Ticonderoga-class ships are of the type missile cruisers which are in service with the US Navy. Warships of this class were the first in the US Navy to be equipped with the Aegis combat information and control system.
An order from the Navy for the construction of the lead ship was received in 1978, and the ship was originally laid down as a URO, but on January 1, 1980, even before the launch was completed, due to more advanced capabilities, it received a different classification - URO cruiser. When developing design and technical documentation for a cruiser of the class " Ticonderoga"the hull of a class destroyer" was used Spruance».
This class has a characteristic hull with a forecastle extended into the stern, passing through 2/3 of the entire length of the cruiser, the bow, and also the transom stern. The contours of the cruiser hull are designed in such a way that the design helps to reduce the amplitude of the roll and pitch, and also slightly reduces water resistance. Taking into account the experience of operating destroyers of the class " Spruance» The total length of the ship was increased by 1.1 meters on the cruiser, where a special 1.4 m high bulwark was installed to reduce the impact of waves in stormy conditions, and also protects bow artillery installations and missile launchers. Chimneys are spaced along the sides and length cruisers. Lattice masts are located behind the wheelhouse and in the middle part of the superstructure.
To the characteristics cruisers class " Ticonderoga"we can attribute the presence of fin stabilizers and the ability of these ships to go for a long time at a speed of at least 20 knots with sea waves of 7 balls.
In the construction of cruisers of this class, durable materials were widely used, such as aluminum alloys, plastic, wear-resistant coatings and the like.
Cellars for storing ammunition are protected by 25 mm steel plates. The most vital parts of the superstructure are also additionally protected in the form of honeycomb panels. The upper deck of the cruiser has a vinyl covering.
In comparison with other projects of the ships of the American fleet on cruisers class "Ticonderoga" the area of \u200b\u200bliving premises, which are located in the middle part of the building, is slightly increased. American shipbuilders also provided facilities for outdoor activities and sports.
All cruisers « Ticonderoga» adapted for operations in the conditions of the use of weapons of mass destruction. Why are there no portholes in the hull and superstructure. All interior spaces equipped with an air conditioning system.
The cruiser is equipped with belt conveyors for transferring various cargoes from the upper to the lower decks and transferring them to the compartments. One of these devices provides horizontal movement of goods through the entire length of the ship. The bow and stern of the cruiser are equipped with posts for receiving cargo delivered by helicopters.
Another distinctive feature of this project is the use of a modular design of devices, which makes it possible to use the method of aggregate replacement of equipment and put into operation in the shortest possible time. various systems ship by the forces and means of the ship's personnel.
Ticonderoga-class cruisers
cruiser «Philippine Sea» (CG 58) in Sevastopol
cruiser USS Lake Champlain
cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61)
127 mm automatic gun Mk 45
compare the hulls of two ships: the destroyer Spruance and the cruiser Ticonderoga
a little about the missile armament of the Ticonderoga cruiser
In the period from 2000 to 2011, all cruisers of the class " Ticonderoga"were upgraded weapons. got the opportunity to use RIM-161 interceptor missiles " Standard Missile 3", which, using the guidance system, attack atmospheric targets at a distance of up to 500 km at an altitude of 160 km, and the event that took place on February 21, 2008 was a vivid example of this. For the first time in the history of the fleet from a cruiser USS Lake Erie"With the help of such a missile, the unguided satellite USA-193 was successfully intercepted at a distance of 275 km.
On the first five missile cruisers of the class " Ticonderoga"housed conventional double-beam universal launchers for launching anti-ship missiles of the" Harpoon", anti-aircraft " standard"and anti-submarine" ASROC ". However, in 1986, vertical missile launchers with container cells entered service with the US Navy. The use of this complex made it possible to increase the survivability of the installation, increase the ammunition and range of launched missiles, and also reduce the counterattack time. Typical loading of the installation of vertical launch of missiles on the sixth and subsequent cruisers of the class " Ticonderoga» next: 26 cruise missiles « Tomahawk", 16 ASROC anti-submarine guided missiles and 80 anti-aircraft guided missiles" Standard 2"- a total of 122 missiles in two modules.
