to a
sustained speed of about 22 knots. The America completed the Suez
Canal transit on October 30th and reached the coast of Somalia on
November 4th. We estimate that if the America traveled about 2,400
nautical miles from the Suez Canal to the coast of Somalia in about 5
days, it could have done so at a sustained speed of about 20 knots.
We estimate that the America would have completed the total trip with
about 60 percent of its propulsion fuel remaining if no refueling had
taken place.


COMPARISON OF THE TRANSIT OF
THE WASHINGTON IN OCTOBER 1994,
AND A TRANSIT OF SIMILAR LENGTH
BY AMERICA IN DECEMBER 1995
-------------------------------------------------------- Appendix IV:3

When Iraq moved two divisions of the Republican Guard south of the
Euphrates River, toward Kuwait, in early October 1994, the President,
faced with the imminent possibility of another Iraqi invasion of
Kuwait, directed that U.S. forces be dispatched to the region. This
effort was called Operation Vigilant Warrior. Included among those
forces was the
U.S.S. George Washington (CVN-73), the closest American aircraft
carrier to the Middle East, operating in the Adriatic Sea. Two other
carriers were also deployed at sea at that time but were much farther
away; the
U.S.S. America (CV-66) was operating near Haiti, and the
U.S.S. Kitty Hawk (CV-63) was operating near Korea.

The George Washington battle group was ordered to move to the Persian
Gulf on the evening of October 7, 1994, and arrived in the Red Sea on
October 10th.\1 The George Washington, with one escort, continued to
proceed around the Arabian Peninsula, arriving in the Persian Gulf on
October 14th.\2 According to a Center for Naval Analyses study,\3 the
George Washington averaged about 25.6 knots, excluding the time spent
waiting to transit the Suez Canal and actually transiting the canal.

By comparison, the U.S.S. America made a similar voyage, but in the
opposite direction, from the Persian Gulf to the Adriatic Sea in
December 1995. The America began the voyage on December 2nd,
transited the Suez Canal on December 9th, and was in position in the
Adriatic Sea on December 11, 1995, in time for the signing of the
peace agreement between the fighting Balkan factions. Assuming that
this voyage took 8 full steaming days, excluding the time associated
with transiting the Suez Canal, the America would have covered the
nearly 4,200 nautical miles at a sustained speed of about 22 knots.
If the America had steamed at the same sustained speed (26 knots) as
the
George Washington did during Vigilant Warrior, a speed within its
capability, it would have arrived with about 33 percent fuel
remaining if there was no refueling during the voyage. With one
refueling, the
U.S.S. America would have taken about 2 hours longer than the
George Washington to cover the same distance but would have arrived
with full fuel tanks.


--------------------
\1 Once in the Red Sea, attack aircraft from the U.S.S. George
Washington, or any other carrier, could have reached targets in
southern Iraq with refueling by aerial tankers. Also, on October
10th, Saddam Hussein announced that the Republican Guard divisions
would withdraw, and they began to move northward soon afterwards.

\2 Several dozen Air Force tactical aircraft arrived in the theater
about the same time as did the
U.S.S. George Washington. On October 8th, Air Force units at
Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, and Pope Air Force Base, North
Carolina, were alerted to deploy, but their aircraft were held at
their bases pending final basing arrangements with Saudi Arabia. The
Langley fighters arrived in Saudi Arabia on
October 11th, while the Pope aircraft arrived on October 13th and
15th, after completing approximately 17-hour flights.

\3 Exploring Alternative Paths for Future Sea-Based TACAIR Platforms,
Report CAB 95-62, July 1995.


COMPARISON OF THE TRANSIT OF
THE
NIMITZ IN OCTOBER 1997, AND A
SIMILAR TRANSIT BY THE
INDEPENDENCE IN
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1998
-------------------------------------------------------- Appendix IV:4

On October 1, 1997, after Iraqi aircraft had violated the southern
¹no-fly-zone,º the U.S.S. Nimitz (CVN-68) was ordered to proceed to
the Persian Gulf at best speed. The carrier had completed a port
visit to Hong Kong and was scheduled to visit Singapore before
heading for the Persian Gulf. According to the Navy, the Nimitz
completed this 5,500 nautical mile transit in 11 days at an average
speed of advance of about
21 knots. Our review of transit data indicated the carrier spent
about 39 percent of the voyage at 27 knots and above. The carrier's
longest sustained steaming period at or above 27 knots was one 9-hour
period. The Navy reported that the Nimitz was able to conduct flight
operations on 6 of the 11 transit days. The carrier arrived in the
Persian Gulf on October 11, 1997.

On January 23, 1998, the U.S.S. Independence (CV-62) was ordered to
transit from Japan to the Persian Gulf to replace the Nimitz, which
was scheduled to return to the U.S. for a scheduled comprehensive
refueling overhaul. Our analysis of transit data for the
Independence indicated the carrier averaged over 24 knots during the
voyage and spent over 70 percent of the time at 27 knots and above.
During various parts of the transit, the ship sustained speeds of 27
knots and above for several lengthy periods of time, including 42,
31, and 27 continuous hours. Our review of transit data indicated
that aircraft flew on at least 5 days of the transit, the last period
ending late in the evening of February 4, 1998, the night before the
ship entered the Persian Gulf. The ship slowed down to speeds of 14
knots or less to conduct fuel replenishments and make periodic course
and speed changes to conduct flight operations.


OPERATIONS OF CARRIERS IN THE
PERSIAN GULF WAR
================================================== ========= Appendix V

An October 1995 report on the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program
Classification Review included a discussion of the impact of nuclear
propulsion in the Gulf War. The report stated:

"During this war the U.S. had unchallenged use of the oceans.
Over 85 percent of the war supplies were transported by ocean,
halfway around the world. Accomplishing this required complete
control of the sea. A few enemy nuclear-powered submarines
could have significantly disrupted our supply lines.
Nuclear-powered submarines with their covert capability provided
platforms for launching cruise missile strikes without concern
for detection prior to launch. The nuclear-powered aircraft
carriers provided U.S. Commanders with platforms for aircraft
strikes that could be located for sustained periods in areas of
the Middle East not available by land. If Iraq had obtained
access to nuclear propulsion technology and had developed
nuclear-powered submarines, it would have significantly impacted
the course of the war."

Our analysis of carrier operations and support during Operation
Desert Storm did not reveal any significant differences between the
nuclear-powered carrier U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and five
conventionally powered carriers, including the World War II-vintage
U.S.S. Midway (CV-41), that could be attributed to nuclear
propulsion. Although aircraft from the Roosevelt flew more missions
than any other Desert Storm carrier, this was due to several factors
independent of the propulsion system, including the distance to
targets and the number and mix of aircraft aboard each carrier. When
the number of assigned aircraft is considered, the number of sorties
generated by each carrier is almost identical.

Our analysis also indicated that the Navy supported all six carriers
in essentially the same manner. Despite the nuclear carrier's
greater jet fuel and ordnance capacity, and its reduced reliance on
logistics support, the Roosevelt did not operate for longer intervals
between replenishment actions than the conventional carriers.
Instead, all of the carriers were replenished at about the same
frequency, well before fuel and ordnance reached critical levels.

[Patroklos]

Love the info, Panag. Very accurate. However, I am in the Navy and can tell you we have plenty of F-14s and will for some years yet (in diminishing numbers). Take into account that the Navy and DoD's finacial commitments will change considerably in the next year when Iraq goes up in smoke. I would expect the retirement schedule for the F-14 to go through some changes.

[Panag]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Love the info, Panag. Very accurate. However, I am in the Navy and can tell you we have plenty of F-14s and will for some years yet (in diminishing numbers). Take into account that the Navy and DoD's finacial commitments will change considerably in the next year when Iraq goes up in smoke. I would expect the retirement schedule for the F-14 to go through some changes.

hi ,

thanks , the F-14 info is a bit up , ...

have a nice day

[Panag]

ANDREA DORIA (NUM) AIRCRAFT CARRIER, ITALY
On 22 November 2000, a contract was drawn up between Fincantieri and the Ministry of Naval Defence to supply an aircraft carrier vessel, better known as a "new major vessel", to the Italian Navy. The order is worth approximately Lira 1,750bn, of which 140bn has been set aside for the integrated logistic Support.

