Alternative Cold War History 1994

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Frigates

USN FF/FFG

The workhorse of any fleet is its Frigates (FF) and Guided Missile Frigates (FFG), providing Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) escort, general duties and patrolling.  The Reagan Administration’s 600 ship Navy program planned for 101 Frigates – Northern Fury gets close to this mark with 91 active ships, and 10 in ready reserve, able to deploy within 30-60 days. Not retiring the Knox class makes this possible; historically they were all stricken between 1991 and 1994, with a planned lifespan of 30 years and actual service of only 23 years, these ships had at least 7-10 years of potential use remaining when they wee scrapped.  Another critical problem with this type at the end of the Cold War was that there were replacement Frigate on the horizon, so in Northern Fury a further 12 Oliver Hazard Perry Class ships were ordered in 1991 with the first four already launched and due to commission later in 1994. As a stop-gap four Brooke Class FFG’s (FFG-3 to 6) were retained but will be decommissioned later this year. A ‘Follow on Frigate’ program is underway with a proposal for 72 units, the first being laid down in early 95, this will replace both the OHP and the Knox Class in the escort role. A service life of 30 years remains the target for all ships of this size.

Brooke ClassAll originally mothballed in 88/89, the sale of the USS Brooke (FFG-1) to Pakistan in 89 went forward and the USS Ramsey (FFG-2) was too far down the decommissioning process to maintain but the remaining 4 were retained until the new Oliver Hazard Perry class ships begin service later in 1994. The sale of FFG-3, 4 and 5 to Pakistan was canceled. These ships are nearing the end of their useful life and are not suitable for front line tasks. Their Tartar missile launchers are capable of firing the RIM-66 Standard Surface to Air (SAM) missiles, but not quickly. They carry an SH-2 Seasprite ASW helicopter.

Class Pennant Name Historic NF Home Port Task Remarks
Brooke FFG-3 Schofield Decom 88 Decom 94 Norfolk General patrol
FFG-4 Talbot Decom 88 Decom 94 Norfolk Tied up
FFG-5 Richard L. Page Decom 88 Decom 94 Norfolk Amphib Escort
FFG-6 Julius A. Furer Decom 89 Decom 94 Norfolk Convoy

Knox Class FFThere were 46 Knox class ships built between 1965 and 1974.  Although there were very few variations when built, the weapons fit during their lifetime was quite diverse. By 1994 however a fairly standard layout had been achieved again; along with a 5” gun, each had a Mk 15 Phalanx Close in Weapons System (CIWS), a Mk 16 Anti Submarine Rocket (ASROC) system that could also fire four Harpoon Anti-Ship Missiles (ASM). There were no Surface to Air (SAM) missiles but all carried an SH-2 Seasprite ASW helicopter.

These ships are starting to show their age, only have one propeller shaft and are too slow to keep up with the Carrier Battle Groups, but make excellent escorts and general duty ships. The Spanish Navy built a further five improved examples of this type, the Baleares class, but foreign sales to Taiwan and other countries did not occur in Northern fury. More details can be found here. In an effort to save manpower the USN has put 10 of these ships in reserve but the other 36 are active.

Class Pennant Name Historic NF Home Port Task Remarks
Knox FF-1052 Knox Decom 92 Reserve Apr-94
FF-1053 Roark Decom 91 Reserve Jun-94
FF-1054 Gray Decom 91 Reserve Jun-94
FF-1055 Hepburn Decom 91 Reserve May-94
FF-1056 Connole Decom 92 Active Newport Tied up
FF-1057 Rathburne Decom 92 Active Long Beach Convoy
FF-1058 Meyerkord Decom 91 Reserve Apr-94
FF-1059 W. S. Sims Decom 91 Reserve May-94
FF-1060 Lang Decom 91 Reserve May-94
FF-1061 Patterson Decom 91 Active Philadelphia Convoy
FF-1062 Whipple Decom 92 Active Pearl Hbr Tied Up
FF-1063 Reasoner Decom 93 Active Norfolk TG Mount Whitney
FF-1064 Lockwood Decom 93 Active Long Beach Tied Up
FF-1065 Stein Decom 92 Active San Diego Tied Up
FF-1066 Marvin Shields Decom 92 Active San Diego Tied Up
FF-1067 Francis Hammond Decom 92 Active Long Beach Tied Up
FF-1068 Vreeland Decom 92 Active Norfolk Tied up
FF-1069 Bagley Decom 91 Reserve Apr-94
FF-1070 Downes Decom 92 Active San Diego Tied Up
FF-1071 Badger Decom 91 Reserve Jun-94
FF-1072 Blakely Decom 91 Reserve May-94
FF-1073 Robert E. Peary Decom 92 Active Newport Tied Up
FF-1074 Harold E. Holt Decom 92 Active Newport Tied Up
FF-1075 Trippe Decom 92 Active Newport Tied Up
FF-1076 Fanning Decom 93 Active San Diego Tied up
FF-1077 Ouellet Decom 93 Active Charleston Carib
FF-1078 Joseph Hewes Decom 94 Active Charleston TG Missouri
FF-1079 Bowen Decom 94 Active Norfolk Med Amphibs
FF-1080 Paul Decom 92 Active Mayport Tied up
FF-1081 Aylwin Decom 92 Active Newport Tied Up
FF-1082 Elmer Montgomery Decom 93 Active Yokosuka Independent in PG
FF-1083 Cook Decom 92 Active San Diego Tied up
FF-1084 McCandless Decom 94 Active Norfolk Tied Up
FF-1085 Donald B. Beary Decom 94 Active Norfolk TG Wisconsin
FF-1086 Brewton Decom 92 Active Pearl Hbr Tied up
FF-1087 Kirk Decom 93 Active Long Beach TG New Jersey
FF-1088 Barbey Decom 94 Active San Diego Tied Up
FF-1089 Jesse L. Brown Decom 94 Active Charleston Carib - Radford
FF-1090 Ainsworth Decom 94 Active Norfolk Monongahela TG
FF-1091 Miller Decom 91 Active Newport Tied Up
FF-1092 Thomas C. Hart Decom 93 Active Norfolk South 2nd
FF-1093 Capodanno Decom 93 Active Newport Monongahela TG
FF-1094 Pharris Decom 92 Active Norfolk Tied Up
FF-1095 Truett Decom 94 Active Norfolk Carib - Radford
FF-1096 Valdez Decom 91 Active Newport Tied Up
FF-1097 Moinester Decom 94 Active Norfolk Med

Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) Class FFG

The 51 ships of the OHP class are the true workhorses of the USN and a success story for modern ship design. These ships are propelled by two gas turbines on a single shaft and also have an auxiliary power system for stealth and efficiency at low speeds. They have 36 RIM-66 Standard SAMs and, 4 Harpoon ASMs launched from a single launcher, a 3” gun, CIWS and ASW torpedoes.

Two distinct versions were built; Short hull, which carry two SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS I) helicopters, and Long hull, sometimes classified as the Underwood class which carry two SH-60 Seahawk (LAMPS III) helicopters.  These are capable, well rounded ships that excel at ASW work, but can still conduct anti-surface tasks with Harpoon missiles and a gun. They have a limited Air Defence capacity so work better in company with an Anti Air Warfare (AAW) ship.

In addition to the 51 American ships, Australia and Spain have six each and Taiwan operates eight of these ships. In Northern Fury, 12 more are building with the intent of retiring the 4 Brooke class later in 1994 and putting another 10 Knox class in reserve by 1996.

Class Pennant Name Home Port Task Remarks
OHP FFG-7 Oliver Hazard Perry Norfolk Short Hull
FFG-8 McInerney Norfolk Long Hull
FFG-9 Wadsworth San Diego TG Iowa Short Hull
FFG-10 Duncan Norfolk Amphib Escort Short Hull
FFG-11 Clark Norfolk Short Hull
FFG-12 George Philip Bremerton Short Hull
FFG-13 Samuel Eliot Morison Norfolk Short Hull
FFG-14 Sides Norfolk Amphib Escort Short Hull
FFG-15 Estocin Norfolk Short Hull
FFG-16 Clifton Sprague Norfolk Short Hull
FFG-19 John A. Moore Mayport Short Hull
FFG-20 Antrim Norfolk TG Missouri Short Hull
FFG-21 Flatley Norfolk TG 84/Amphib Escort Short Hull
FFG-22 Fahrion San Diego TG New Jersey Short Hull
FFG-23 Lewis B. Puller San Diego Short Hull
FFG-24 Jack Williams Mayport Short Hull
FFG-25 Copeland Mayport Short Hull
FFG-26 Gallery San Diego Independent in PG Short Hull
FFG-27 Mahlon S. Tisdale San Diego Constellation CVBG Short Hull
FFG-28 Boone Norfolk TG 84/TG Wisconsin Long Hull
FFG-29 Stephen W. Groves San Diego Nimitz CVBG Long Hull
FFG-30 Reid Yokosuka Short Hull
FFG-31 Stark San Diego Kitty Hawk CVBG Short Hull
FFG-32 John L. Hall San Diego Lincoln CVBG Long Hull
FFG-33 Jarrett Yokosuka Long Hull
FFG-34 Aubrey Fitch San Diego Kitty Hawk CVBG Short Hull
Underwood FFG-36 Underwood San Diego Washington CVBG Long Hull
FFG-37 Crommelin Yokosuka Independent in PG Long Hull
FFG-38 Curts Norfolk Enterprise CVBG Long Hull
FFG-39 Doyle Norfolk Convoy Long Hull
FFG-40 Halyburton Norfolk Eisenhower CVBG Long Hull
FFG-41 McClusky San Diego Nimitz CVBG Long Hull
FFG-42 Klakring Norfolk Convoy/Stennis Long Hull
FFG-43 Thach San Diego Long Hull
FFG-45 De Wert Norfolk Eisenhower CVBG Long Hull
FFG-46 Rentz San Diego Washington CVBG Long Hull
FFG-47 Nicholas Norfolk Carl Vinson CVBG Long Hull
FFG-48 Vandegrift Yokosuka Independence CVBG Long Hull
FFG-49 Robert G. Bradley Mayport Long Hull
FFG-50 Taylor Norfolk Roosevelt CVBG Long Hull
FFG-51 Gary San Diego Lincoln CVBG Long Hull
FFG-52 Carr Norfolk Kennedy CVBG Long Hull
FFG-53 Hawes San Diego Saratoga CVBG Long Hull
FFG-54 Ford Norfolk Amphibs/Stennis Long Hull
FFG-55 Elrod Norfolk Long Hull
FFG-56 Simpson Norfolk Enterprise CVBG Long Hull
FFG-57 Reuben James Norfolk Kennedy CVBG Long Hull
FFG-58 Samuel B. Roberts Norfolk Roosevelt CVBG Long Hull
FFG-59 Kauffman Norfolk Carl Vinson CVBG Long Hull
FFG-60 Rodney M. Davis San Diego Long Hull
FFG-61 Ingraham Yokosuka Long Hull