A total of 27 URO cruisers of this class were built. Nineteen cruisers of this project were built at the shipyard " Ingalls Shipbuilding", and eight - at the enterprise" Bath Iron Works”, USA. Four of them are cruisers USS Yorktown», « USS Vincennes», « USS Valley Forge», « USS Thomas S. Gates"have already been withdrawn from the American fleet, and are preparing for disposal, and the lead ship" USS Ticonderoga” will become a floating museum ship, as an agreement was recently reached with the US government.
« USS Ticonderoga” as a maritime museum will be installed in the city of Pascagoula, Mississippi. The cost of all work, including preparatory repairs, preparation of the berth, towing and installation of the ship, is estimated at $17 million.
All cruisers except " USS Thomas S. Gates” are named after significant events associated with America during the Second World War.
Technical characteristics of the USS Ticonderoga missile cruiser:
Displacement - 9800 tons;
Length - 172.8 m;
Width - 16.8 m;
Draft - 10.2 m;
Power plant - four gas turbines type LM2500 "General Electric"
Power - 80000 l. With.;
Travel speed - 32.5 knots;
Cruising range - 6000 miles at a speed of 20 knots;
Crew - 387 people;
Armament:
Artillery mounts Mk45 127 mm - 2;
Missile armament: Tomahawk missiles - 26, ASROC anti-submarine guided missiles - 16, Standard 2 anti-aircraft missiles - 80. Total ammunition - 122 missiles;
Anti-aircraft installations "Phalanx" 20 mm - 2;
Anti-aircraft installations Mk38 25 mm - 2;
Machine gun 12.7 mm - 2;
Torpedo tubes 324 mm - 2 (three-pipe);
Helicopters "Sikorsky" SH-60B or MH-60R "Seahawk" - 2;
Considered as a platform for the Aegis anti-aircraft missile system of the zonal air defense at a minimal cost to build in large numbers, the Ticonderoga class is based on the hull of the popular Spruence-class destroyer. The initial plans were to build 30 units, but then this figure was reduced to 27. The hull and layout of the machine mechanisms are analogous to the basic Spruence class, but the greater displacement led to a noticeable decrease in speed. In this regard, some criticism was expressed regarding the maximum displacement of the ship, but tests of the lead ship Ticonderoga (CG47) in 1983 showed that its stability was sufficient.
The basis of the ship is the Aegis computerized zonal air defense system, which has a SPY-1A radar station with two pairs of phased array antennas, capable of both controlling its aircraft and simultaneously providing observation, detection and tracking of targets throughout the upper hemisphere above and around ship. The missiles used - "Standard" SM2-ER on two Mk 26 launchers are considered an effective means of countering massive attacks by highly maneuverable aircraft interacting with high-altitude and low-altitude anti-ship missiles launched both from the surface and from under water, in conditions of intense electronic warfare. From the sixth ship, two Mk 26 launchers and their magazines for ammunition will be replaced by two vertical Mk 41 launchers, designed to accommodate 122 Tomahawk, Harpoon, Standard SM2-ER missiles and anti-submarine missiles instead of 104 missiles, which carried the first ships. The last ship in the class, the Shiloh, was commissioned in 1994. The Princeton was badly damaged by an Iraqi mine during the Gulf War in 1991.