Building work on the new vessel which will be named the Andrea Doria, began at Fincantieri's shipyards in Riva Trigoso and Muggiano in July 2001 and the ship will be delivered in 2007.

DESIGN

The ship will have a standard displacement of about 22,000t, an overall length of about 235m and a speed of no less than 29 knots; it will be able to accommodate up to 1,290 people on board comprising a maximum landing force of 450.

The event constitutes great satisfaction for the shipbuilding industry, the National Defence Industry and for the Italian Navy as finally this highly important programme, which falls within the framework of the renewal of its fleet, reaches its conclusion.

PLANNING AND DESIGN OF THE NEW MAJOR VESSEL
Preliminary planning and design took almost two years. The negotiations with the Navy were long and demanding, and over the past months, the project has been the subject of a number of interventions aimed at defining its best configuration.

The contract – which covers the construction of the ship system and the part of the combat system already defined – will now have to pass the scrutiny of the controlling authorities before becoming operative, in all likelihood early next year.

The ship will have a standard displacement of about 22,000t, an overall length of about 235m and a speed of no less than 29 knots; it will be able to accommodate up to 1,290 people on board comprising a maximum landing force of 450.

The ship's strongest features will be its high flexibility in operational terms, its capacity to carry out the functions of an aircraft carrier and the transport of wheeled and tracked vehicles for both military and civil defence missions.

AIRCRAFT CARRIER FUNCTION
In order to carry out these functions, the vessel will be equipped with a flight deck suitable both for operations with helicopters and with short-launch, vertical take-off fighter planes and a hangar/garage of approximately 2,500m². In this way the ship will also have an amphibious capacity through rapid transport via helicopter even at considerable distances from the landing force. The ship could support eight VTOL (vertical take-off and landing) aircraft such as AV-8B Harrier or F-35 joint strike fighter VTOL variant, or 12 helicopters, such as the EH101, AB-212, NH 90 or SH-3D, or a mix of platforms.

In view of the long operating life foreseen for the vessel, the ship was conceived to be able to accommodate new generation aircraft. For the purposes of moving aircraft and vehicles embarked, two elevators will be installed for aircraft and there will be two access ramps to move vehicles from the quayside to the hangar/garage.

Further features of the ship will be a hospital facility with three operating rooms, wards for hospitalised patients, X ray and CT equipment, a dentist's surgery and a laboratory.

The carrier will be armed with the Eurosam (jointly owned by MBDA and Thales) SAAM/IT missile system which fires Aster 15 missiles from the Sylver eight-cell vertical launch system. The Aster 15 missile has a 13kg warhead and a range of 30km. The missile’s guidance is inertial with data uplink and active radar terminal homing. For increased manoeuvrability in the terminal phase, the missile uses a 'PIF-PAF' direct thrust control system with gas jets. Primary sensor for the SAAM/IT is the AMS Empar G-band multi-function phased array radar, which provides simultaneous surveillance, tracking and weapons control. First ship-launched missile firing of the SAAM/IT system took place in December 2002.

The vessel will be equipped with two Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid guns and three 25mm anti-aircraft guns.

COMBAT SYSTEMS

Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS) will be the integrator for the vessel’s combat system and will also supply systems including RAN 40L 3D D-band long range radar, RASS surveillance radar, IFF and navigation system. Other members of the combat system team include Elettronica, Galileo Avionica and Oto Melara.

PROPULSION SYSTEMS
The Andrea Doria will have combined gas turbine and gas (COGAG) propulsion. GE Marine engines will supply the LM2500 gas turbines. The four turbines will drive two gear units each providing 60,000shp.



hi ,

this should be reflected in the game as a baby carrier or helicoter carrier or large amph assault vessel , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

GARIBALDI AIRCRAFT CARRIER, ITALY
The flagship of the Italian Navy is the aircraft carrier MM Garibaldi, built by Fincantieri of Genoa and commissioned in 1985. Garibaldi (C551) is classed as a CVS – Aircraft Carrier ASW (Anti-submarine Warfare). The ship is capable of carrying 18 helicopters or an air squadron of vertical or short take-off and landing (VSTOL) aircraft.

The carrier can carry out anti-submarine warfare, command and control of naval and aero-naval forces, area surveillance, convoy escort, commando transportation, and fleet logistic support.

COMBAT SYSTEMS

The ship's command and control system is the IPN 20 supplied by Alenia Marconi Systems. IPN 20 gathers information from the ship's sensors and from the communications and data networks in order to compile and display the tactical situation. Communications systems include satellite communications, Link 11 and Link 14.

MISSILES
The ship's long-range surface-to-surface missile system, the MBDA (formerly Alenia) Otomat, is installed on the gun decks at the stern of the ship, two launchers on the port and two on the starboard side. The missile has active radar homing, is armed with a 210kg warhead and has a range of 120km.

The MBDA Albatros surface-to-air missile system provides short-range point defence. The Albatros eight-cell launchers are installed on the roof decks at the forward and stern end of the main island. The system uses the Aspide missile. Aspide has a semi-active radar seeker and a range of 14km. Forty-eight Aspide missiles are carried. Fire control for the Albatros is provided by three AESN NA 30 radar/electro-optical directors, which include infrared camera and laser rangefinder as well as the Alenia RTN 30X fire control radar.

GUNS

The ship is armed with three 40/70mm twin guns from OTOBreda. The guns have a firing rate of 300 rounds/min to an airborne target range of 4km and a surface target range of 12km. The guns’ weapon control system comprises three Alenia Marconi Systems NA 21 systems.

TORPEDOES

Two ILAS 3 triple tube torpedo launchers from WASS (Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subaqua) are fitted. The 324mm tubes are capable of firing the Honeywell Mark 46 or the A290 torpedo.

AIRCRAFT

The ship's flight deck is 174m long and 30.5m wide, and the forward 15m of the flight deck rises to a ski ramp of about 4°. The ship can accommodate up to 18 helicopters, for example the Agusta Sikorsky SH-3D Sea King or the Agusta Bell AB212. Alternatively the ship can accommodate 16 AV-8B Harrier II aircraft, or a mix of helicopter and Harriers.

COUNTERMEASURES

The ship's radar warning receiver and jamming system is the Elettronica Nettuno SLQ-732. The torpedo decoy is the SLQ-25 Nixie.

The ship has two OTOBreda SCLAR Naval Decoy Launcher Systems, which deploy chaff dispensers, infra-red decoys or illuminating flares. SCLAR is a 20-barrel 105mm system and provides confusion, distraction and seduction mode jamming.

The aircraft carrier will also be fitted with a SLAT anti-torpedo system being developed by Euroslat, a consortium consisting of WASS (Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subaqua), DCN and Thales Underwater Systems (formerly Thomson Marconi Sonar).

SENSORS

The ship's long range air search radar is the Alenia Marconi Systems MM/SPS-768 (RAN 3L) operating at D band, which has a range over 200km. The 3D long-range surveillance radar, the Raytheon AN/SPS-52C operates at E band and range is over 400km. The Alenia Marconi Systems SPS-774 medium range air and surface search radar operates at E and F bands and has a range over 150 km. SMA supplies the surface search and targeting radar MM/SPS-702, the navigation radar MM/SPN-749, and the aircraft control radar MM/SPN-728, all operating at I band.

The DE 1160 LF bow-mounted active search sonar is supplied by Raytheon.

PROPULSION

The ship's propulsion system is a combined gas turbine and gas turbine (COGAG) arrangement. The system is based on four LM2500 gas turbine engines developed by FiatAvio of Turin under a licence agreement from the U.S. company General Electric (GE). The LM2500 are rated at a sustained power of 81,000hp. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 30 knots and, at an economical speed of 20 knots, the range is over 7000 nautical miles.

hi ,

well its better then nothing , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

LPD SAN GIORGIO CLASS LANDING PLATFORM DOCK, ITALY
The three San Giorgio class amphibious transport dock ships in service with the Italian Navy were built by Fincantieri at their Riva Trigoso shipyard. The three ships are: MM San Giorgio (L9892) commissioned in 1987, MM San Marco (L9893), commissioned in 1988, and MM San Giusto (L9894), commissioned in 1994. The ships are based at the Brindisi naval base on the Adriatic coast.

