USN Cold War Destroyers

6 classes, 68 ships 1947-1990

Genesis: WW2 lessons and new roles in sight

In September 1945, the US Navy had more than 200 destoyers in service, completed, or just launched, while the cancellation axed dozens even before V-Day. Operations reliaed on three major types, outside prewar vessels since 1934 which were clearly showing their age and design limitations: The Fletchers, Sumner and Gearing. The first were still "classic" vessels armed with two torpedo tubes banks and five single guns, of the standard 5-in/38. Their mass production, started in 1940 on a simplified version based on the previous Gleaves class soon became the largest destroyer construction program worldwide with 175 units launched until 1943.



The next Allen M Sumner class (1943) drew lessons of the early pacific and sacrificed a torpedo tubes bank for extra AA and three twin 5-in/38 in the new standard mount of the USN. Larger and still capable of 38 knots, they were succeeded in 1944 by the ultimate evolution of these WW2 designs, the Gearing class (pic, USS Chevalier) completed in 1945, and which class the most "axed" by cancellations, with more than 150 planned.

In introduction, see the WW2 DD types

The latter were larger, longer, roomier, and offered potentially more potential for modernizations during the cold war, something which came very handy indeed: Between the FRAM I, II and many specialized variants created over the years, most of these vessels soldiered for more of the cold war. The amount of modifications was in many cases so staggering that they will be treated in standalone articles. Not only they worked tirelessely for the USN but after that often were resold to NATO countries and others around the globe, soldiering until the 1990s. The smaller Fletchers were not so lucky and their career often ended in the early 1960s.

USN Tabula Rasa on Destroyers

There was a great deal of debate and thinking about how to plan the next generation of destroyers. There were essentially two schools: Those who wanted the same versatile vessels able to perform a large variety of missions for the fleet, and those who wanted a more organic ship solely dedicated to the purpose of escorting the next task forces based on aircraft carriers such as the recent Midway class, planned USS United States and their successors, the super-carriers Forrestals. Protection of these assets was indeed a matter of organic specialization inside the task force: Since battleships were doomed on the not-so-long term, only saved by their recent construction, the bulk of organic AA defence rested on the cruisers, also tasked of anti-ship duties, while Destroyers were mainly tasked of ASW defense.

This task was already taken over by sub-chasers and frigates, corvettes, but the latter were merely seen as an inheritance of the battle of the Atlantic, to be only continued through the definition of new versatile frigates and the modernization of hundreds of existing escort destroyers. In 1947 a cold war with USSR was now evident and from the latter, the threat of fast submarines based on the German Type XXI was enough to guarantee a solid ASW buffer to the carrier forces. The development of missiles was also in the works, based on German experiments such as the V1, V2 or rocket-guided bombs, creating a new line of development, which was to emerge in the 1950s.

Cold War modernizations:

Fletcher

Sumner FRAM

Gearing

:

Displacement: 1314t standard, 1877t PC
Dimensions: 93.9 pp/96 oa x 11.2 x 3.6m
Propulsion: 1 shaft geared Westinghouse turbine, 2 Foster Wheeler boilers, 20,000 hp. and 27 knots. RA 6000 Nm/12 knots.
Crew: 173
Sensors: SPS-6 40 Radar, SQS 4 sonar.
Weaponry: 4 x 3 in (76 mm), Weapon Alfa (ASWRL), 2x 3 TTs, 2 DCTs.

:

Displacement: 1314t standard, 1877t PC
Dimensions: 93.9 pp/96 oa x 11.2 x 3.6m
Propulsion: 1 shaft geared Westinghouse turbine, 2 Foster Wheeler boilers, 20,000 hp. and 27 knots. RA 6000 Nm/12 knots.
Crew: 173
Sensors: SPS-6 40 Radar, SQS 4 sonar.
Weaponry: 4 x 3 in (76 mm), Weapon Alfa (ASWRL), 2x 3 TTs, 2 DCTs.

Development of missile Destroyers

Projects

file:///E:/navistory2/navis_guerrefroide.net/images/photos/usa/farragut_dlg13_william_pratt_dp.jpg USS William D Pratt DLG13 1969 Mediterranean These ten large destroyers (DLG 6-15) sometimes referred to as the Coontz class, built between 1957 and 1959, were the first missile-launching escorts designed on plans in the US Navy. Their specifications dated back to the report made by the Schindler committee in 1954 which recommended the use of fast escort ships, armed mainly with fast guns for anti-aircraft combat, and smaller ASM means, as well as anti-ship torpedoes inspired by the memory of the battle of Samar (Leyte, 1944) where destroyers had stubbornly defended with torpedoes an imposing Task-Force of aircraft carriers against a Japanese fleet. The Terrier missile was not planned at the beginning and the role of the ASM defense was reinforced in front of the increasing threat of the fast Soviet SNA.