The performance characteristics of the cruiser "Ticonderoga"
- Displacement, t: full 9600;
- Dimensions, m: length 172.8; width 16.8; draft 9.5;
- Main power plant: four gas turbine units LM 2500 from General Electric, operating on two shafts, power, l. With. (kW): 80,000 (59,655);
- Travel speed, knots: 30;
- Airplane: two SH-2D Seasprite or SH-60B Seahawk multipurpose helicopters;
- Armament: two eight-shot launchers with 16 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, two twin launchers for the Standard SM2-ER anti-aircraft guided missile and ASROC anti-submarine missiles (ammunition load, respectively, 68 missiles and 20 missiles), two single-barreled 127-mm artillery mounts, two 20 -mm anti-aircraft artillery self-defense systems "Phalanx", two three-tube torpedo tubes Mk 32 caliber 324 mm with ammunition 14 Mk46 torpedoes;
- Electronics: two combined phased antenna arrays SPY-1A "Aegis", a radar station for detecting air targets SPS-49, a radar station for detecting a surface (ground) target SPS-10, a fire control system SPQ-9A system, four radar stations SPG-62 fire control systems for the Standard anti-aircraft guided missile, one set of SLQ-32 radio reconnaissance equipment, four Mk 36 Super RBOC launchers for setting chaff, NAVSAT satellite navigation system, one SQS-23 sonar station, SQR-sonar station 19 with towed antenna array, SATCOMM satellite communication system;
- Crew, people: 360.
The United States Navy is a guided missile cruiser of the Ticonderoga class. The ships of this project, capable of carrying a large number of rocket, artillery and mine-torpedo weapons, have been serving since the beginning of the eighties and solve a wide range of combat missions. Nevertheless, some of these cruisers are already quite old, and therefore should end their service in the near future. The decommissioning of warships can lead to certain losses in the context of the overall combat capability of the fleet.
The lead cruiser USS Ticonderoga (CG-47), after which the entire series was named, was laid down in 1980 and handed over to the Navy in early 1983. In the summer of 1994, the fleet received the last 27th ship of the project. An interesting feature the Ticonderoga project was the processing of the weapons complex. So, the first five cruisers had specialized launchers for missiles of various types. All subsequent ships, starting with USS Bunker Hill (CG-52), were equipped with Mk 41 universal vertical launchers.
Cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) - one of the first ships to be retired from the Navy
In 2004-2005, the first five ships of the series, which were distinguished by less advanced means of storing and launching missiles, were withdrawn from the fleet. Others, equipped with universal launchers, continued to serve. However, in the foreseeable future, the fleet will have to abandon them. The service life of cruisers is approaching the maximum allowable values, which accordingly affects their prospects.
In 2020, USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) and USS Mobile Bay (CG-53), commissioned in the US Navy in 1985, will celebrate 35 years of service. Wherein maximum term service cruisers of the Ticonderoga type is defined precisely at the level of 35 years. Thus, the US Navy will have to write them off and then send them for cutting. In addition, the pace of deliveries of ships in the eighties of the last century should lead to the gradual abandonment of some of the remaining ships.
The American publication Defense News not so long ago was able to get access to a number of documents stipulating the further development of the surface fleet of the United States Navy. According to these papers, the command intends to write off 11 Ticonderoga missile cruisers by 2026 inclusive. Other ships, however, will have to undergo repairs and upgrades, as a result of which they will be able to continue service over the next few decades.
According to Defense News, the USS Bunker Hill (CG-52) and USS Mobile Bay (CG-53) ships will be sent to pins and needles in 2020. In the next 2021, USS Antietam (CG-54) and USS Leyte Gulf (CG-55) will be withdrawn from the fleet. In 2022, the service of the cruisers USS San Jacinto (CG-56) and USS Lake Champlain (CG-57) will end. 2023 will pass without cuts, but next year the fleet will be left without USS Philippine Sea (CG-58) and USS Princeton (CG-59). In 2025, USS Normandy (CG-60) and USS Monterey (CG-61) will end their service. The proposed Ticonderoga decommissioning program will end in 2026 with the decommissioning of the USS Chancellorville (CG-62).
As a result of such a reduction in the composition of the naval forces, only 11 cruisers out of 27 built will remain. As necessary, they will undergo repairs and upgrades, which will extend the service life beyond the 35 years established for the first ships of the series. According to current plans, the remaining ships, starting with USS Cowpens (CG-63), will remain in service until at least the mid-thirties. The last ships can only be decommissioned in the mid-forties or later.