The ships provide roll-on/roll-off landing capability for land embarkation; air lift through the use off high capacity aircraft such as Chinook-type helicopters; and transportation by sea to shore, using the ship's own systems and landing ships for landing on unprepared shores.

DESIGN
The San Giorgio class ships can lift a battalion of troops, with up to 30 medium tanks, or 36 tracked armoured vehicles. The stern floodable dock can accommodate three LCM (or MTM) landing craft, each capable of transporting 30t of material. Three davits on the main deck are provided for the deployment of three LCVP (or MTP) landing craft and a patrol boat.

San Giusto has a full load displacement 300t higher than her sister ships. The ship has no bow doors for beach landings. The three davits for the deployment of landing craft and the patrol boat are relocated to a sponson installed on the port side of the ship instead of on the flight deck.

San Giorgio and San Marco are to be modified to increase the flight deck for helicopter operations. The 76mm gun mount and two port side davits for LCVP's will be removed, giving space for a new central flight deck. This will allow two EH 101 helicopters and two medium helicopters (NH 90 or AB 212) to be launched at the same time. The LCVP's are to be moved to below the sponson and the bow doors will also be removed.

A 30t lift and a two-hook travelling crane, each hook rated to carry 40t, are installed on the ship providing the capability of autonomous loading and unloading operations completely independent of harbour facilities.

AIRCRAFT
The main flight deck which runs almost the length of the ship, has three helicopter landing spots. The ship can accommodate three Sea King SH-3D helicopters or five Agusta Bell AB-212 helicopters.

COMBAT SYSTEM
The ship has the IPN 20 combat data system and the NA 10 fire control system, both from Alenia Marconi Systems. It is also equipped with a telecommunications system from Elmer MAC.

WEAPON SYSTEMS
An OtoBreda 76/62 gun is installed on the gun deck at the bow of the ship. The gun fires 6kg rounds at a firing rate of over 80 rounds/min to a target range of 8.5 nautical miles.

The ship is also armed with two Oerlikon 20mm machine guns for close defence.

The ship's electronic warfare system comprises an electronic countermeasures and electronic support measures (ECM/ESM) suite supplied by Elettronica SpA of Rome.

SENSORS
The ship's radar suite includes the SMA MM/SPQ 702 search radar and the SMA SPN-748 navigation radar both operating at I band, and the RTN-10X fire control radar from Alenia Marconi Systems, operating at I and J bands.

PROPULSION
The ship is powered by two GMT A 420.12 diesel engines supplied by the Diesel Engine Division of Fincantieri. The engines provide 16,800hp, delivered to two shafts with constant pitch propellers. The ship is equipped with four Fincantieri GMTB 230.6 diesel generators supplying 3,080kW. The propulsion system provides a maximum continuous speed of 21 knots. At the economical speed of 16 knots the maximum range of the ship is 7,500 nautical miles.



hi ,

, this is really something we need in the game , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

CHARLES DE GAULLE NUCLEAR POWERED AIRCRAFT CARRIER, FRANCE
The 38,000t, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle was constructed at the DCN Brest naval shipyard in Brittany. The ship was launched in May 1994 and commissioned in September 2000, following sea trials which began in January 1999. As a result of trials the landing deck has been lengthened by 4.4m to enable the E-2C to land and clear the deck quickly. The carrier was due to enter service in December 2000, but, following the breakage of a propeller blade during long-distance trials, this was delayed to April 2001. In June 2001, the carrier took part in exercises in the Mediterranean and in December 2001 left to take part in Operation Enduring Freedom where it was stationed in the Arabian Gulf. It returned to its home port of Toulon in July 2002. Super Etendard and Hawkeye E-2C aircraft carried out a number of sorties but the ship's seven Rafale fighters did not take part in operations, although they did take part in exercises with the US Navy.

The French Navy has plans to build a second carrier to enter service around 2012. This may be in the same class as the Charles de Gaulle or it may be a conventionally-powered version.

AIRCRAFT
The ship can operate a fleet of up to 40 aircraft: Rafale M (range 3,340km), Super Etendard (range 1,682km) and three E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft. The ship will also support the AS 565 Panther or NH 90 helicopter.

The main deck consists of a main runway angled at 8.5° to the ship's axis and an aircraft launch area forward of the island. These are each equipped with a USN Type C13 catapult, capable of launching one aircraft per minute. The runway is 195m long and the whole deck measures 260 x 64m. The carrier is fitted with the EADS Systems & Defence Electronics DALAS laser landing aid.

SATRAP COMPUTERISED STABILISATION SYSTEM
The carrier is fitted with the SATRAP computerised, integrated stabilisation system designed to maintain stabilisation to within 0.5° of horizontal, allowing aircraft to be operated up to Sea State 5/6. As well as the carrier's two pairs of active stabilising fins and twin rudders, the system has two computer-controlled compensation units which consist of two rail tracks for trains carrying 22t of deadweight. These tracks run transversely below the flight deck. This system is designed to compensate for wind and heel and control roll, yaw and surge.

COMBAT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
The ship's weapons are managed by a Senit Combat Management System, which has the capacity to track up to 2,000 targets. The weapon control system consists of two Vigy 105 optronic directors supplied by Sagem. The ship also has two Sagem Vampir search and track systems.

SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES
The SAAM (Surface Anti-Air Missile) system, developed by Eurosam (set up by MBDA and Thales), provides defence against hostile aircraft and anti-ship missiles. The system uses the Aster 15 surface-to-air missile and entered operational service in November 2002, with the first firing of the missile from the Charles de Gaulle. The Aster missile has a 13kg warhead and a range of 30km. The missile's guidance is inertial with data uplink and active radar terminal homing. For increased manoeuvrability in the terminal phase, the missile uses a 'PIF-PAF' direct thrust control system with gas jets. Two eight-cell Sylver vertical launch systems are installed on the starboard side forward of the bridge and two on the port side aft of the bridge. The system uses the Thales (formerlyThomson-CSF) Arabel radar, which is a multi-function three-dimensional radar with a range of 70km for a target area of 2m².

The ship has two six-cell Sadral launching systems for the MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) Mistral anti-aircraft and anti-missile missile. Mistral has an infra-red seeker and a range of 4km.

GIAT 20F2 20MM GUNS
The ship is equipped with eight Giat 20F2 20mm guns, which fire 0.25kg shells at 720 rounds/min to a range of up to 8km.

COUNTERMEASURES
Four EADS Systems & Defence Electronics Sagaie 10-barrel trainable decoy launchers are installed. The system fires chaff to 8km and infra-red flares to a range of 3km. Two Thales ARBB 33 jammers, mature versions of the Salamandre, are installed to jam I-, H- and J- band radar signals. Electronic support measures include the Thales ARBR 21 radar warner. The aircraft carrier will also be fitted with a SLAT anti-torpedo system being developed by Euroslat, a consortium consisting of WASS (Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subaqua), DCN and Thales Underwater Systems (formerly Thomson Marconi Sonar).

RADAR SENSOR SUITE
The suite of radar sensors installed on the carrier are: Thales DRBJ 11B three dimensional long range air search radar operating in the E- to F- bands; Thales DRBV 26D Jupiter medium/long range air search radar operating at D-band; Thales DRBV 15C Sea Tiger Mark 2 air and surface search radar operating at E- and F-bands; two Thales (formerly Racal) Model 1229 navigation radars operating at I-band; and the Thales Arabel fire control radar operating at I-to J-band.

PROPULSION AND POWER PLANT
The Charles De Gaulle is equipped with two nuclear pressure water reactors, PWR Type K15, which provide a speed of 27 knots. The 61MW turbines are from Alsthom. The propulsion system has the capacity to provide five years continuous operation at 25 knots before refuelling.


hi ,

the French punch , ......

the only one with four steam catapults and nuclear power outside the United States , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

LSD FOUDRE CLASS LANDING PLATFORM DOCK, FRANCE
The French Navy operates two Foudre class landing platform dock ships, the Foudre (L9011) and the Siroco (L9012), which were commissioned in 1990 and 1998. The ships were built at the Brest Naval Dockyard of DCN. The ships are assigned to the Force d'Action Navale based at the Toulon Mediterranean Command.

