Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!linac!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Missile pods on Soviet warships Message-ID: <1991Jun21.014547.15346@cbnews.cb.att.com> Date: 21 Jun 91 01:45:47 GMT References: <1991Jun20.020943.1923@cbnews.cb.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.cb.att.com (william.a.thacker) Organization: Naval Ocean Systems Center, San Diego Lines: 41 Approved: military@att.att.com From: deichman@cod.nosc.mil (Shane D. Deichman) >From: Suku [Stuffed about vulnerability deleted] >Does it not make sense to have vertical >launched missile magazines situated inside the ship hulls giving a little >more protection and survivability ? Not as easy as it sounds -- vertical launch capability, while nice and tidy in terms of redundancy and reduced vulnerability, is a complex process requiring mucho CPU time. On the other had, the Soviet scheme of stacking their missiles in armored box launchers (like some of our TLAM/ TASM launchers on BBs and CGNs) is more secure than our old twin-arm SM2 launchers -- the CGs (all TICOs before, I think, BUNKER HILL), DDs, DDGs, CGNs, and FFGs have the twin arm launcher that must be loaded via rails. Before that can happen, the missiles must be loaded onto the rails. To do that, they have to be brought up from the magazine (and fins attached, and the rails secured, and etc. -- all while vampires are coming in... I think you get the point). One thing goes wrong, the whole kit-and-caboodle is pretty useless... (though the LONG BEACH (CGN-9) has two sets of twin arm launchers -- one is essentially a spare...). With the Mk 41 VLS, though, just flick a switch and rock-n-roll! (If a tube doesn't respond -- big deal! You've got 121 others! >BTW I have also seen some US ships upgraded with Harpoon canisters similarly >mounted externally. Any ideas/thoughts ? I've never seen a vertical-launch Harpoon. Perhaps McDonnell-Douglas and friends are working on it, but for now those are canister-launched... -shane -- ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ | deichman@cod.nosc.mil | "There's no heavier burden than a | | | great potential!" -Linus Van Pelt | ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^