Their first ASM system was the RAT, followed quickly by the ASROC. The Farraguts took up the imposing flush-deck hull of the previous Mitschers, but were much heavier and larger. They received the NTDS in 1961, and ASROC reloads soon after, at the sacrifice of the two 76 mm mounts in 1969-77, as well as quadruple Harpoon missile ramps. Two vessels also received Vucan Phalanx rapid guns in 1973-75. The Mahan tested the SM-2(ER) in 1979 and their large dimensions allowed them to also implement the double-decker version of the tartar, replaced from 1983. These buildings were put in reserve in 1989-92. In 1990, eight were still in service.



Displacement: 3277t standard, 4526t FL
Dimensions: 133.20 oa x 14.3 x 4.6m
Propulsion: 2 shaft geared turbine, 4 boilers, 70,000 hp. 33 knts.
Crew: 330
Sensors:SPS29, 39, 2 SPG51, sonar SQQ23A.
Weaponry: 2 x 5-in DP, 1x2 Tartar SM1 (42), 1 ASROC ASM (16), 2x3 TLT ASM 324 mm.



file:///E:/navistory2/navis_guerrefroide.net/images/photos/usa/uss_lawrence_charles_f_adams.jpg The Destroyers of the Charles F. Adams class succeeded the Forrest Sherman (1953), themselves still modeled on the Gearing of the Second World War. Built in large series (23 units, DDG-2 to DDG-24; USS Waddell, DDG-24, was launched in February 1962 and accepted into service in 1964.), they retained typical characteristics such as the continuous deck hull, the side bulwarks, two chimneys, but they innovated considerably by being the first to implement a missile armament. The center of the system was the new MAA Tartar (SAM-1) which replaced the rear 127 mm DP turret. This system included a double launcher and a drum below equipped with 40 vectors. This missile operational in 1962 and dependent on a very specific radar guidance system had a range of 50 km and a speed of Mach 1.8. The second system was the ASROC, promised a good career, both in the US Navy where it equipped all the escort buildings and abroad, and included an eightfold launcher placed in the center with a reload of 8 vectors. The missile, with a range of 9 km, a safe distance from the danger of torpedoing by an opposing submarine, carried an ASM load (10kt tactical warhead) or an acoustic torpedo with a load of 45 kg.

The Charles F. Adams, classified as "fleet escorts", a term which highlighted the primacy of the aircraft carrier over the rest of the fleet, had been a technical tour de force because although 6 meters longer and more one meter wider than the Forrest Shermans, and still with the same propulsion system giving 70,000 hp, managed to maintain their speed of 33 knots thanks to a reduced laden weight. This was made possible by a lighter construction and a much longer hull, guaranteeing excellent hydrodynamic penetration. The qualities of these buildings were recognized and both the FRG and Australia built replicas. Nevertheless, their light construction and their narrow compartmentalization left little room for possible extensive work, and in fact, they were only superficially modernized (improvements in electronics, including the computerized tactical management system JPTDS, CME SQL 20/ 32 and the general-purpose Mk.86 fire control). Their Tartar Mk11/13 launchers were fitted out in the 1980s to receive the Harpoon and they were fitted lastly with SPS40 and 52 radars. activity. Three were sold to Greece in 1992. They are still in service. Another was transferred to Australia to serve as a spare parts bank.



Displacement: 3,277 tons standard, 4,526t FL.
Dimensions: 133,2 x 14,3 x 4,6 m
Propulsion: 2 shaft steam turbines, 4 boilers, 70,000 hp 33 kts.
Crew: 333-350
Sensors: Radars SPS29, 39, 2 SPG51, sonar SQQ23A.
Weaponry: 2 x 5-in DP, 1x2 Tartar SM1 (42), 1 ASROC ASM (16), 2x3 TT ASW 324 mm.





Displacement: 1314t standard, 1877t PC
Dimensions: 93.9 pp/96 oa x 11.2 x 3.6m
Propulsion: 1 shaft geared Westinghouse turbine, 2 Foster Wheeler boilers, 20,000 hp. and 27 knots. RA 6000 Nm/12 knots.
Crew: 173
Sensors: SPS-6 40 Radar, SQS 4 sonar.
Weaponry: 4 x 3 in (76 mm), Weapon Alfa (ASWRL), 2x 3 TTs, 2 DCTs.

:

Displacement: 1314t standard, 1877t PC
Dimensions: 93.9 pp/96 oa x 11.2 x 3.6m
Propulsion: 1 shaft geared Westinghouse turbine, 2 Foster Wheeler boilers, 20,000 hp. and 27 knots. RA 6000 Nm/12 knots.
Crew: 173
Sensors: SPS-6 40 Radar, SQS 4 sonar.
Weaponry: 4 x 3 in (76 mm), Weapon Alfa (ASWRL), 2x 3 TTs, 2 DCTs.

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Destroyers mothballed on the James River, 1993; nice sample of all cold war classes.

Naval History