The Foudre class is capable of landing and supporting a mechanised armoured regiment of the French rapid deployment force. The three main missions of the Foudre class are the landing of infantry and armoured vehicles on unprepared coasts, mobile logistic support for naval forces and humanitarian missions.

DESIGN
The Foudre class has a 13,000m³ well dock which can be used as a floating dock or to carry land vehicles. The well dock can accommodate either ten medium-size landing craft (LCMs) or one mechanised landing craft (LSM) and four medium-sized landing craft (LCMs). Mobile decks can be used to provide vehicle parking space or for landing operations. The cargo lift has a 52t capacity. The 12m crane is rated to carry 37t of cargo.

The ship's complement is 210 crew with 13 officers. The ship can also accommodate 467 passengers or troops. With 700 crew and passengers, the ship has an endurance of 30 days. In times of crisis the ship can accommodate up to 1,600 people.

To meet military and humanitarian requirements, Foudre class ships provide hospital facilities for large-scale medical and evacuation missions, including two fully equipped operating theatres and 47 beds.

HELICOPTERS
The ship, which has a 1,450m² flight deck, can accommodate up to seven Super Puma helicopters. There are three helicopter landing spots, two on the flight deck and one on the 400m² deck well rolling cover. The flight deck is equipped with a Samahe haul down system. The helicopter hangar has capacity for two Super Frelon helicopters or up to four Super Puma helicopters.

The Foudre class provides full flight-deck support for the simultaneous deployment, including day and night refuelling, of four 9t helicopters.

COMMAND SYSTEMS
The Foudre class ships are equipped with DCN's SENIT 8 combat data system and an OPSMER command support system. The ship's communication suite is integrated with the Syracuse satellite communications system.

MISTRAL MISSILES
The ship is armed with two Simbad twin missile launchers, supplied by MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics), for the Mistral surface-to-air missile. Mistral provides short-range air defence against aircraft and anti-ship missiles. The range is from 0.5 to 5km. Mistral has a 3kg warhead and a speed of 2.6 Mach. The passive infrared homing was developed by SAGEM based in Paris.

OTOBREDA/MAUSER 30MM GUNS
The ships are armed with three OtoBreda/Mauser 30mm/70-calibre guns capable of firing 6kg shells at a firing rate of 800 rounds/min. The guns are integrated with two VIGY 105 optronic weapon control systems supplied by Sagem, which include thermal imager, TV camera and laser rangefinder.

COUNTERMEASURES
The ships are fitted with the ARBB 36 Salamandre B2 multi-threat jammer from Thales (formerlyThomson-CSF) Detexis which locates, classifies and evaluates threats.

RADAR SUITE
The ship's radar suite consists of the Thales DRBV 21 A Mars air and surface search radar operating at D band, Thales Defence Model 2459 surface search radar operating at D band, and two Thales Defence I band RM 1229 navigation radars.

PROPULSION SYSTEM
The ship's propulsion system is based on two 16 PC2.5V 400 diesel engines supplied by SEMT-Pielstick. The diesels, rated at 15.3MW sustained power, drive two shafts with controllable pitch propellers. The bow thruster is rated at 735kW. The propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 21 knots. At an economical speed of 15 knots the range is 11,000 miles.


hi ,

this really is something we need in the game , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

this is why we need inside the game , ....

little ships coming out of big ships , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

KUZNETSOV CLASS (TYPE 1143.5) HEAVY AIRCRAFT CARRYING CRUISER, RUSSIA
The Kuznetsov Class heavy aircraft carrying cruiser, also known as Project 1143.5 or Orel Class, was constructed at Nikolayev South Shipyard on the Black Sea in the Ukraine. The Admiral Kuznetsov, was launched in 1985. A second-of-class vessel, the Varyag, was launched in 1988 but was never commissioned. Admiral Kuznetsov is the only aircraft carrier in the Russian Navy. The hull design is based on the earlier Admiral Gorshkov, launched in 1982, but it is larger with a full load displacement, 58,500t as compared to 40,400t. Admiral Gorshkov has not been operational since 1988 and India is expected to sign an agreement to buy the refurbished vessel in March 2003.

The Admiral Kuznetsov supports strategic missile carrying submarines, surface ships and maritime missile-carrying aircraft of the Russian fleet.

AIRCRAFT

The flight deck area is 14,700m² and aircraft take-off is assisted by a bow ski-jump angled at 12°. The flight deck is equipped with arrester wires. Two starboard lifts carry the aircraft from the hangar to the flight deck.

The ship has the capacity to support 16 Yakovlev Yak-41M (NATO code name Freestyle), twelve Sukhoi Su-27K (NATO codename Flanker) fixed-wing aircraft and a range of helicopters including four Kamov Ka-27-LD (NATO codename Helix), 18 Kamov Ka-27 PLO, and two Ka-27-S.

MISSILES

The ship has a Granit anti-ship missile system equipped with twelve surface-to-surface missile launchers. The Granit missile (NATO codename SS-N-19 Shipwreck) is reported to have a range greater than 400km and is capable of carrying either a nuclear or conventional warhead.

The Klinok air defence missile system, with 24 vertical launchers and 192 missiles, defends the ship against anti-ship missiles, aircraft and surface ships. The system has a multi-channel electronically steered phased array radar and can achieve a firing rate of one missile every 3s. Four targets can be engaged simultaneously in a 60 x 60° sector. The range of the system is 12 to 15km.

The Kashstan Air Defence Gun/Missile System, supplied by the Instrument Design Bureau and Tulamashzavod JSC in Tula, provides defence against precision weapons including anti-ship and anti-radar missiles, aircraft and small sea targets. Eight systems are fitted, combining missile launcher, 30mm twin gun and radar/optronic director. The range of the laser beam-riding missiles is from 1.5 to 8km. The gun can fire up to 1,000 rounds/min in the range 0.5 to 1.5km. Six AK630 AD 30mm air defence guns are also fitted.

ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE

The ship is equipped with an Udav-1 anti-submarine system with 60 anti-submarine rockets. Udav-1, supplied by the Splav Research and Production Association in Moscow, protects surface ships by diverting and destroying incoming torpedoes. The system also provides defence against submarines and saboteur systems such as underwater vehicles. The system has ten barrels and is capable of firing 111SG depth charge projectiles, 111SZ mine laying projectiles and 111SO diverting projectiles. The range of the system is up to 3,000m and the submarine engagement depth is to 600m.

SENSORS

The ship's radars include a D/E band air and surface target acquisition radar, an F-band surface search radar, G/H band flight control radar, I-band navigation radar, and four K-band fire control radars for the Kashstan Air Defence Gun/Missile System.

The ship's hull-mounted search and attack sonar, operating in the medium- and low-frequency bands, is capable of detecting torpedoes and submarines. The anti-submarine warfare aircraft are equipped with surface search radar, dipping sonar, sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detectors.

PROPULSION

The ship is conventionally powered and has eight boilers and four steam turbines, each producing 50,000hp, driving four shafts with fixed-pitch propellers. The maximum speed is 29 knots, and the range at maximum speed is 3,800 miles. The ship provides a maximum range of 8,500 miles at a speed of 18 knots.

hi ,

whoah , .... but it does not have a lot of planes , .....

but it does have loads of missile"s aboard , .....

[Panag]

IVAN ROGOV CLASS (TYPE 1174) LARGE LANDING SHIP, RUSSIA
The Project 1174 Large Landing Ship was built by the Yantar Shipbuilding Plant at Kalingrad. Three ships were built, the Ivan Rogov, the Aleksandr Nikolaev and the Mitrofan Moskalenko. Only the Mitrofan Moskalenko is still in service with the Russian Navy. The ship provides sealift and landing of troops and equipment. Military materiel is landed via a bow ramp and also via assault boats through the doors of the flooded well.

DESIGN

The tank deck covers an area 54m by 12.3m to provide 660m² of floor area for the transportation of material and is accessed via the bow ramp. The docking bay, with doors at the stern of the ship, can be flooded for amphibious operations using small landing craft. The docking bay measures 67.5m by 12.3m.

