Military Weapons

UNDERWAY-REPLENISHMENT SHIPS (Military Weapons)

Cimarron (AO 177) These five fleet oilers are designed to provide two complete refuelings to a conventional aircraft carrier and six to eight accompanying escort ships. As completed, they proved too small and were stretched 108 ft (32.9 m) to increase petroleum product capacity by 50%. After their “jumboizing,” the Cim-arrons carry 183,000 barrels of […]

ATTACK SUBMARINES (Military Weapons)

Los Angeles (SSN 688) The 62 boats in this class represent the largest class of nuclear-powered submarines to have been built to a single basic design. Initially developed in the late 1960s to counter the Soviet Vz’ctor-class fast attack submarines, production carried on far longer than originally expected, setting a construction duration record for submarines […]

STRATEGIC SUBMARINES (Military Weapons)

Lafayette (SSBN 616) These 31 submarines were the definitive production launch platforms for the Polaris Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) design. The program is nearly unique in its success in getting so many complex ships in service in so short a time. These submarines are enlarged and improved versions of the previous Ethan Allen (SSBN 608) […]

SMALL COMBATANTS (Military Weapons)

Cyclone (PC 1) These 13 fast patrol craft are the first of their kind to be built for the US Navy since the Vietnam War and are among the largest ever procured for that service. They are based on the British-built Egyptian Navy Ramadan-c\as$ missile boats, but are gun-armed craft intended to patrol US coastlines […]

SEALIFT AND PREPOSITIONED SHIPS (Military Weapons)

New-Construction Sealift Ships Desert Shield mobilization experience and the likelihood that US forces would have to build up rapidly at remote locations in the future led to a considerable expansion of the US sealift fleet. In addition to the conversion of five commercial Roll-On/Roll-Off (RO/RO) ships byNewportNewsShip-building and NASSCO, 12 new ships (Bob Hope class) […]

MINE WARFARE SHIPS (Military Weapons)

Avenger (MCM 1) These 14 relatively large Mine Counter-measures (MCM) ships locate and destroy mines that cannot be countered by conventional minesweeping techniques or minesweeping helicopters. The basic MCM design is similar to previous MSO (Ocean Minesweeper) classes. The long-forecastle hull has a low magnetic signature, being constructed of fiberglass-sheathed wood (laminated oak framing, Douglas […]

CRUISERS (Military Weapons)

Bainbridge (CGN 25) This was the US Navy’s third nuclear-powered surface ship after the Enterprise (CVN 65) and the Long Beach (CGN 9). She differs from the later Truxtun (CGN 35) in being a “double-end” missile ship and in not having a 5-in gun and helicopter-support capability. Her long-forecastle hull breaks just ahead of the […]

DESTROYERS (Military Weapons)

ArleighBurke (DDG 51) These complex destroyers (28 authorized by the end of FY1994) were designed from the outset to be smaller and less expensive (by 25%) than the Ticonderoga (DDG/CG 47) design. Even so, they represent a significant investment and show an unmatched flexibility in their seakeep-ing and weapons layout. The design’s one weakness is […]

COMMAND SHIPS (Military Weapons)

Blue Ridge (LCC 19) These two large command ships are the only ships to be designed from the outset specifically for the amphibious command ship role. Both ships are now employed as fleet flagships. The hull and propulsion machinery are similar to that of the Iwojima (LPH 2)-class helicopter carriers. Along each side of the […]

BATTLESHIPS (Military Weapons)

Iowa (BB 61) The US Iowa-class ships were the world’s last surviving battleships in naval service, having been returned to active commission in the 1980s. They were estimated to have a remaining service life of 10-15 years, and their main armament was conceded to have unmatched power within its range. On the other hand, they […]

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