USS Zumwalt heads out to sea

[cnleio]

They are actually put on the perimeter of the ship in physically isolated, independent sets of 4 cells (as opposed to big blocks of eg 4x8 as on Tico's and Burkes) precisely to prevent/limited sympathetic detonations due to combat damage. One missile impact will never take out an entire missile 'farm'. The segments in which the VLSs are mounted serve to limit combat damage, by isolating the VLSs from each other and from the rest of the ship in autonomous units (steel units, which could be Kevlar lined). This also limited possibilities for and dangers of flooding large compartments (old style VLS 'farms') e.g. by fluids used for putting out fire.

http://www.alternatewars.com/BBOW/Weapons/Mk57_VLS.pdf.

For comparison, locations of Kevlar ('fragment protection') on Burke DDG (that includes the VLSs)

I still like the VLS system at the center of ship, make me feel safe & comfortable.

Some Kevlar layer can't save the missile damage at the side of ship, little effect ... dangerous zones.

Thailand or Pakistan Navy tested China C802 anti-ship missile hit the target ship ... just feel the PVLS design might in wrong place, it's serious !

 

[F-22Raptor]

 

[Penguin]

I still like the VLS system at the center of ship, make me feel safe & comfortable.

Well, this is the first such an arrangement. I don't see it used on the LCSs. And of course, feel free to have a preference.

Some Kevlar layer can't save the missile damage at the side of ship, little effect ... dangerous zones.

Clearly, Kevlar is not used to stop missiles. Rather, it is used to limit fragmentation damage (just like spall liners in armored vehicles).

Thailand or Pakistan Navy tested China C802 anti-ship missile hit the target ship ... just feel the PVLS design might in wrong place, it's serious !

If you think that's bad, see these Harpoon hits on a decommed Type 22 frigate.

Again, the PVLS is not intended to stop AShM.

On the whole, with a distributed set of isolated, independent VLUs, there is better change of at least some VLUs remaining undamaged and operational in case of missile hits on the ship. Not just in case of sea skimmer, but also in case of high-diver. In addition, should any of the compartments housing these 4 cell launchers flood, is will be a small compartment.

On a Burke or Tico, the compartments around the VLS farm aren't meant as protection for it. Any Kevlar around the farm is meant as protection against missile/warhead fragments only. If you count 8,5m by 6,5m by 8m, then you have an indication of the water volume if the farm floods (in terms of weight: up to 400 tons): imagine that sloshing back and forth.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Isn't she a beauty?

JESUS CHRIST...............EVERYBODY BOW DOWN PLEASE.................

This doesn't even look real. It looks like something out of a movie

A historic moment for the USN!

Agree, it looks like a dream or something a fanboy imagined. It's unreal. Majestic design.

 

[cnleio]

Well, this is the first such an arrangement. I don't see it used on the LCSs. And of course, feel free to have a preference.


Clearly, Kevlar is not used to stop missiles. Rather, it is used to limit fragmentation damage (just like spall liners in armored vehicles).



If you think that's bad, see these Harpoon hits on a decommed Type 22 frigate.

Again, the PVLS is not intended to stop AShM.

On the whole, with a distributed set of isolated, independent VLUs, there is better change of at least some VLUs remaining undamaged and operational in case of missile hits on the ship. Not just in case of sea skimmer, but also in case of high-diver. In addition, should any of the compartments housing these 4 cell launchers flood, is will be a small compartment.

On a Burke or Tico, the compartments around the VLS farm aren't meant as protection for it. Any Kevlar around the farm is meant as protection against missile/warhead fragments only. If you count 8,5m by 6,5m by 8m, then you have an indication of the water volume if the farm floods (in terms of weight: up to 400 tons): imagine that sloshing back and forth.

Thank you very much, @Penguin !

 

[Avisheik]

The ships looks and firepower are straight out of si-fi movies.

 

[Penguin]

80 Missile Launcher ? for real ?

The 173m long 9,800 t Ticonderoga class has 2x61=122 Mk41 cells. (2 sets of 8x8, with 2x3 for 2 missile strike down cranes).
The 154-155m long 8,315-9,200 t Arleigh Burke class has 61+29=90 Mk41 cells (1 set of 8x8 and1 set of 4x8, with 2x3 for 2 strike down cranes).
Zumwalt class is 180m and 14,798 t and gets 'just' 80.

 

[500]

Look how he cuts the waters, even taking off ducks leave more trails than this 15,000 ton monster.

 

[mike2000 is back]

Look how he cuts the waters, even taking off ducks leave more trails than this 15,000 ton monster.

This is a beast.

 

[C130]

you could buy 3 Sejong the Great class destroyers for 1 Zumwalt

has 128 VLS to 80

could probably even enlarge it to fit a huge AMDR array

 

[untitled]

Looks like a flat naval version of the death star

 

[500]

I still like the VLS system at the center of ship, make me feel safe & comfortable.
View attachment 278087

On contrary if center VLS explodes all ship goes caboom, if side VLS explodes the ship remains safe.

you could buy 3 Sejong the Great class destroyers for 1 Zumwalt

has 128 VLS to 80

could probably even enlarge it to fit a huge AMDR array

Its radically new design with many revolutionary innovations.

 

[Penguin]

you could buy 3 Sejong the Great class destroyers for 1 Zumwalt

has 128 VLS to 80

could probably even enlarge it to fit a huge AMDR array

Indeed, you could. Although, with a larger production run than 3, unit cost would drop considerable as development costs get spread out over a larger number of ships and as construction times get shorter because the yards get more experienced with this ship.

Any way, 3 StG's give only 3x 12,7mm cannon, which currently can hit out to 24km, versus 2x 155mm AGS. A single AGS offers the ability to deliver firepower close to that of a battery of six 155 mm howitzers, over a testproven range of at least 109 km (59 nmi), and a designed range of 154km (83 nmi).

Aside from the Zumwalts, the US retains 62 Arleigh Burkes (76 total planned) and 22 Ticonderogas. These represent at least 8264 VLU cells, which can be duo- or quadpacked. So it is not that the USN needs those 'few' (696) extra VLU cells. The stealth combined with the new guns are what gives new capabilities to the USN.

The Navy hopes to place AMDR on Flight III Arleigh Burke class destroyer, possibly beginning in 2016. Flight III Burke ships, construction starting in FY2016 in place of the canceled CG(X) program ( = Ticonderoga replacement), have various design improvements including radar antennas of mid-diameter increased to 14 feet (4.3 m) from the previous 12 feet (3.7 m). They will use Air and Missile Defense Radars (AMDR) with digital beamforming, instead of the earlier Passive Electronically Scanned Array radars. If larger AMDR is needed, there are alternatives that can be fairly readiliy made available, e.g. based on the 25,000 ton LPD-17 Flight 2.

Speaking to Navy Recognition during Sea-Air-Space 2014, Mike Duthu (Director of LPD Program at Ingals Shipbuilding) explained the growth potential for a BMD configured LPD 17 ship is an impressive 5,000 tons. The BMD ship may be fitted with 288 Mk 41 or 144 Mk 57 vertical launch systems. Its powerful X-band radar may be fixed or rotating and consist in 4 antennas measuring 25 feet up to 35 feet in diameter.

The Standard SM-3 to be used for BMD is quoted as having an operational range of 700 km in Block IA/B version and 2,500 km in Block IIA version. This essentially would allow the Navy to operate these relatively slow (20-22kt max sustained speed) ships away from carrier groups but still supporting them. Much in the same whay that replenishment at sea ships are near, rather than part of carrier groups.