Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!newstop!sun!amdcad!amdcad!military From: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Aegis cruisers Message-ID: <1991Apr13.015330.23944@amd.com> Date: 12 Apr 91 11:29:32 GMT References: <1991Apr12.054955.13687@amd.com> Sender: military@amd.com Organization: David Taylor Research Center, Bethesda, MD Lines: 86 Approved: military@amd.com From: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) >I think there are four Aegis cruisers operational today with the US Navy. >I can only come up with names for three of them (Ticonderoga, Vincennes, >Bunker Hill). What is the name of the fourth one? >Do the Navy plan to build any more of these super cruisers? Boy, are you going to be surprised! Actually, there are 15 in service plus 12 under construction. Here they are: Name No Status ----------------- ----- --------- TICONDEROGA CG 47 Comp. YORKTOWN CG 48 Comp. VINCENNES CG 49 Comp. VALLEY FORGE CG 50 Comp. THOMAS S GATES CG 51 Comp. BUNKER HILL CG 52 Comp. MOBILE BAY CG 53 Comp. ANTIETAM CG 54 Comp. LEYTE GULF CG 55 Comp. SAN JACINTO CG 56 Comp. LAKE CHAMPLAIN CG 57 Comp. PHILIPPINE SEA CG 58 Comp. PRINCETON CG 59 Comp. NORMANDY CG 60 Comp. MONTEREY CG 61 Bldg. CHANCELLORSVILLE CG 62 Comp. COWPENS CG 63 Bldg. GETTYSBURG CG 64 Bldg. CHOSIN CG 65 Bldg. HUE CITY CG 66 Bldg. SHILOH CG 67 Bldg. ANZIO CG 68 Bldg. VICKSBURG CG 69 Bldg. LAKE ERIE CG 70 Bldg. CAPE ST GEORGE CG 71 Bldg. VELLA GULF CG 72 Bldg. PORT ROYAL CG 73 Bldg. Note: Comp. - Completed Bldg. - Building The TICONDEROGA class design is a modification of the SPRUANCE class. The same basic hull is used, with the same gas turbine propulsion plant although the overall length is slightly incrased. The design includes Kevlar armour to protect vital spaces. No stablizers. VINCENNES and later ships have a lighter tripod mainmast vice the square quadruped of the first two. An immediate result during TICONDEROGA's first deployment in 1984 was the reduction of combat air patrols because of her success in detecting targets in the vicinity of her task force. Since then, YORKTOWN provided the air-intercept support for Navy fighters intercepting the Egyptian airline carrying the hijackers of the cruise ship ACHILLE LAURO from Egypt to Tunisia. In March and April of 1986, YORKTOWN and VINCENNES were focal points of the successful operations in the Gulf of Sidra which led to the sinking of at least two Libyan patrol boats and of the strike by carrier-based Navy aircraft and shore-based F-111s against Libyan missiles sites and other targets. From the spring of 1987 until the ceasefire in summer 1988 at least one of these ships was in the Gulf area. VINCENNES was again in the news with the misidentification and shooting down of an airliner during a surface engagement with Iranian gunboats. The report of that incident describes the Aegis system as having performed as designed, and the sensor data collected was accurate but it should be appreciated that Aegis is not capable of identifying the type of aircraft being tracked. That decision is still a matter for human judgement. Aegis' major advantages are the extended range ofits sensors, its fast reaction time, the capability to track many targets at once, its ability to send this information automatically to other units, and its data displays which combine sensor information with other inputs and better convey it to the users. Because of its long-range radar, it gives the operators additional time to react, to gather data, and to make considered judgements. Operating close-in to a land-based airfield, however, these advantages can be severely eroded. The most capable platform in the US inventory for handling the anti-ship missile threat is the Aegis cruiser. Source: Jane's Fighting Ships 1990-91