The ship has the capacity for the military lift of one battalion of 520 marines and 25 tanks. If no landing craft are carried then the additional space in the docking bay allows a total of 53 tanks or 80 armoured personnel carriers to be transported.

MISSILES

The OSA-M (NATO codename Gecko) air defence missile system. supplied by the Znamya Truda Plant in Moscow, provides defence against anti-ship missiles, aircraft and surface targets. The ship carries 20 missiles. Range is up to 10km and the reaction time is up to 20s. The system uses semi-active radar homing.

The ship is equipped with two close-range, portable, Strela-3M air defence missile systems, each system having a quadruple launcher. The NATO code name for the Strela-3M is the Grail.

GUNS

The ship has a 75mm AK-726 multipurpose twin gun, with 1,000 rounds of ammunition, supplied by the Frunze Arsenal Design Bureau in Saint Petersburg and by the Barrikady Production Association in Volgograd. The maximum firing range is 15.7km and the gun is capable of firing up to 100 rounds/min. Laying of the gun mount and the fire control can be carried out in automatic mode using the fire control radar system, in semi-automatic mode using the Prizma optical sighting device mounted on the turret or in manual mode using the gunner's sights.

The ship is armed with four 30mm AK-630 air defence guns manufactured by the Ametist Design Bureau, Izumrud JSC and the Tula Engineering Plant JSC. The AK-630 is for engaging airborne threats, small sea targets, floating mines and light armoured coastal targets.

The ship has a 122mm Grad-M rocket launcher with 320 rockets.

HELICOPTER

The Project 114 ship accommodates four helicopters. The helicopter hangar is located within the superstructure. There is one landing pad forward of the superstructure and one behind the superstructure. The ship's helicopters are the Kamov Ka-27 or Ka-29. The KA-27 (NATO codename Helix) is a naval anti-submarine helicopter and the KA-29 is the combat transport version. The helicopter has the capacity to ferry 16 troops or 2t in the cabin plus 4t on a sling.

SYSTEMS

The ship's radar systems include a surveillance radar operating in E-band, two I-band navigation radars, and three fire control radars: G-band for the 76mm gun, H/I band for the 30mm guns and F/H/I band for the Osa-M missile system.

The ship is fitted with a radio communications suite with 17 channels, optronic fire control system and electronic warfare system with electronic support measures and countermeasures.

PROPULSION

The ship's propulsion is provided by two gas turbine engines, each rated at 18,000hp. There are two shafts driving two fixed-pitch propellers. The ship has two retractable thrusters for manoeuvring and position keeping. The range at the maximum speed of 19 knots is 6,000 miles. At a speed of 14 knots the range is increased to 7,500 miles.


hi ,

small but practical , ......

it would be so great to see heli's take troops of a ship and drop them , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

hi ,

want 520 marines and 25 tanks on your beach , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

CHAKRI NARUEBET OFFSHORE PATROL HELICOPTER CARRIER, THAILAND
The Offshore Patrol Helicopter Carrier, HTMS Chakri Naruebet, was constructed for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) by Spanish shipbuilders Izar (formerly EN Bazan).

Under a contract signed in July 1992, the Chakri Naruebet was constructed at Izar’s El Ferrol yard in Spain and commissioned in March 1997. With a design similar to that of the Spanish carrier Principe de Asturias, it is fitted with a 12° ski jump to enable the use of Harrier-style aircraft. The carrier is tasked with warfare/flagship command and control, air support for amphibious operations and the Thai surface fleet, EEZ surveillance and protection, search and rescue, and disaster relief. It is based in the Gulf of Thailand. Most of the weapons and sensors are being fitted to the vessel in Thailand. The RTN may consider a second carrier to protect its maritime zones in the Andaman Sea.

DESIGN

The ship is equipped with six multi-mission Sikorsky S-70B Seahawk helicopters, designed for use in an anti-submarine role. These are supplemented with six ex-Spanish Matador AV-8S (Harrier) short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. The Chakri Naruebet’s 174.6m x 27.5m flight deck, which terminates in a 12° ski jump, can accommodate five simultaneous helicopter take-off/landings; the hangar provides space for ten medium helicopters or Harrier-sized aircraft. The carrier’s maximum speed is 26 knots, with a cruise speed of 16 knots. Range is estimated to be 10,000nm at 12 knots. Two spade rudders and four hull stabilisers have been fitted.

COMMAND SYSTEM

The command and control system is made up of a combat information centre with seven Inisel consoles and an auxiliary console. The combat system is the AN/UYK-43C Lowboy with weapon systems integration being carried out by FABA, Spain.

MISSILES

The ship is to be fitted with one eight-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system (VLS) for the Seasparrow surface-to-air missile. Seasparrow uses semi-active radar guidance and has a range of 14km and speed of Mach 2.5. The carrier is to be fitted with three MBDA (formerly Matra BAe Dynamics) Sadral six-cell launchers for the Mistral missile. Mistral is a short-range anti-aircraft missile able to intercept in-coming sea-skimming missiles. The Sadral six-cell launcher is a stabilised turret equipped with a television camera which can be fitted with an infra-red channel for target acquisition. The Mistral missile is equipped with an infrared homing head supplied by SAGEM and has a 3kg high-explosive warhead loaded with tungsten balls. Range is 4km.

GUNS

Armament is to consist of four Raytheon/General Dynamics Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems and two 30mm naval guns. Phalanx has a 20mm/53-calibre six-barrel gun capable of firing 3,000 rounds/min to a target range of 1.5km.

COUNTERMEASURES

Four BAE Systems Integrated Defense Solutions (formerly Tracor) Mk 137 chaff launchers, Indra Aldebaran electronic support measures (ESM) system and Raytheon AN/SLQ-32 radar jammer will be fitted.

SENSORS

Radar systems provided include a Raytheon AN/SPS-52C 3-D medium- range air search radar, operating at E/F band, Raytheon AN/SPS-64 I-band surface search radar, Thales Nederland (fomerly Signaal) STIR I/J/K-band fire control radar, Kelvin Hughes navigation and helicopter control radar, a Kelvin Hughes I-band navigation radar, a MX 1105 Transit/GPS Omega satellite navigation system, as well as a URN 25 Tacan system. The ship is equipped with a hull-mounted, medium-frequency, active sonar system.

PROPULSION

Propulsion is by a Combined Diesel or Gas Turbines (CODOG) system which is made up of two pairs of GE LM-2500 gas turbines rated at 44,250hp with a power turbine speed of 3,600rpm and Izar-MTU 16V1163 TB83 diesel engines, each with an output power of 6437hp at 1200rpm, which will drive two variable-pitch five-blade propellers. (Thailand’s two Naresuan Class frigates, which may escort the carrier, are also fitted with CODOG systems).

hi ,


"helicopter carrier" , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

PRINCIPE DE ASTURIAS AIRCRAFT CARRIER, SPAIN
The Principe de Asturias aircraft carrier has been in service with the Spanish Navy since 1988. The 17,190t ship was built by Izar (formerly E.N. Bazan) and is based at the Rota naval air base.

The layout of the ship was partly derived from the design of the US Navy Sea Control Ship. The hull was laid down in 1979 and the ship was launched in 1982. The integration of a Tritan Digital Command and Control System and the installation of a Flag Bridge to meet the requirements of the Spanish Navy delayed the commissioning of the Principe de Asturias until 1988.

CARRIER AIRCRAFT
The ship supports up to twelve AV-8B Harrier II Plus and Harrier II (being upgraded to Harrier II Plus configuration) aircraft. The Harriers are armed with AIM-9L Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles and AGM-65E Maverick air-to-ground missiles, in addition to GAU-12U cannon. The carrier also has facilities to support up to twelve helicopters, usually six Sikorsky Sea King SH-3H, four Agusta AB-212 and two Sikorsky SH-3 AEW helicopters.

The ship normally supports a maximum of 29 fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft with up to twelve on deck and 13 aircraft in the hangar. In an emergency a maximum of 17 aircraft can be stored in the 2,300m² hangar. The hangar deck is accessed by two flight deck lifts. The 5,100m² flight deck is 176m in length and includes a 12° ski jump 46.5m in length.

