Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!apple!veritas!amdcad!amdcad!military From: DWN102@psuvm.psu.edu Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Random thoughts on Ships Message-ID: <1991Mar28.033230.3774@amd.com> Date: 27 Mar 91 19:40:02 GMT References: <1991Mar27.051326.22591@amd.com> Sender: military@amd.com Organization: Penn State University Lines: 45 Approved: military@amd.com From: DWN102@psuvm.psu.edu In article <1991Mar27.051326.22591@amd.com>, pms2@jaguar.uofs.edu says: > A few articles have been posted concerning converting aircraft carriers >(spec. the Forrestals and Kitty Hawks) to nuclear. I tend to believe that this >would be (a) prohibitively expensive, and (b) patently ignorant! Correct, it would make a lot more sense to build something new and get 50 years than to retrofit and get 15 years. > Just saw an ad in _USNI Proceedings_ saying that the Arleigh Burke was >launched. Anyone know how many of these are going to be built? Also, did they >retrofit the Aegis system onto these, or did they have to do a few mods from >the Ticonderogas (i.e., is it the same, or is it different? Enquiring minds The last I heard was 29 total, however this is due to change with the year- ly budget nightmare in Congress. The ships are fitted with an Aegis variant, the SPY-1D, which I believe has a faster processor on it. > I've also seen ads in _Proceedings_ by GE re: the Seawolf. Has anyone >given consideration to giving it a stretch and making it a combination attack >sub/SSBN? Why?, the Ohio and Seawolf are two completely different submarines. First of all, I don't think you could fit a Trident vertically into a Seawolf. Sec- ondly, one of the reasons for the Seawolf was to have room for additional arma- ments (Tomahawks, Harpoons, Mk 48s). Putting a few Tridents on would get rid of that extra room. I also believe that we are running up to our limit in the # of SLBMs allowed by SALT II. I believe that is why the Ohio class is winding down in production. Once the Sturgeon (SSN-637) class begins to retire in the next several years, we will be left with a shortage of SSNs. I suppose I could ramble on for a couple more paragraphs, but I hope you see the point. Simply put, ships do best the job they were designed for. Putting Tridents into a Seawolf would be like converting an Ohio to a SSN. An 18,700 ton SSN, imagine that! I hope that this has been some help. [ Also, Boomers and Hunters have very different missions - Boomers are supposed to hide and keep quiet, Hunters are more aggressive. --CDR] David Bancroft dwn102@psuvm.psu.edu Senior - Electrical Engineering (soon to be working on BSY-2. Cool!)