Russian Mistrals and American San Antonio
Not a little has been written about amphibious control and projection ships of the Mistral type. (Mistral class amphibious assault ships) In this article I would like to pay more attention to the landing ships-docks of the conditional enemy LPD-17 of the San Antonio type and draw some comparison between these ships.
USS San Antonio
History
In January, 1993, the United States Military Procurement Commission approved the construction of San Antonio Landing Platform Dock (LPD) ships. The LPD-17 program was very ambitious; This type of ship was designed to replace 4 existing ship types - amphibious docking ships LPD 4 Austin type, tank landing ships (Tank Landing Ships, LST) 1179 Newport, Charleston type cargo ships (LKA 113) and amphibious docking transports Anchorage (Dock Landing Ships, LSD 36). In the end, the twelve LPD-17 class ships will replace and duplicate the 41 capabilities of other, less modern ships. In December, the Avondale shipyard 1996 won a contract to build a first class ship (USS San Antonio) with an option to build two more. Disputes over the official contract caused a delay in signing it until April of 1997, and construction did not start until August of 2000. San Antonio was launched in July 2003 of the year and commissioned in January of 2006. As part of contract negotiations in 1996, the naval forces pledged to purchase twelve LPD-17 ships, eight should be built at the Litton Avondale shipyard (Northrop-Grumman), and four will be built using General Dynamics Bath Iron Works facilities. In 2002, the fleet changed this agreement, redirecting the construction of four ships from the Bath Iron Works to Northrop Grumman, and leaving the production of four destroyers Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) to Bath Iron Works. Ships of the San Antonio LPD type include in their design a number of characteristics that lower the ship's visibility (stealthy characteristics). For example hull lines with deliberate attempt to reduce the number of right angles of the hull and superstructure. Straight surfaces contribute to radar reflections, while the tilt angles of San Antonio's hull structures redirect reflected radar energy. In addition, LPD-17 series ships use advanced enclosed masts / radars (Advanced Enclosed Mast / Sensor-AEM / S). On more traditional ships, electronic sensors (radios, radars, radar receivers) were installed on open masts. In the AEM / S system installed on San Antonio, both masts with vessel sensors are enclosed in large hexagonal structures. Although these structures to some extent impair the operation of the sensors, their main function is to absorb the incoming electron radiation and redirect it. In addition, AEM / S protects sensors from external influences, reducing maintenance costs. The AEM / S system of the LPD-17 type ships also includes the Mk 2 ship self-defense system (Ship Self Defense System, SSDS), which integrates electronic sensors (radar, ESM sensors), a ship’s armament system and electronic warfare system, providing a single integrated defensive network.
Naturally, all these improvements have a price, according to some sources, the originally planned value of $ 617 million increased to more than 800 million dollars on the first LPD-17. (There is conflicting information about the final price of both the lead ship of the series and the subsequent ones. Some sources report prices of about $ 800 million, others about $ 1.2 billion, and some even about $ 2.5 billion. The author is inclined to trust the amount of $ 2.031 billion for the eleventh ship a series of voiced in the report of the US Congress). Although the LPD 17 system represents some progress in naval amphibious technology and capabilities, it was not without some compromises. On ships of the San Antonio LPD type, some of the flagship command and control capabilities available on some older LPD 4 type ships are missing. Also there are not enough opportunities for maritime transport, as on amphibious transport docks of the Anchorage type (LSD 36) (3 hovercraft on the LSD 36 compared to two on the LPD-17) and it lacks a bow ramp for unloading cargo onto the coast. Finally, the LPD 17 does not have the same significant handling options as cargo ships of the Charleston type (LKA 113). Currently, six ships of this type are in service: San Antonio LPD-17, New Orleans LPD-18, Mesa Verde LPD-19, Green Bay LPD-20, New York LPD-21 and San Diego LPD-22. 2 has already been launched: Anchorage LPD-23 and Arlington LPD-24, and finally 3 are in different degrees of readiness: Somerset LPD-25, John P. Murtha LPD-26 and LPD-27. There are conflicting information about the plans to build the last ship of the series, according to some sources the project was canceled, while others would receive funding on time.
Description
General characteristics
Displacement: 25,296 tons
Length: 208 m
Width: 32 m (Capable of passing the Panama Canal)
Total draft: 7.0 m
Maximum speed: 22 node
Capacity (including crew): 109 officers (maritime 32, marines 66, other 11), 335 sailor and 591 infantry.