WEAPON SYSTEMS

The ship has four FABA Meroka Mod 2B close-in weapon systems (CIWS), with twelve-barrelled Oerlikon L120 20mm guns. The guns have a rate of fire of 1,440 rounds/min and a range of up to 2,000m. They are installed two on the stern deck and one each on the port and starboard side of the flight deck. The Meroka fire control system has tracking radar and an Indra (formerly ENOSA) thermal imager.

A Mk 13 Mod 4 eight-cell launcher for the Harpoon anti-ship missile is fitted.

The ship's combat data system is the Tritan Digital Command and Control System.

COUNTERMEASURES

The ship's decoy system is the Sippican Super Rapid Bloom Offboard Countermeasures, Super RBOC. The six barrel launchers can fire both chaff and flare cartridges to a range of 4km. The towed torpedo decoy is the Frequency Engineering Laboratories (FEL) AN/SLQ-25 Nixie decoy. A hull noise and propeller rate suppression system reduces the ship's acoustic signature and increasing the effectiveness of the acoustic countermeasures deployed.

The radar interception and jamming system is the Nettunel electronic countermeasures unit from Elettronica.

SENSORS

The large square antenna at the top of the radar mast is the Raytheon SPS-52C/D 3D air search radar operating at E and F bands. Just below this is the surface search radar antenna, the ISC Cardion SPS-55 operating over I-and J-bands. The large distinctive round dome of the aircraft control radar, the ITT SPN-35A operating at J-band, is installed at the bow end of the island at roof level.

The fire control radar for the Meroka CIWS is the FABA SPG-M2B monopulse doppler radar, operating at I-band. The ship's missile approach warning radar is the Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS) RTN-11L/X which operates in I and J bands. The I and J band target designation radar is the AMS RAN 12 L.

PROPULSION

The ship is equipped with a COGAG (combined gas turbine and gas turbine) propulsion system, consisting of two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines, each rated at a sustained power of 34.6MW. The engines drive a single shaft with variable-pitch five-bladed propeller built by Lips Propellers in Virginia. The main propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 25 knots and the range at an economical speed of 20 knots is 6,500 miles.

hi ,

the Spanish ones build two , one for export , mainly to cover the expenses the had on the carrier they build , ....

we should be able to sell units , .....

have a nice day

pic ; the two "sister ships"

[Panag]

CVF RN FUTURE AIRCRAFT CARRIER, UNITED KINGDOM
The UK Future Aircraft Carrier, CVF, requirement is for two 55,000t to 60,000t carriers which will enter service in the years 2012 and 2015. They will be the largest warships built in the UK. Each carrier will be capable of embarking an air group of 50 aircraft. The carriers will be twice the size of the three Invincible Class carriers and accommodate twice as many aircraft. The crew will be about 600, only 15 more than the Invincible, indicating the high level of automation being integrated into the ships' systems. It has been decided that Portsmouth will be the carriers' home port.

In 1999, the UK Ministry of Defence Procurement Executive MOD(PE) awarded contracts for the one year initial assessment phase of the UK Royal Navy's Future Carrier programme to teams led by BAE SYSTEMS and Thales Naval Ltd . The contract involved comparing the three proposed configurations for the carrier and examining the key enabling technologies. In November 2001, the MOD awarded these two companies contracts for Stage 2 of the assessment phase, involving further design and risk reduction work, providing the basis for the choice of Prime Contractor in early 2003.

In January 2003 the MOD announced that the aircraft carriers will be designed and built by an industrial alliance with BAE SYSTEMS as the preferred prime contractor and Thales UK as Key Supplier. Detailed contractual discussions are underway to formalise the operation of the industrial alliance. It is planned that the carrier program will be based on the design put forward by Thales UK and Thales UK will be responsible for the design. BAE SYSTEMS as prime contractor will be responsible for the program and the ships will be designed and built entirely in the UK by the shipyards Babcock BES based in Rosyth, Scotland, BAE Systems Govan shipyard on the Clyde, Swan Hunter at Tyneside in the North East and Vosper Thorneycroft at Portsmouth. The final investment decision for the program is scheduled to be announced in the second quarter of 2004. The first steel is to be cut in 2005 and the two carriers will enter service in 2012 and 2015.

The carriers will be built as separate sections or "superblocks", which could be built by different shipyards and assembled in dry dock. Plans put forward for five "superblocks", originally proposed by Thales UK, and plans for three "megablocks" plus an island structure, previously put forward by BAE SYSTEMS, will be reconsidered and detailed discussions on the build strategy will be undertaken.

In parallel, a study of the options for the Future Joint Combat Aircraft (FJCA), formerly known as the Future Carrier Borne Aircraft (FCBA), resulted in the selection of the STOVL (short take-off vertical landing) version of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in September 2002.

DESIGN

The ships will be designed to ensure the maximum flexibility for their service life of up to 50 years. The "future proof" carrier will be designed for STOVL operations but optimised for future conversion for conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) operations. The UK MOD has stated that the carriers will be built "for, but not with" catapults and arrester gear for conventional landings. It is planned to fit a ski-jump ramp on the forward deck, but this could be removed in the future if required. Space will be made in the design for the future fitting of catapult launch and arrester wires.

STOVL aircraft have greater flexibility than (CTOL) aircraft. They can operate in worse weather conditions and have a higher launch rate.

AIRCRAFT

The STOVL variant of the US F-35 JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) has been chosen to succeed the Royal Navy Sea Harrier from about 2012. Up to 150 aircraft are to be procured. This variant is also being developed for the US Marine Corps. The UK MOD is providing 10% of the cost of the STOVL concept demonstration phase of the JSF programme.

The carrier will support up to 150 aircraft sorties per day with an air group of up to 50 aircraft in a time of crisis. Normally the carrier will have 40 aircraft, comprising typically 30 multi-role F-35 STOVL fighter aircraft, six helicopters and four airborne and early warning (AEW) platforms.

MARITIME AIRBORNE SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL (MASC)
The Maritime Airborne Surveillance and Control (MASC) programme, formerly the Future Organic Airborne Early Warning Aircraft (FOAEW), will select the AEW aircraft to operate from the new carriers. Candidates for MASC include the Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, the Boeing/Bell V-22 tiltrotor, a helicopter such as the AgustaWestland EH101 Merlin or a UAV. However, the choice of the STOVL F-35 may indicate that a fixed-wing aircraft such as the E-2C will no longer be viable. The upgradable STOVL design of the aircraft carrier does provide an option for the deployment of the E-2C and a MASC UAV with catapult take-off and hook arrester. MASC is currently in the Concept Phase, with an Initial Gate decision planned for 2003, followed by a Main Gate decision in 2006. An in-service date of 2012 is planned.

PROPULSION SYSTEM

The MOD has decided not to use nuclear propulsion for the aircraft carrier because of high costs. The carrier's propulsion system will be Integrated Full Electric Propulsion (IFEP) based on four gas turbines. The optimum location for the position of the main propulsion system is being examined, with maximising the hangar space below decks a major consideration. The range of the carrier will be 8,000 miles.

hi ,

the future , ..... VSTOL and helicopters , combined with some tanks , marines etc , .... a formidable weapon !

have a nice day

[Panag]

INVINCIBLE CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIERS, UNITED KINGDOM
The first-of-class HMS Invincible Aircraft Carrier was built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (now BAE Systems Marine) at Barrow-in-Furness. The ship was commissioned in July 1980. The two sister ships HMS Illustrious and HMS Ark Royal, both built at the Swan Hunter Shipbuilders yard in Wallsend, were commissioned in 1982 and 1985.

The role of the 20,600t aircraft carrier is to provide a command headquarters for the task group and to support the operations of the short take off and vertical landing aircraft and helicopters. The ship accommodates over 1,000 crew, including 350 aircrew with 80 officers. It also has capacity for an additional 500 marines.

The vessels were armed with a Sea Dart twin launcher, installed on the forecastle of the ship near the ski ramp. However, the missile system has been removed from all three carriers and the flight deck extended, to provide more capacity for aircraft and enable take-off for RAF Harrier GR.7 aircraft.

In January 2002, HMS Ark Royal sailed for the Mediterranean Region as part of the UK task force. On board were Merlin HMA1 and Sea King AEW7 helicopters, the first operational deployment of these aircraft.