For a variety of reasons, the current plans to withdraw part of the cruisers from the fleet have become the cause of disputes on different levels. Such plans, directly related to the state of technology, can have serious consequences in the field of national security. There are certain risks in the context of the quantity and quality of weapons. In addition, economic problems are possible. The obvious way out of this situation, allowing you to get rid of possible problems, is the preservation of existing cruisers in service.
Former US Navy officer and now Center for a New American Security analyst Jerry Hendrix commented on the current situation and plans as follows. He considers the inclusion of the oldest Ticonderoga cruisers in the Service Life Extension Program to be included in the repair and modernization program, he considers the correct course of events. This, at least, will be cheaper than building new ships with the required characteristics.
USS Mobile Bay (CG-53)
In addition, J. Hendrix noted certain difficulties associated with the ammunition load of modern ships. The vertical launchers of the Ticonderoga cruisers can simultaneously carry up to 122 different types of missiles. The only real replacement for such ships at the present time are the Arleigh Bukre-class destroyers, also equipped with Mk 41 mounts. However, the destroyers' ammunition load consists of only 96 missiles.
This means that when replacing a cruiser with a destroyer, the fleet loses a quarter of the available missile slots. According to J. Hendrix, the Navy really needs these cells. “We need mass – we need capacity.”
Defense News quotes Brian McGrath, a security specialist from The FerryBridge Group, an analytical organization. He also believes that the decommissioning of old missile cruisers could hit the combat capability of the US Navy's surface forces. He agrees that the inclusion of 11 ships in the Service Life Extension Program is the best solution to the existing problems.
B. McGrath also touched upon the topic of finance. He notes that the current plans to reduce the surface forces clearly speak of the economic problems of the fleet. To draw up a balanced program of modernization, maintenance, procurement, etc. serious sums are needed. At the same time, however, the command, figuratively speaking, now cuts not the skin and not the fat, but the bones of the fleet. The reasons for this lie in the ambiguous policy of the authorities. The new owners of the White House talk about the need to build a fleet of 350 surface ships, but they do not allocate proper funding. B. McGrath called such actions of the authorities sad and irresponsible, and also called for them to be stopped.
In accordance with existing plans, all remaining 22 Ticonderoga-class missile cruisers will continue to serve until 2020, after which the oldest representatives of this group will be gradually decommissioned. By 2026, 11 ships that have served their allotted 35 years will be withdrawn from service. In parallel, modernization of other cruisers will be carried out, as a result of which they will be able to continue serving until the mid-forties.
The main problem of the planned cruiser reduction program is the reduction in the total ammunition load of the surface fleet, with corresponding consequences in the context of its combat capability. The Ticonderoga-class ships are notable for having multiple launchers with 122 slots for various types of missiles, 26 more than the Arleigh Burke destroyers. It is easy to calculate that when 11 cruisers are decommissioned, the fleet as a whole will lose 1342 launch cells. With the construction of 11 new Arleigh Burke destroyers, most of these losses will be compensated, but the total ammunition load will be reduced by two and a half hundred conventional missiles.
Losses of this kind can be compensated to some extent with the help of new multi-purpose nuclear submarines carrying cruise missiles of the Tomahawk family. However, the potential for such "compensation" is not too great. Virginia-class nuclear submarines built in series, regardless of modification, carry a total of 12 cruise missiles. In addition, submarines, for obvious reasons, cannot carry various types of anti-aircraft missiles that are included in the ammunition load of surface ships. As a result, destroyers and submarines - with all their advantages - will not be able to fully replace decommissioned Ticonderoga-class ships.
The universal launcher Mk 41 can be used to fire various types of missiles. Among others, the ammunition of such a system may include interceptor missiles used as part of anti-missile defense. It is curious that the upcoming reduction in missile cruisers will not have a negative impact on the development of the American naval strategic missile defense system.
USS Chancellorville (CG-62); his service will end in 2026
In the past, still under development necessary projects, the command made a fundamental decision: despite a certain unification of the on-board systems of the Ticonderoga cruisers and Arleigh Burke destroyers, the latter will become the main carriers of the Aegis BMD (Ballistic Missile Defense) anti-missile system. However, several cruisers also received similar equipment. The five Ticonderoga ships, equipped with missile defense systems, are not yet subject to the reduction program and will be able to continue service in the future.
