Arleigh Burke

Australian Navy Hobart Class JUST AS GOOD us navy Arleigh Burke class destroyer

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• published: 28 Aug 2014
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The Royal Australian Navy Hobart class could be just as good as the us navy Arleigh Burke class destroyer. The Hobart class is a ship class of three air warfare destroyers (AWDs) being built for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Planning for a class to replace the Adelaide class frigates and restore the capability last exhibited by the Perth class destroyers began by 2000, initially under acquisition project SEA 1400, which was redesignated SEA 4000. Although the designation "Air Warfare Destroyer" is used to describe ships dedicated to the defence of a naval force (plus assets ashore) from aircraft and missile attack, the planned Australian destroyers would also be able to operate in anti-surface, anti-submarine, and naval gunfire support roles. Planning for the Australian Air Warfare Destroyer (as the class was known until 2006) continued through the mid-2000s, with the selection of the Aegis combat system as the intended combat system and ASC as the primary shipbuilder in 2005. In late 2005, the AWD Alliance was formed as a consortium of the Defence Materiel Organisation, ASC, and Raytheon. Between 2005 and 2007, Gibbs & Cox's Evolved Arleigh Burke class destroyer concept and Navantia's Álvaro de Bazán class frigate competed for selection as the AWD design. Although the Arleigh Burke design was larger and more capable, the Álvaro de Bazán design was selected in June 2007 as it was an existing design, and would be cheaper, quicker, and less risky to build. Three ships were ordered in October 2007, and will be assembled at ASC's facility in Osborne, South Australia, from 31 pre-fabricated modules (or 'blocks'). ASC, NQEA Australia, and the Forgacs Group were selected in May 2009 to build the blocks, but within two months, NQEA was replaced by BAE Systems Australia. Errors with the first hull block and growing delays in construction led the AWD Alliance to redistribute the construction workload in 2011, with some modules to be built by Navantia. An option to build a fourth destroyer was included in the original contract, but has not yet been exercised. The lead ship, Hobart, will enter service in March 2016 (two years later than originally predicted), Brisbane is due to commission in September 2017, and Sydney should be operational by June 2019. Design Each destroyer will have a length overall of 147.2 metres (483 ft), a maximum beam of 18.6 metres (61 ft), and a draught of 5.17 metres (17.0 ft).[3] At launch, the ships will have a full-load displacement of 6,250 tonnes (6,150 long tons; 6,890 short tons).[15] However, the Hobarts have been designed to allow for upgrades and installation of new equipment, with a theoretical maximum displacement of 7,000 tonnes (6,900 long tons; 7,700 short tons).[15] The Hobarts use a more powerful propulsion system than their Spanish predecessors.[4] The combined diesel or gas turbine (CODOG) propulsion arrangement consists of two General Electric Marine model 7LM2500-SA-MLG38 gas turbines, each generating 17,500 kilowatts (23,500 hp), and two Caterpillar Bravo 16 V Bravo diesel engines, each providing 5,650 kilowatts (7,580 hp).[3] These drive two propeller shafts, fitted with Wärtsilä controllable pitch propellers.[3] The ships' maximum speed is over 28 knots (52 km/h; 32 mph), with a range of over 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph); although not fast enough to keep pace with an American carrier battle group, the RAN is happy with the speed/range tradeoff as endurance is more important for Australian operating conditions.[3] For in-harbour manoeuvring, each destroyer is fitted with a bow thruster.[3] The standard ship's company is 186-strong, plus 16 additional personnel to operate and maintain the ship's helicopter.[3] However, there is accommodation aboard for 31 officers and 203 sailors total.[3] Onboard electricity requirements (the hotel load) are supplied by four MTU prime mover diesel motors connected to Alconza alternators.[3] Armament[edit] Each ship's main weapon is a 48-cell Mark 41 Vertical Launch System.[3] The cells are capable of firing the RIM-66 Standard 2 anti-aircraft missile or the quad-packed RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow point-defence missile.[3] The Force 2030 white paper indicates that the Hobart's Mark 41 launchers are likely to be equipped (either at construction or through later modification) to fire the RIM-174 Standard 6 anti-aircraft missile and the Tomahawk cruise missile.[16] The missiles are supplemented by two four-canister launchers for Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and a BAE Systems Mark 45 Mod 4 5-inch gun with a 62-calibre barrel.[3] The 5-inch gun has a maximum range of 23.6 kilometres (14.7 mi).[3] Two Babcock Mark 32 Mod 9 two-tube torpedo launchers will be carried, and used to fire Eurotorp MU90 torpedoes at submarines.[3] For close-in defence, the ships will carry an aft-facing Phalanx CIWS system,