COMMAND SYSTEMS

The combat data system is BAE SYSTEMS ADIMP with communication links Link 10, Link 11 and Link 14. Following refit, HMS Invincible has had the combat system upgraded to the same standard as Illustrious and Ark Royal, with new multi-function consoles and flat-panel colour displays. The secure satellite communications system, the Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi) SCOT, has the capacity to handle data rates up to 2Mb/s.

GUNS

HMS Ark Royal is armed with three Mark 15 Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS) from Raytheon and General Dynamics. Each Phalanx CIWS has one 20mm M61A1 Vulcan Gatling-principle gun which fires 3,000 rounds/min at a range of 1.5km.

HMS Invincible and Illustrious each have three Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) Goalkeeper CIWS. Goalkeeper's Gatling principle 30mm gun provides a maximum firing rate of 4,200 rounds/min with a range of 1,500m.

All three carriers are also equipped with two GAM-B01 20mm guns from Oerlikon-Contraves and BAE SYSTEMS, which have a maximum range of 2km and firing rate of 1,000 rounds/min.

COUNTERMEASURES

The Invincible class is fitted with the Thales Defence Type 675(2) jamming system and either a UAA(2) (Invincible, Ark Royal) or UAT(8) (Illustrious) electronic support measures system also supplied by Thales Defence (formerly Racal). Invincible and Ark Royal are also to be fitted with the UAT ESM.

The ship's decoy system is the Royal Navy's Outfit DLJ with Sea Gnat. There are eight 130mm six-barrel launchers produced by Hunting Engineering. Chemring and Pains Wessex produce the Sea Gnat chaff and infra-red decoys.

AIRCRAFT

The ship supports nine Harrier aircraft (both the Royal Air Force GR7 Harrier II and the Royal Navy F/A2 Sea Harrier), nine Sea King HAS 6 antisubmarine warfare helicopters and three Sea King AEW 2 and AEW7 airborne early warning helicopters. Landing trials with the Merlin HM.1 helicopter have taken place on the Ark Royal, which is the first carrier to deploy the Merlin.

The runway is about 170m long with a ski ramp set at 12°. In the hangar deck the aircraft is tethered to the floor using securing chains with tension clamps. Strachan and Henshaw have been contracted to install a replacement aircraft carrier lift system.

SENSORS

The BAE SYSTEMS Type 909 G/H-band fire control radar, which provided target tracking and illumination for the Sea Dart missile, has been removed from the three carriers. BAE SYSTEMS Type 996 surface search radar antennae is mounted very high on the tower between the two funnels. HMS Ark Royal has Type 992. Both radars operate at E and F-bands. BAE SYSTEMS Type 1022 air search radar operates at D-band. HMS Invincible and Ark Royal are equipped with the Kelvin Hughes Type 1006 navigation radar and HMS Illustrious has the Type 1007, both operating at I-band.

The sonar system is the hull-mounted Type 2016 active/passive search and attack sonar by Thales Underwater Systems (formerly Thomson Marconi Sonar).

PROPULSION

The ship is powered by COGAG (combined gas turbine and gas turbine), consisting of four Rolls Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbine engines generating 97,000hp, providing a speed of 28 knots. At the economical speed of 19 knots the range of the ship is 7000 miles.


hi ,

the pic clearly shows why the defense should go up on the carrier , .....

have a nice day

[Panag]

LPD(R) ALBION CLASS LANDING PLATFORM DOCK, UNITED KINGDOM
On 18 July 1996, the UK Ministry of Defence announced a £450m order with Vicker's Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd, now BAE Systems Marine, for two Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) for the Royal Navy.

The two ships are named HMS Albion (L14) and HMS Bulwark (L15) and were built at BAE Systems Marine dockyard at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. HMS Albion was launched in March 2001 and HMS Bulwark in November 2001. Albion has successfully completed initial sea trials. The two ships will be based at Devonport with the helicopter carrier HMS Ocean, and are expected to enter service in 2003 and 2004. The LPDs are to replace HMS Fearless, which retired from service in March 2002, and HMS Intrepid which was decommissioned several years ago.

DESIGN

Each Landing Platform Dock will operate eight landing craft, four of which will be able to transport and land main battle tanks. The docking system is located at the stern of the ship. Flooding of the docking area is achieved by ballasting the stern of the ship, allowing the landing craft to float. The LPD is to be equipped with a new design of roll-on/roll-off landing craft, the LCU Mk 10, such that the land vehicles are forward-facing for disembarking. The LCU has a deep load displacement of 240t and can carry a combat-ready Challenger Mk 2 MBT and land it within its fording depth. The ship will also have four LCVP Mk 5 landing craft from FBM Babcock Marine, each of which can transport 35 men or two light trucks. The smaller LCVPs are carried on davits. When the ship is berthed, vehicles can also disembark through the side ports.

Each LPD will have a complement of 325 crew, including crew for the landing craft. The ship will carry 300 assault troops or up to 650 for short emergency periods, together with their equipment and 70 support vehicles.

The flight deck has two helicopter landing sites which can accommodate either one Chinook or two medium support helicopters, such as the Sea King Mk4 or EH101 helicopters. The standard displacement (fully manned and stored) is 13,000t, and the full load displacement (with fuel, ammunition, stores, water) is 16,000t.

COMMAND SYSTEM

The command, control and communications systems include: BAE Systems ADAWS 2000 combat data system, CSS command support system, Integrated Communications System and the Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi) Scot satellite communication system.

The contract for the Royal Navy's CSS Command Support System was awarded to EDS Defence Ltd in May 1996. The CSS is to be fitted throughout the Royal Navy fleet and also in some operational land-based headquarters. The LPD command support system fit will comprise 72 workstations for the naval task group and for the amphibious landing force command. The software is Windows-based and the system design is based on commercial off-the-shelf hardware.

A £35m contract for the Integrated Communications System for the LPD was awarded to a consortium of Redifon, BAE SYSTEMS and Thales (formerly Thomson CSF). The system will be the first fully integrated communications system for the Royal Navy. The contract covers the development, production and integration of secure voice and data communications both internally and externally to the ship, incorporating satellite, high-frequency radio and a range of internal communication networks.

WEAPONS

The ship is equipped with two twin 30mm guns and two Goalkeeper Close In Weapon Systems from Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal). The countermeasures suite includes the Outfit DLJ decoys, eight Sea Gnat launchers and BAE SYSTEMS DLH offboard decoy. The electronic support measures/countermeasures system is the UAT(1) from Thales Defence Ltd, which is also installed on the newer versions of the Royal Navy's Type 23 frigates.

SENSORS

Two Kelvin Hughes Type 1007/8 I-band radars provide the navigation and aircraft control radar. The air/surface search radar is the BAE SYSTEMS Type 996 E/F band.

PROPULSION

The diesel-electric propulsion system comprises two Wartsila Vasa 16V 32E diesel generators, two Wartsila Vasa 4R 32E diesel generators, two shafts, two slow-speed electric motors and a bow thruster. The top speed is 18 knots.


hi ,

just an other reason to have this type of ship

have a nice day

[Panag]

LPH01 OCEAN HELICOPTER CARRIER, UNITED KINGDOM
The UK Ministry of Defence issued an invitation to tender in July 1987 for an amphibious helicopter carrier for the Royal Navy and the order was placed in May 1993 with Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (now BAE Systems Marine) in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Kvaerner Govan Ltd is the principal subcontractor. HMS Ocean (LPH01) was commissioned in September 1998 and is in operational service.

The primary role of HMS Ocean (L12) is to achieve the rapid landing of an assault force by helicopter and landing craft.

HMS Ocean returned to Devonport in June 2002 after a successful tour of duty in the Indian Ocean in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

DESIGN

The hull design is based on the design of the Invincible class aircraft carrier (also built by Vickers) with a modified superstructure. The building schedule included hull construction by Kvaerner Govan on the River Clyde and sailing under its own power to the BAE SYSTEMS ship yards at Barrow-in-Furness for the military equipment fit.

The ship carries a crew of 255, an aircrew of 206 and 480 Royal Marine Commandos. An additional 320 marines could be accommodated in a short-term emergency. HMS Ocean is capable of transporting and sustaining an embarked military force of up to 800 men equipped with artillery, vehicles and stores. The ship has capacity for 40 vehicles but is not designed to land heavy tanks. There are four LCVP Mk 5 vehicle/personnel landing craft on davits.