Even at the design stage, the service life of Ticonderoga missile cruisers was limited to 35 years. The first ships of the series were decommissioned long before the depletion of the assigned resource, while the remaining ones are already approaching the indicated dates. In accordance with the new plans of the Pentagon, half of the existing cruisers will be upgraded and continue to serve, while the rest will have to leave the fleet and go for recycling in the future.
The intention to abandon aging ships with ending lives does not seem unexpected or surprising. At the same time, however, such logical steps can have serious consequences for the combat capability of the surface fleet. How exactly it is proposed to solve them is not yet completely clear. Obviously, the lack of deployed missiles will have to be compensated for by new ships.
Another interesting consequence current plans there will be certain difficulties in the course of the desired development of the Navy. In accordance with the instructions of the authorities, in the foreseeable future, the surface grouping of the US naval forces should include more than three and a half hundred warships. The implementation of such plans is associated with certain difficulties, and the reduction in the number of available ships will further complicate the solution of the task.
Obviously, the existing grouping of missile cruisers of the Ticonderoga type has noticeable problems, and some of these ships may need to be replaced. An equivalent replacement for cruisers, however, is missing. Thus, the American command is now facing several specific problems and challenges, the solution of which depends on the further development of the naval forces. Before the start of the withdrawal of cruisers from the combat strength, there are several years left. During this time, the Pentagon can find the best methods for solving existing problems that can reduce Negative consequences and lead to the desired results. However, negative scenarios cannot be ruled out yet. How events will develop, only time will tell.
According to the websites:
https://defensenews.com/
https://executivegov.com/
http://naval-technology.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/
http://navy.mil/
https://news.usni.org/
Huge impact power at minimal cost. The Ticonderoga cruiser is the absolute record holder among ships with a displacement of less than 10 thousand tons:
- 11 radars.
- 80 antenna devices.
- 122 missile silos.
- combat information and control.
The choice of ship names is in honor of the places where the battles and battles of the past took place.
Among achievements and records:
Participation in military conflicts in Libya (1986), Iraq (1991, 2003) and Yugoslavia. Ticonderogi provided cover for naval groups and attacked ground targets;
Destruction of a space satellite moving at an altitude of 247 km at a speed of 27,000 km/h (Operation Scorching Cold, 2008)
The Philippine Sea cruiser is shelling ISIS positions (September 2014, 47 Tomahawks fired)
A missile cruiser based on a destroyer platform. Initially assigned to the family of guided missile destroyers (DDG), but later "promoted" to the cruiser level (CG). In comparison with other cruisers of the same age, the Ticonderoga is 80 meters shorter than the atomic Orlan, its width amidships is 1.5 times less, and the total displacement is 2.6 times inferior. On such a scale, the difference in the meanings of the word "cruiser" and the differences in approaches to the design of ships on both sides of the ocean become clearly noticeable.
Reference. About what is not visible from the shore
Dimensions and contours of the body, power point, as well as a significant part of the mechanisms and weapons are unified with the Spruence-class destroyers.
The hull is divided by watertight bulkheads into 13 compartments.
The cruiser's two decks and eight platforms (five of which are superstructure levels) are parallel to the structural waterline to simplify ship assembly and equipment installation.
The power plant is gas turbine, consisting of 4 General Electric LM2500 turbines. A herd of 80 thousand "horses" is able to disperse the ship from standstill to max. speed (~32 knots) in just 15 minutes.
On the left is a cruiser, on the right is a destroyer
The Ticonderoga surpasses even the larger and more modern in terms of the number of weapons. The reason for the paradox lies directly in the design of the Burke - it is completely steel. While the superstructure "Ticonderogi" is made of aluminum-magnesium alloy brand "5456" and literally falls apart under its own weight.
... During operation, over 3,000 cracks were detected in the superstructures of 27 cruisers - www.navytimes.com, “An epidemic of cracking on the Ticonderoga”.