At the stern of the ship is a landing deck that can accommodate two Sikorsky CH-53E Sea Stallion helicopters, six Bell AH-1W Super Cobra helicopters, four Boeing CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, or two Boeing Bell MV-22 Osprey convertoplanes. Deck hangar provides facilities aviation technology and is large enough to accommodate one Sea Stallion, two Sea Knight, three Super Cobra helicopters or one MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor. Hangar doors built by Indal Technologies. Each explosion-proof door weighs 18 kg and consists of three horizontal folding panels.
The San Antonio dock is similar to the LHD 1 Wasp class docking craft, which allows you to take and land landing craft or air cushion vessels (two standard LCAC air cushion vessels or one LCU landing craft) through the rear ramp.
To support troops on the coast, the San Antonio ship is equipped with a hospital on 24 bunks, two operating rooms, two dental offices, three car decks on 2323 square meters and 1000 cubic meters of bulk cargo holds.
Power point
San Antonio is equipped with four diesel engines Colt Pielstick with sequential turbocharging with a total power of 41600 horsepower, driven by two screws with controlled pitch. The vessel is supplied with electricity by five 2500 kW Caterpillar diesel generators with self-cleaning filters and electric pumps. Seven 200 air conditioners York designed to cool the office and residential premises. All ship support systems are fully electric, including electric heating, electric water heaters, and desalination and water treatment systems using the reverse osmosis method.
Electronics
Closed masts of the vessel consist of two large octahedral structures, in which radars and antennas of communication with a hybrid frequency-selective surface are placed. Besides the fact that they reduce the radar visibility of the vessel, the masts protect the equipment from the effects of the elements. They contain the C / D-band SPS-48E air search radars, the G-band SPS-67 (V) 3 surface search, I-band SPS-64 (V) 9 navigation and I-band SPQ-9B navigation. Command and control systems include the Advanced Sensor Distribution System SPQ-14 (v), the USQ-119E (V) 27 marine global command and control system, the KSQ-1 landing control system, the Mk 91 guided missile guidance system, as well as an integrated combat system for the transfer and processing of USG-2 (V) data. Means of defense and electronic warfare include a system of self-defense vessel Self-Defense System Mk 2 mod 2, launcher Mk 36 SRBOC, launcher director clutter Mk 53 Nulka, electronic warfare system SLQ 32 (V) 2 and SLQ-25A and system anti-torpedo protection surface ships Nixie.
weaponry
The ship is armed with two launchers Mk31 mod 0 capable of launching self-guided short-range anti-aircraft missiles Raytheon. The Earth-to-Air RAM (RIM 116) missile has dual-mode radio frequency / infrared homing and is designed to destroy anti-ship missiles. It has an 8 km range. Also on the ship is provided for the volume and weight of the place to accommodate the vertical launcher of missiles Seasparrow (ESSM).
For self-defense, the ship is equipped with two 30-mm guns Мk46 mod 1 with a rate of fire of up to 250 rounds per minute. The fire control system includes a thermal imager, a camera operating in low light and a laser range finder with a closed tracking system. The gun can be controlled directly from the tower or remotely from the command center. Additional armament includes two machine guns Mk26 mod 18 caliber 12.7 mm.
Problems and accidents
No wonder that the head ship of the series has growth problems. Could not avoid them, and “San Antonio”. So three years after it was put into service, $ 6 million dollars was allocated to eliminate problems with the leak and steering. In 2008, the ship was laid up in Bahrain due to oil leakage. In 2009, during the passage of the Suez Canal on two engines at full power, one engine unexpectedly started working in the opposite direction by deploying a ship and almost pushing it with another vessel. The crew also complained about the lack of all the necessary instructions and procedures and the poor quality of the work of shipbuilders. As a result of the foregoing, the Navy canceled the maintenance and repair contract with Earl Industries.
Comparison
As it can be seen from the table above, both ships have almost the same main dimensions, speed and cruising range, area of the car deck, similar weapons, both are in service with the 2006 of the year. Type "San Antonio" has a more powerful power plant, more ships of this type were built, has a lower radar visibility, more developed electronics. For the rest of the main indicators, the Mistral has clear advantages: the building cost much less, is serviced by a smaller crew, is able to carry more amphibious assault ships and landing craft, has more seats in the hospital, more seats for helicopters, a larger hangar. It should also be noted significantly better maneuverability "Mistral" due to electric rotary screw drives and bow thrusters.
USS San Antonio
Mistral
Information