USN Burke Class - News, Reports, Data, etc.
- Thread starter Jeff Head
- Start date
Re: US military news thread
DDG-112, USS Michale Murphey, was the last one launched in May 2011 and commissioned in October 2012.
We now have DDG-113, USS John Finn under construction at Ingalls, and DDG-115, Rafael Peralta building at Bath. DDG-114, Ralph Johnson has had initial construction ongoing and is waiting on Finn to finish at Ingalls.
Early stage construction has been started on USS Thomas Hudner, DDG-116 at Bath, USS Paul Ignatius, DDG-117, at Ingalls, and Daniel Inouye, DDG-118 at Bath.
All six of those are part of what is known as the FLight IIA restart batch. There are five more in that group whose contracts have already been awarded, they are:
DDG-119
DDG-120
DDG-121
DDG-122
DDG-123
None of those have been named yet.
In addition, another three have had contracts awarded and they are to be the first three of the Flight III BUrkes. They are:
DDG-124
DDG-125
DDG-126
So, right now, we have six new Flight IIA Burkes at various levels of construction. Six more Flight IIA Burkes waiting tpo build, and three Flight III BUrkes waiting to build too.
That's a total of fourteen new Burkes whose contracts have already been awarded and who are either in various stages of construction, or are waiting to build.
The US Navy is not sitting on its haunches.
Thanks, Jura, it is good news. I will copy these posts over to the Burke thread too.
DDG-112, USS Michale Murphey, was the last one launched in May 2011 and commissioned in October 2012.
We now have DDG-113, USS John Finn under construction at Ingalls, and DDG-115, Rafael Peralta building at Bath. DDG-114, Ralph Johnson has had initial construction ongoing and is waiting on Finn to finish at Ingalls.
Early stage construction has been started on USS Thomas Hudner, DDG-116 at Bath, USS Paul Ignatius, DDG-117, at Ingalls, and Daniel Inouye, DDG-118 at Bath.
All six of those are part of what is known as the FLight IIA restart batch. There are five more in that group whose contracts have already been awarded, they are:
DDG-119
DDG-120
DDG-121
DDG-122
DDG-123
None of those have been named yet.
In addition, another three have had contracts awarded and they are to be the first three of the Flight III BUrkes. They are:
DDG-124
DDG-125
DDG-126
So, right now, we have six new Flight IIA Burkes at various levels of construction. Six more Flight IIA Burkes waiting tpo build, and three Flight III BUrkes waiting to build too.
That's a total of fourteen new Burkes whose contracts have already been awarded and who are either in various stages of construction, or are waiting to build.
The US Navy is not sitting on its haunches.
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asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Keel has been laid on DDG-113 to DDG-115 that's 3 units
Fabrication work on DDG-116 to DDH-118 that's another 3 units keels to be laid between 2015 and 2016
Long lead materials for DDG-119 to DDG-123 that's 5 units
Contract for DDG-124 to DDG-126 that's 3 units again
I have 3+3+5+3= 14 DDG in the pipeline
Fabrication work on DDG-116 to DDH-118 that's another 3 units keels to be laid between 2015 and 2016
Long lead materials for DDG-119 to DDG-123 that's 5 units
Contract for DDG-124 to DDG-126 that's 3 units again
I have 3+3+5+3= 14 DDG in the pipeline
You are correct.
I got the Michael Murphy mixed up in that count.
Only 14 new DDGs in the pipeline.
But there will be quite a few more.
I'll fix it.
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Naval Today said:
We are starting to see how the AMDR will be configured and situated on the Flight II Burkes now.
The “Air and Missile Defense Radar” (AMDR) will be made up of two radars and a radar suite controller (RSC) to coordinate them. An S band radar will provide volume search, tracking, ballistic missile defense discrimination and communications. An radar will provide horizon search, precision tracking, more missile communication and terminal illumination . The two radars will also share functionality for radar navigation, periscope detection, and, as stated, for missile guidance and communication.
AMDR is also being developed as a scalable system.
This is because the Arleigh Burke Flight III will only be able to carry the 14-foot version of the radar. But, the US Navy wants a 20+ foot radar to meet future threats, particularly as ballistic missile threats increase and proliferate. This is where a dediated missile defense ship, like the missile defense version of the San Antonio LPD hull form that INgalls shipbuilding comes in.
To help cut costs and meet schedules, the first one dozen AMDRs will have an X-band radar that is based on the existing SPQ-9B radar. Later, as I understand it, this will be replaced by a new X-band radar that will be more capable against the future threat assessments.