This drawback did not prevent the cruisers from serving for more than 30 years. But conclusions have been drawn. All subsequent American ships are made entirely of steel.
The main purpose of the Ticonderog is anti-aircraft and anti-submarine protection of aircraft carrier and multi-purpose ship groups, formations and convoys in open sea areas.
The cruisers have high autonomy and are capable of covering 6,000 nautical miles at an operating speed of 20 knots. Which is equivalent to the distance from Naval Base Norfolk to the Persian Gulf.
The first five Ticonderogs were equipped with MK.26 beam-type launchers, with a limited arsenal of anti-aircraft and anti-submarine missiles. The possibility of launching Tomahawks was not considered a priority; the arsenal of cruisers was replenished with SLCMs only with the advent of the MK.41 mine-type launchers on the Bunker Hill cruiser.
The main idea, the meaning of existence and designated purpose Aegis cruisers are still air defense / missile defense.
Air defense system
All hopes are pinned on the BIUS "Aegis" (Aegis), which tied in single network computers, radars and fire control systems.
The main component of the Aegis is the AN / SPY-1 multi-purpose radar with four fixed headlights. Operating range - decimeter (S). The peak radiation power is 6 megawatts, which allows the radar to distinguish targets in near-Earth orbit.
SPY-1 performs search in azimuth and elevation, capture, classification and tracking of targets, control of autopilots of anti-aircraft missiles on the launch and march sections of the flight path.
The only problem with the SPY-1 is that the radar has difficulty distinguishing fast-moving targets flying close to the surface of the water.
The fire control system is archaic, based on four SPG-62 target illumination radars. It is curious that in this aspect, the Ticonderoga again has an advantage over the Arleigh Burke (4 illumination radars against three for the destroyer).
The main incorrigible shortcoming of the SPG-62 is mechanical scanning (turn speed 72°/sec). At any given moment in time, each radar is capable of highlighting only one target. As a result, if the capabilities of the SPY-1 allow you to control up to 18 fired anti-aircraft missiles, then only 4 air targets can be attacked simultaneously (and, most importantly, no more than two from each side).
The only advantage of this scheme: unlike dozens of beams of newfangled AFARs and missiles with active seekers, the outdated illumination radar has a radiation pattern with a narrow main lobe, which makes it possible to produce effective and highly selective target illumination in conditions of using electronic warfare.
Currently, a small number of illumination channels are leveled by the appearance of anti-aircraft missiles with active homing (SM-3, SM-6, ESSM Block-II).
BOD "Marshal Shaposhnikov" against the background of the clumsy-looking USS Chosin (CG-65)
Target selection, threat assessment, control of the order of fired anti-aircraft missiles - this is the purpose of the Aegis system. In real conditions, the theory failed, and the first battle came out "lumpy". In the turmoil of the battle with the Iranian Navy, the Vincennes cruiser overwhelmed the civilian Airbus.
However, three decades have passed. American Aegis ships spent a total of 1250 years in combat campaigns, shooting during combat and learning objectives over 3800 missiles. Guess they learned something.
In addition to four SPY-1 plates and four SPG-62 target illumination radars, the cruiser detection system includes the SPS-49 auxiliary station. Two-coordinate L-band surveillance radar with a rotating parabolic antenna. Currently recognized as completely obsolete, there is a project to replace it with the SPQ-9B (Back-to-Back Slotted Array) radar with two HEADLIGHTS operating in the centimeter range. The appearance of this device promises to "cure" one of the main shortcomings of the Ticonderoga - the problem of detecting low-flying targets.
The cruiser's anti-aircraft arsenal is located in the bow and stern launchers of the MK.41 type, the number and type of missiles vary depending on the task. Theoretically, the cruiser is capable of carrying up to a hundred anti-aircraft missiles (with the possibility of maintaining moderate versatility by placing Tomahawk and ASROK in the remaining mines of the Kyrgyz Republic).
