HoratioNelson

With the decommissioning of the battleships, I find that gap has been left in our modern navies. No modern navy currently deploys any warship (defining a 'warship' as any ship that directly engages an enemy with missiles and guns, i.e: not a carrier) that can withstand a hit by anything more than small arms. From what i've heard, and I may be wrong, the USN's Ticonderoga CGs have only limited kevlar splinter protection and only in vital areas. The world's largest warship, the Kirov class has only 76mm plating around it's reactor compartment. This is unacceptable for the kind of pounding capital ships will take in the 21st century. It may be all fine and peaceful(ish) on the seas right now, but don't get lured into any false sense of security, the USN won't rule the waves forever, just like Britain didn't and Spain didn't. Eventually there will be war and when there is I think the sailors will be hoping for a bit more than kevlar to protect them from shells and missiles that get through the CIWS.

What I propose is a sort of armoured missile cruiser (ACG for hull code) with a tonnage of around 20,000-26,000 tons. The hull would be about 200-220m long, with a beam of 28m and a draft of 9m, with a combination of longitudinal and lateral framing for strength (I apologize if that's impossible, I'm still learning about ship architecture) and a round transom. Bismarck-style internal watertight subdivisions would increase ship survivability. Looking at the example of the Kirovs, I think nuclear propulsion would be entirely possible. However, I believe the better choice would be maybe four Rolls Royce MERMAID electric engine pods. Moves silently, saves space 360 degree manueverability and enough power to propel the Queen Mary II. Now on to the topic of armour, the primary feature of this warship. I'm not sure what the modern standard of ship armour is, or if it has evolved past steel, but ten inches of steel plating at its thickest point, possibly reinforced with explosive reactive plates. Armament would consist primarily of 25 MK 57 VLS modules, a total of around 100 missiles including Block IV Tomahawks, Evolved Sea Sparrows, Block II SM-2s, and ASROC anti-sub rockets. A secondary battery of four 6.1" AGS mounts would back up the extensive missile barrage. CIWS would be covered by two RIM-116 RAM launchers and four Millennium 35mm CIWS. Radar systems would include an AEGIS weapons system for directing the missiles, along with AN/SPY-3, VSR and AN/SPQ-9 radar systems. 2 SH-60 SeaHawks would fulfill the anti-submarine warfare role, and a few UAVs would fill in the recon role. The whole would be, as the title has it, a Fleet Action Warship. This is a warship that deals out heavy punishment on land or sea, and can withstand heavy punishment in return. While it may not have the brute force of a ship mounting nine 16"/50 caliber naval rifles, it does have formidable missile capacity, combined with the un-interceptable shells of the AGS guns.

So... thoughts? I've specifically thrown all the trends of battleships out the window. Big guns, excessively thick armour, i've done away with that and looked at it with fresh eyes and I think this ship could fill in the gap that the battleship left in the line of battle as a primary combat warship.