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| The DD(X) -- the Return of Big Naval Artillery |
| 2005-09-09 |
| The Navy's newest destroyer brings stealth to the high seas--and may mark the return of the gun to naval combat. by Michael Goldfarb, The Weekly Standard Emphasis added; EFL'd to get to the good part; go read the whole thing. . . . The Navy's next-generation destroyer, the DD(X), will be armed with a battery of two 155mm Advance Gun Systems that will offer a spectacular improvement over its predecessors in range, accuracy, and rate of fire. The DD(X) may, in fact, portend the reemergence of the gun as the primary weapon of the fleet. . . . At the dawn of the 21st century, the Navy's primary antisurface gun battery consists of one 5-inch gun with a range of 13 nautical miles. But if the Navy sticks to its schedule, by 2012 two DD(X) ships will be operational, each armed with a battery of two 155mm (6.1-inch) Advanced Gun Systems with a range of no less than 68 miles. . . . Critics of the AGS point out that accuracy of fire may be less important than the volume of fire when softening up onshore targets for an amphibious assault, but because the DD(X) can be replenished while at sea (and while firing), she will be able to fire at least one gun continuously for an indefinite amount of time. In addition, each gun will be capable of putting up to eight rounds on a target simultaneously. To achieve this effect, shells will be fired in rapid succession at different trajectories. In conjunction with the counter-battery capability of the dual band radar, any enemy troops who fire on U.S. forces will have only minutes before the 2 guns of DD(X) can return fire with devastating accuracy: Tests have shown the guns accurate to within two meters at a range of 68 nautical miles. . . . All of the technologies discussed so far have already been successfully tested, but the DD(X) is also designed to allow for the rapid deployment of technologies still in the pipeline. The Navy hopes to fit these ships with an electromagnetic rail gun by 2020. The rail gun would be capable of firing a guided projectile up to 267 nautical miles, which would put all of North Korea into range from either coast of that peninsula (or, to take another theoretical example, allow the Navy to bombard Paris from the English Channel). . . . |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #17 HHHmmmmmmm. a five-incher is a five-incher, but is now too politically incorrect to call a six-point-one incher a "six-inch gun"!? It makes me laugh that Nelson kicked the asses of the French fleet all around the world but both the RN and USN have to become metric. True, but at least you have to admit that the metric system makes a lot more sense strictly from a logical viewpoint. Besides it really is the only legal system of measure in the USA. The inch is officially described as 25.4MM |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2005-09-09 23:47 |
| #16 HHHmmmmmmm. a five-incher is a five-incher, but is now too politically incorrect to call a six-point-one incher a "six-inch gun"!? It makes me laugh that Nelson kicked the asses of the French fleet all around the world but both the RN and USN have to become metric. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2005-09-09 21:32 |
| #15 I remember years ago, seeing a beautiful video of a 16" round landing on the side of a large hill in Lebanon, lifting up the whole side of that large hill and shaking it really hard. Took out four well-spaced artillery positions. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-09 19:24 |
| #14 Wouldn't a 406 throw a projectile into orbit? |
| Posted by: interested conservative 2005-09-09 19:13 |
| #13 Return of big naval artillery? Pleaaaaase! Your average battleship fired shells who were 15 to 20 times heavier and they had not two but eight guns. There are reports of Tiger tanks upturned by close misses of battleship shells after D-Day. Think in this: sixty tons of steel being pushed aside and upturned by a close miss Now what would be nice, would be having the Uss New Jersey beng reequipped with the 406mm version of this gun. |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-09-09 16:41 |
| #12 I dunno Xbalanke, I think the F-22 is a beautiful aircraft. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-09-09 15:51 |
| #11 My nomination for the first three Ships USS Heinlein USS Asimov USS Pournelle And following USS Wells USS Einstein USS Ellison |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2005-09-09 13:37 |
| #10 I'm all for stealth technology, but it seems that since stealth came along, military toys have been getting decidedly uglier instead of sleeker and cooler looking. Just compare an F-16 with an F-117 or an Arleigh Burke with the DD(X). Oh well, the price of progress. |
| Posted by: Xbalanke 2005-09-09 12:41 |
| #9 At that range, they will be GPS guided, rocket assisted projectiles. At one time, the Navy was talking about 100 mile ranges. Expensive (Army's Excalibur GPS guided 155mm round is expected to cost $50,000), just not as expensive as missiles. |
| Posted by: ed 2005-09-09 11:54 |
| #8 Of course the AGS should hopefully be able to be retro fitted into any of the current surface combatants. |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2005-09-09 11:47 |
| #7 Anybody have any idea how it could be as accurate as 2 m over 68 miles? That doesn't seem possible with cross winds and eddies unless self guiding munitions are used. |
| Posted by: DO 2005-09-09 11:42 |
| #6 I am worried about this ship. I've been reading some very harsh reviews about procurement, design and construction. The bottom line is that the ship, while good, is just to freaking expensive, too few can be produced, and quality control at the shipyard is awful. In addition, its power system has been *changed* mid-development, which is a cardinal whoopsie in shipbuilding. Tinyurl links: da8of, bxj8w How the DD(X) fits into the big picture: bpt8t |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-09 11:39 |
| #5 ...each gun will be capable of putting up to eight rounds on a target simultaneously. HOLY CRAP!! Those 155s are BIG guns too. Ouch. |
| Posted by: mmurray821 2005-09-09 11:39 |
| #4 #2 The first DDX with a railgun should be named the Robert Anson Heinlein. Or maybe the Dr Jerry Pournelle. One thing I do like in the AGS is the adoption of the 155MM bore size. This should allow the use of common projectiles with the Army's Paladin mobile guns to a point. |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2005-09-09 10:40 |
| #3 (or, to take another theoretical example, allow the Navy to bombard Paris from the English Channel) Or maybe the Nelson. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-09-09 09:28 |
| #2 The first DDX with a railgun should be named the Robert Anson Heinlein. |
| Posted by: Chuck Simmins 2005-09-09 08:44 |
| #1 Mike, thanks for the chop job. This is a giant step for navy and woefully needed. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-09-09 08:06 |