AIRCRAFT

The ship has full facilities for twelve EH101 Merlin and six Lynx helicopters, and landing and refuelling facilities for Chinook helicopters. Twenty Sea Harriers could be carried but not supported. The flight deck is 170m long and 32.6m wide, and there are two aircraft lifts.

COMMAND SYSTEMS

HMS Ocean is equipped with the BAE SYSTEMS ADAWS 2000 combat data system, Link 11, 14 and 16 communications, an Astrium (formerly Matra Marconi) SATCOM 1D satellite communications system, and a Merlin computer link. The ADAWS 2000 combat data system, installed on both HMS Ocean and on the Royal Navy's Landing Platform Dock LPD assault ship, is compatible with the ships of the Royal Navy's front line fleet.

WEAPONS

The weapon systems include four Oerlikon/BAE twin 30mm guns together with three Raytheon/General Dynamics Phalanx Mk 15 close-in weapon systems.

COUNTERMEASURES

Two decoy systems are fitted, Outfit DLJ and Outfit DLH. Outfit DLH is the Royal Navy's active naval offboard decoy, which uses an expendable radiating decoy against radar guided missiles. The Siren decoy from BAE Systems is propelled from the launcher with a parachute to keep the decoy airborne. The receiver/transmitter in the decoy is switched on to seduce the approaching radar guided missile by a jamming technique known as range gate pull off. Outfit DLJ is a newer Royal Navy decoy entering service. HMS Ocean is equipped with eight Sea Gnat radar reflection/infrared emitting decoys. Sea Gnat was developed under a NATO collaborative project involving USA, Germany, Norway, Denmark and the UK for protection against anti-ship guided missiles.

The electronic support measures system is the Royal Navy's UAT from Thales Defence Ltd. UAT is a radar warning receiver and electronic surveillance system which provides targeting data and identification of hostile radar threats. Also fitted is the Thales Type 675(2) ship-borne jammer, which has two antenna mounts to provide 360° azimuth coverage. Maximum elevation is 50° and the range is 500km.

SENSORS

HMS Ocean is equipped with the BAE SYSTEMS Type 996 air and surface search radar. Surface search and aircraft control radar is provided by two Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 systems.

PROPULSION

Propulsion is provided by two Crossley Pielstick 16 PC2.6 V 200 medium-speed diesel engines, rated at 23,904hp, with two independent shafts and a five-bladed fixed-pitch propeller. A 450kW KaMeWa bow thruster is fitted. The maximum speed is 18 knots and the range is 8,000 miles.


hi ,

"ocean" helicopter carrier , ....

have a nice day

[Panag]

LPD ROTTERDAM CLASS LANDING PLATFORM DOCK, NETHERLANDS
Schelde Shipbuilding of the Royal Schelde Company, based in Vlissingen in the Netherlands, has built the Rotterdam class Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ship for the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Royal Schelde Company were awarded the contract to build Hr Ms Rotterdam in April 1993 and the ship was launched in 1997. The Royal Netherlands Navy has plans to order a second Rotterdam Class LPD, Hr Ms Johan de Witt, to enter service in 2007. The new vessel will be equipped with command and control facilities for a Combined Joint Task Force.

Hr Ms Rotterdam (L 800) is one of a range of Landing Platform Dock ships designed by Schelde. The LPD Enforcer series of transportation vessels range in size from 9,000 to 14,000t maximum displacement. Schelde is offering a range of ship configurations and capability options based on the modular LPD Enforcer design.

DESIGN
The overall length of the hull of the Rotterdam class is 162.2m, its breadth is 25m and its maximum draught is 5.9m. The maximum displacement is 14,000t. Rotterdam is capable of carrying out helicopter operations up to Sea State 6. Operations with landing craft are possible up to Sea State 4. Amphibious tasks include the ability to embark, transport and disembark one Marine Corps battalion, including the associated combat and logistic support vehicles and equipment. The ship carries provisions and stores for battalion transportation for more than ten days. The vessel is also capable of transferring reserve forces and for the evacuation of casualties.

The ship is operated by a crew of 124, including 13 officers. Accommodation is also provided for a fully equipped marine battalion or up to 613 troops. Hr Ms Rotterdam has facilities to transport 170 armoured personnel carriers, or 33 main battle tanks, and also docking facilities for up to six landing craft, for example six LCVP Mark 3, four LCU Mark 9 or four LCM 8 landing craft.

Hr Ms Rotterdam has extensive fully equipped hospital facilities with a medical treatment room, a medical operating theatre and a medical laboratory.

WEAPON SYSTEMS
Two Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) Goalkeeper close in weapon systems are installed on the bow deck and on the upper deck immediately overlooking the helicopter landing deck. Goalkeeper's Gatling-principle 30mm gun provides a maximum firing rate of 4,200 rounds/min with a range of 1,500m. To support the Goalkeeper CIWS, a Thales Nederland IRSCAN infrared search and track system is fitted. IRSCAN can detect and track targets to a maximum range of 20km.

Four Oerlikon 20mm guns are located on the bridge deck. Rotterdam has the capacity to carry up to 36 torpedoes in the magazine area.

AIRCRAFT
The 58m x 25m flight deck has landing spots for two large helicopters such as the EH 101. The aircraft hangar is sufficiently large to accommodate up to four EH101 helicopter or six medium-size helicopters such as the Super Puma or the NH 90. The hangar has extensive helicopter maintenance and spares facilities.

COUNTERMEASURES
The ship's decoy system consists of four SRBOC (Super Rapid Blooming Offboard Countermeasures) decoy launchers from Sippican, which fire infrared decoys and chaff for confusion, distraction and seduction of incoming anti-ship missiles. It is also fitted with the AN/SLQ-25 Nixie towed torpedo decoy, from Sensytech Inc of Newington, Virginia.

SENSORS
The radar suite includes: Thales Nederland DA08 air and surface search radar operating at E and F bands, Kelvin Hughes ARPA surface search radar operating at I-band and two sets of navigation and aviation radar operating at I-band.

PROPULSION
The ship is equipped with four Stork Wartsila diesel generators, model 12SW28 generating 14MW, and two Holec motors generating 12MW, driving two shafts. The bow thruster is rated at 185kW. The top speed is over 18 knots, and the range at 12 knots is over 6,000 miles.


hi ,

a dutch punch , ....

have a nice day

[Master Zen]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by panag


hi ,

conserning load , in Vietnam it happend , example , an airwing would fly in , refuel , load bombs and take off , extra pilots being glown over in a small transport , ...

your idea about spreading aircraft over more carriers does not fly , an extra carrier cost's a zillion time more then an aircraft , .... neiher does 50 percent fly , .....32 is not 50 % of 85

Precisely, I said that it was more economical to use 2 carriers with more aircraft than 3 aircraft with less. But the US did not do that so that is why I am disputing your claim of 30 more aircraft. And the 50% was referring to COMBAT AIRCRAFT which is ultimately what matters since adding solely support craft is unnesseary considering the size of the combat wing has not changed. If you count, say, helicopters, then yes, any Nimitz carrier could probably fit in 30 more.

Su 27 , pffff its like giving a new name just because the 35 can fly a bit further , ..... if you would read the info posted above you would see that the su 27 family does not even come close to the F-18 , ..... not to speak of the new ones , .....

on top of that most of the frames from the su35's are having problems with the frames , overused , ......to many cracks here and there , ....

have a nice day

I won't say anything about the Su 35 since it is an untried aircraft. I will simply say that I base my facts on a BAe study which showed the Su-35 to be about 30% better than the F/A-18E

[Master Zen]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Love the info, Panag. Very accurate. However, I am in the Navy and can tell you we have plenty of F-14s and will for some years yet (in diminishing numbers). Take into account that the Navy and DoD's finacial commitments will change considerably in the next year when Iraq goes up in smoke. I would expect the retirement schedule for the F-14 to go through some changes.

Hey Patrokos, being in the Navy do you know first hand if the Nimitz can effectively carry 30 more aircraft?

[Nubclear]

MODS, PANAG IS SPAMMING!!!