This allows the program to be developed and deployed more quickly, and cheaper, and yet still meet existing threats.
Later, those first twelve units could be replaced during scheduled maintenance rotations of those Flight III vessels.
Very interesting stuff. Here's a couple of more pics:
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So to make sure I get this correct. There will be 4 S-band arrays below and 3 X-band arrays above bridge level to give 360° coverage each? Finally looks like a really powerfull combimnation, together with the SM-2/-6, ESSM package.
I understand that the Flight III Burkes will be the principle AAW surface combatant of the USN for the future. Also doing missile defense for now. The Zumwalts won't do that and aren't ment to? The CG(X) is dead. The Ticos will go eventually. In the not so distant future? So there's no AAW / multipurpose cruiser.
So the LPD-17 Flight II has now taken on the role of future BMD replacement (still just an idea?) which would allow the Burkes to focus on conventional AAW and secondary strike / ASW, while the Zumwalts do strike.
I understand that the Flight III Burkes will be the principle AAW surface combatant of the USN for the future. Also doing missile defense for now. The Zumwalts won't do that and aren't ment to? The CG(X) is dead. The Ticos will go eventually. In the not so distant future? So there's no AAW / multipurpose cruiser.
So the LPD-17 Flight II has now taken on the role of future BMD replacement (still just an idea?) which would allow the Burkes to focus on conventional AAW and secondary strike / ASW, while the Zumwalts do strike.
Brumby
Major
Jeff,
The official position I understand is a preference for a 20 foot radar rather than a 14 foot version. The 14 foot was a compromised design assuming off board sensors will fill the capability gap. This is a significant assumption. Do you know what specifically is the capability gap between a 20 and 14 foot design?
Looks like three of the X-band above the four S-bands to me.
The three X-bans at 120 degrees each and the four S-Bands at 90 degrees each.
scratch said:
I agree
scratch said:
This looks like the case now.
The Zumwalts will be capable of some air defense. My guess is that they will principally carry ESSM in some of there cells for that purpose. But they are also supposed to be capable of Standard VI.scratch said:
Not necessarily. The Ticos will certainly eventually go...but they will also probably get a refit to see them into the 2030s is my guess.scratch said:
Sometime in the mid-2020s I bet something like the CGX (whatever they may call it) will be revisitied. Until then, the Burke IIIs will be built in some numbers to bridge the gap.
Will those Burke IIIs completely replace the Ticos and become the de facto CG? Who knows? We will have to wait and see how they do, and what comes of other emerging technologies over the next 10-15 years.
The BMD ship is just a proposal right now.scratch said:
But, the San Antonio hull form seems destined to serve several purposes.
The LS(R) (which used to be called the LSD(X))to replace the LSDs looks almost sure to be a modified San Antonio LPD, using that hull but configured differently for the LSD role.
In fact, last October (2014) Secretary of the Navy Mabus, signed an internal US Navy memo recommending that the LX(R) be based on the San Antonio-class hull. He recommended that design over a foreign design and an entirely new US design. Official selection will still have to get Milestone A approval...but it is looking more and more likely.
The BMD ship is a proposal and I believe if adopted it would carry more than just BMD missiles. it would be, in essence IMHO, an AAW arsenal ship and carry the bigger AMDR and probably have one for each CSG.
In addition Ingalls is proposing that same hull form be a common hull for a replacement for the two Command and Control ships (USS Blue Ridge, LCC-19, and USS Mount Whitney, LCC-20), and for future hospital ships.
So, in addition to the San Antonio Class, that hull would be used for:
Landing Platform Dock Class replacements (12)
AEGIS Missile Defense Class Ships(11)
LCC Command and Control Class replacements (2)
Hospital Ships (2-4)
With the San Antonio LPDs (the new Defense Authorization Act for 2015 included partial funding for a twelfth San Antonio LPD, LPD-28), that would mean a total of around 40 ships using that hull form if they all come to fruition. Lots of economies of scale there.
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All of that is highly classified...but we know that the 20 footer is clearly going to be more powerful, with longer range and greater discrimination.
Back in 2013 the US Navy was talking about a total of 22 radars. But newer literature talks about an initial 12, followed by 13 more, which would be a total of 25 radars. I can see 12 Burke IIIs and 12 of the BMD vessels. Series production costs of each set is estimated to be around or in excess of $300 million each.