AEGIS Systems

[BUFF]

Is there any other (foreign) system comparable to the AEGIS system out there?

AEGIS I believe is on the Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers, Ticonderoga Class Cruisers, and the Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates(not sure).

[Bill]

Not on the Perry frigates. Pretty soon they won't even have the ability to launch ANY missiles at all.

There are a few foriegn operators of Aegis as well. Those include the Spanish F-100, and some German FFG whose name escapes me.
Japan operates Kongou DDG's which are based on the Arleigh Burkes and have the SPY-1D.

The new UK Type 45 promises to easily eclipse Aegis for fleet AAW with the new SAMPSON radar and Aster 15/30 fire and forget active radar homing SAMs.

[BUFF]

Do you know if the Zumwalt Class Destroyers, will be equipped with a new system or an upgraded AEGIS system?

[Bill]

The Zumwalt, or DD-21 was cancelled, and has been subsequently replaced by the DD-X concpet. It will be in the 12,000ton displ. range, and will indeed use a new version of Aegis, designated SPY-2A. Supposedly it will be LPI, and will be compatible with the SM-3 ABM.

[BUFF]

Damnit the Zumwalt Class is cancelled :-x

Zumwalt was a good man...

[Bill]

The new ship is pretty similar in concept, just a different name really.

[BUFF]

Cool...will it come out the same timeframe as the cancelled Zumwalt? I think the time frame for the Zumwalt was 2008-2012?

[Bill]

Realisticly, 2015 at the earliest.

[thrawn]

How will the DDX compare to the Type 45 when it comes to AAW?

[Bill]

DDX is expected to have 184-192 PVLS missile tubes, armored, that run along the periphery of the tumblehome form hull. These are designed to contain the explosion of even a large missile hit on the hull into one individual missile cell, thus preventing serious damage. That's the concept. If it works, it's a very good idea, lolol.

The DD-X is also a full stealth design like the Visby. It has a fwd folding 6.1" AGS gun that will fire guided ANSR rounds to 79 nautical miles(There is still hope it will be fitted with fore and aft gun mounts). Magazine capacity will be between 700-1000rds.

Close in defense is expected to be handled by twin Phalanx/SeaRam 11rd mounts and manned 25mm cannon mounts.

Theater area air defense will be handled with the SM-2ACTIVE(a active homing-full vectored thrust SM-2ER now being developed). It will retain the SSM mode of all other SM series missiles.

DD-X will also be capable of the TBMD role with full SM-3 anti ICBM capability.

Fleet air defense will be handled wit the RIM-162 ESSM.

This will be accomplished with the legacy SPY-2 improved Aegis Mk7 system, incorporating the latest in AESA technology including LPI capabilities. SPY-2 will also have full counterbattery artillery capability.

Of course DD-X will also have full TACTOM and ASROC VLS compatibility.

DD-X is expected to weigh between 12,000-14,000 tons, so in reality DD-X is a cruiser in all but name.

A theoretical VLS loadout for a 192 tube DD-X could be 64 TACTOM, 96 SM-2ACTIVE, 96 ESSM, and 6 ASROC VLS, together with the 2x11 SeaRam and guns.

The ship's comprehensive layered defenses, combined with as much as 1000 tons of Kevlar armor, full EMP hardening, the PVLS armored belt, electric drive engines capable of exceeding 30knots, Prairie/Masker sonar masking, and an as yet unselected torpedo defense system- DD-X is expected to be extremely survivable in even the most severe threat environments.

DD-X TACTOM capability gives it a massive stand-off punch in both the strike and OTH antishipping roles.

This will all be accomplished with unprecedented digitial systems integration and greatly reduced manning.

Now we just have to sit back and see if it all works...

Here's a link on the PVLS system...

http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/ddx/vls.htm


Link for the EMP resistant LO superstructure...

http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/ddx/deckhouse.htm

Here's a link on the AGS gun system...

http://peoships.crane.navy.mil/ddx/ags.htm

Here's a pic of the ship...

[BUFF]

Damn, that is gonna be one kick ass warship.

[Bill]

If the navy don't cancel it. They have a habit of cancelling systems after they spend billions on their development. Goes a long way toward explaining the massive budget crunch the USN is faced with.

[Jay]

pff thats one hell of an ABM/air defense platform :-(

I got some questions about AESA radar...how come the chinese were able to make this...with out havind what so ever knowledge in active radar systems??

[Tritonal]

Probably, Clinton let them steal the specs.

[Bill]

AESA radar is nothing new, it's been around for several decades(See the US Cobra Dane radar array in Alaska).

Ship sized units require the least miniturization, so it's no surprise that the PRC managed to field one of those first.

While the new Chinese radar is AESA, it is almost certainly not to the same level of reliability, sensitivity, and fidelity as the US Aegis system.