The nose group of the UVP is visible
Ammunition includes the following types of ammunition:
- SAM family "Standard". The latest modifications of the RIM-156 SM-2ER and RIM-174 ERAM (with an active air-to-air head) are capable, in theory, of intercepting targets at a distance of 240 km from the ship;
- exotic RIM-161 "Standard-3", whose intercept height extends beyond the stratosphere. The SM-3 is focused exclusively on missile defense missions and is not designed against "ordinary" aerodynamic targets. The scheme implements kinetic interception (direct hit on the target). External illumination for space purposes is not required (and impossible) - the SPY-1 radar takes the missile to a given area of space, then the SM-3 orients itself using an infrared seeker;
- medium / short range anti-aircraft missile RIM-162 ESSM with an effective range of 50 km. Optimized for the interception of high-speed low-flying targets (anti-ship missiles). Due to the unusual layout and the presence of a deflectable thrust vector, the ESSM is capable of performing maneuvers with overloads up to 50g. Missiles are stored on board the cruiser, four in one launch cell.
The near line of defense is formed by two Phalanx anti-aircraft guns. The main advantage of automatic anti-aircraft guns is the presence of its own radar and complete independence from other ship systems (except for power supply). Disadvantage (inherent to all such systems): there is a threat that in a real battle the Phalanx will be useless. The fragments of missiles shot down in the near zone will fly by inertia and mortally cripple the ship.
As a “last chance” weapon, there are 70 sets of Stinger MANPADS on board.
General conclusions: due to the selected range and power of the radar, the Ticonderoga air defense system is ideally suited for intercepting targets in the upper atmosphere. At the same time, there is a whole range of problems with the interception of low-flying targets.
However ... More effective air defense of the near zone compared to Ticonderoga is available only to Zamvolt and several European and Japanese destroyers.
ASW defense
The cruiser has a full range of anti-submarine weapons that are traditionally installed on board large surface ships. It consists of:
Active under-keel sonar type AN/SQS-53;
- towed low-frequency antenna TACTAS;
- two anti-submarine helicopters of the SH-60 family;
- anti-submarine missiles RUM-139 ASROC-VL - max. the firing range is 22 km, the warhead is a small-sized deep-sea torpedo MK.54;
- two torpedo tubes for launching small-sized torpedoes (caliber 324 mm). Purpose - the fight against submarines in the immediate vicinity of the ship.
PLO is a network task, it cannot be solved by one ship. In this sense, the Ticonderoga is an important component of the order's anti-submarine defense.
strike weapons
MK.41 launch silos can accommodate . As in the case of anti-aircraft ammunition, it is impossible to establish the exact number of SLCMs on board the cruiser, it varies, depending on the tasks assigned.
During combat use cases were recorded when cruisers fired 40 ... 50 cruise missiles in one night. Obviously, their number can become even greater due to the reduction or complete abandonment of anti-aircraft ammunition.
Also on board are eight Harpoon anti-ship missiles (located in the stern, launched from an inclined Mk.141 mount). The scale allocated for this weapon indicates its secondary importance. The Ticonderogi are not going to engage in combat with a surface enemy, relying entirely on aircraft and submarines. The Yorktown cruiser used its anti-ship missiles only once - against a Libyan speedboat, and, as usual, with an unclear result.
At present, with a change in the tactics of using the fleet and the transition to the formation of multi-purpose battle groups, it became necessary to equip cruisers with full-fledged anti-ship weapons. This weapon will be the promising AGM-158 LRASM. A stealthy anti-ship missile of a new generation, combining new technologies, the moderate size and versatility of the Harpoon with the range and warhead power of heavy Soviet missiles.
Aviation armament
In stormy weather, the Ticonderoga has one subtle but extremely important advantage over any other cruiser or destroyer. Its helipad is located in the middle part of the ship - where the oscillation amplitude is smaller during pitching.
To facilitate the landing and movement of helicopters on the deck in stormy weather, all cruisers are standardly equipped with the RAST system.
There is a hangar designed for two anti-submarine helicopters of the SH-60 Sea Hawk family.
Up to 40 small-sized anti-submarine torpedoes, Penguin light anti-ship missiles, NURS units and ammunition for aircraft guns are stored in the cellar of aviation weapons.
