Quote:
Originally Posted by gunnut
I like it. It's closer to my concept of an NGFS ship.
If you had a chance to go through all the other threads on battleship/NGFS you'd find that I proposed a much more simplified form of your cruiser for the duty.
She's more like a type of armored cruiser. Very basic to cut down cost and construction time. There should be enough armor to withstand shells of up to 76mm. She would have 2, maybe 3 tubes of 6" or 8" guns in single turrets. She would displace no more than 15,000t. Other than the main guns, she would have up to 4 76mm or 57mm guns. She would have 64 ESSMs quad-packed in 2 8 cell Mk 41 launchers. There will be no AEGIS since she's not built for fleet air defense. There will only be basic hull mounted sonar and Mk. 46 torpedoes for emergency self defense. There will be, however, a decent sized helo hanger and deck space for up to 3 medium helos.
I think a ship like that is entirely adequate for NGFS. She would be of limited use for anything else though. But if we pack all the capabilities we want into her, then we might as well buy more Ticos and Burkes.
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The thing is the closer you get to shore the more hardware can be easily arranged against you, whether truck based rockets, some manner of coastal guns, SSKs or otherwise. This means you either need a ship like the Zumwalt with exceptional sensors to begin with or you need a ship with exceptional sensors like the Zumwalt escorting your ship. Tico and Burkes are getting old as is their equipment, and technology otherwise hasn't been standing still. Seems as how both Ticos and Burkes ton significantly less then Zumwalts, and are louder they couldn't be upgraded to the same capability even if one was will to rip them down completely and build up from there. Plus the more ships and noise involved the more likely they are to figure out just where you are and thus do something effective against you.
If you can't pick up the threats your force is now unviable. You can't shoot what you don't see. I would personally have to say your ship reflects false economy. Especially when the Navy has to basically fight for every ship and sailor.