Artillery and auxiliary weapons
The cruisers are armed with two universal 127 mm MK.45 cannons. A compact artillery system with nothing outstanding characteristics. 16-20 shots per minute, firing range 13 miles (24 km). Due to the low power of 5 '' shells, it is only suitable for firing at Iranian corvettes and finishing off "wounded animals".
Artillery fire is corrected according to the AN / SPQ-9 radar.
After the incident with the EM "Cole", a pair of 25 mm automatic "Bushmasters" appeared on board the cruisers to fire at the fast terrorist boats.
EW facilities
On board there is a standard electronic warfare system for all American ships for conducting electronic reconnaissance and suppressing missile guidance systems SLQ-32 with a maximum radiation power of 1 megawatt (antenna devices are mounted on two "balconies" in the central part of the superstructure).
There is a system for shooting chaff MK.36 SRBOC and a towed anti-torpedo trap ("rattle") SLQ-25 "Nixie" (released overboard through the hatches in the stern of the ship). Taking into account the results of clashes at sea over the past half century, it is the electronic warfare equipment that is the "insurance policy" and the most effective means of protection on board the ship.
There is nothing else on board the cruiser that is worth talking about.
The ending
There are currently 22 cruisers in the US Navy. of this type . Despite the obvious dilapidation, the Yankees are in no hurry to abandon the Ticonderoga. The cruiser surpasses modern destroyers in all the most significant aspects by 25% (number of radars, ammunition load, autonomy, presence of a flagship command post).
"Ticonderogi" still play the role of leaders in the air defense security of ship formations and aircraft carrier groups. The complete decommissioning of ships of this type is scheduled only for the end of the 2020s. At the same time, according to the military, an adequate replacement is not visible to them, and the terms can be shifted “to the right” for another decade.
Target sinking of decommissioned cruiser Valley Forge
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Ticonderoga-class cruisers were conceived as a relatively inexpensive carrier modern means Air defense, suitable for mass construction, but over time they have become perhaps the most advanced warships of our time. The project of these ships was created on the basis of the hull of the Spruence-class destroyer, so the lead ship, the Ticonderoga, was originally considered a destroyer, but in 1980 it was reclassified as a cruiser and received tail number CG 47. The plans provided for the construction of 28 such ships, then the administration Reagan increased this number to 30, but later reduced it to 27. The Ticonderoga cruiser entered the fleet in 1983, and the last ship of the type, Port Royal, in 1994.
These cruisers were the first warships to be equipped with the AEGIS multifunctional weapon system, the most advanced air defense system in the world. The basis of this system is the SPY-1A radar with four phased antenna arrays, which is capable of automatically detecting and tracking targets at a distance of more than 300 km.
The main purpose of the AEGIS system is to repel a missile attack on a US Navy ship group using air defense and electronic warfare systems. The system is capable of simultaneously tracking the movement of friendly aircraft, detecting, identifying and tracking air targets in the upper hemisphere, as well as aiming air defense systems at them. In addition, on the basis of the system, a command center of the unified air defense system of a ship group can be created.
The first five cruisers were equipped with two twin launchers Mk 26 SAM "Standard" SM-2MR, which were supposed to ensure the defeat of aircraft and various cruise missiles during massive raids in conditions active use electronic warfare facilities.
Starting with the Bunker Hill cruiser (CG 52), instead of the Mk 26 launchers and their charging magazines, the Mk 41 UVPs were installed. In 127 cells of two UVPs on each ship, the Standard SAM, the Harpoon anti-ship missile, the ASROC PLUR and the Tomahawk missile launcher are located ”, which allows the ship to hit air, surface, ground and underwater targets.
Cruisers of the Ticonderoga type are designed to protect aircraft carrier and amphibious assault groups, as well as to conduct independent operations. Over the past twenty-odd years, they have taken part in all US Navy operations, including two wars against Iraq, as well as bombardments of Yugoslavia and Afghanistan with Tomahawk missiles.
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