Knox class frigates - The McNamara's Folly

[de Radio Demon@live 266]

                                                                                                                  Knox class frigate - The McNamara's Folly

                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                            Background & History

The Knox class frigates was a second generation US frigate class and in fact the last second generation frigate of the US Navy, they also hold the distinction of being the largest class of the second generation frigates in the USN with a total of 46 ships, the class itself was originally considered as destroyer escorts as they entered service in the late 1960's though with the major change in ship classification in the US navy in 1975 they were reclassified as frigates though their role remained the same as they were intended for anti submarine warfare but would eventually be succeeded by the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate which were missile based, though that class has since then been retired making it officially currently with the US navy with no active frigates though the successor class is in the works.

                                                                    

The Knox class was nicknamed at the time as McNamara's Folly due to the fact of the unequal comparison to destroyers in service at the time as compared to said destroyers they were large, lightly armed,  and slow speed thanks to the design having 1 screw, but this is not to say that was exactly how it was supposed to be as the design had a bit of troubled history in their design process as they were originally planned to use a more powerful power plant but the USN decided to switch to a less powerful system, the ship was also suppose to come with surface to air missile in the form of RIM-46 Sea Mauler however the program for the missile ran into trouble and was canceled leaving the ships only with the single 5 inch gun equipped as anti air armament but this was later rectified with the introduction of the sea sparrow though later in service they had that replaced with a 20mm phalanx CIWS. The class itself would remain in service with the US Navy as late as the 1990's but each ship would only ever be active for at most 23 years with the US navy and afterwards they would find a number of them sold to foreign navies which resulted in a few sub classes, and in the case of the Spanish which had on sub class had actually built their own sub class rather than purchasing ships which the rest of the ships of other subclasses had been acquired.

                                                                    

In terms of armament the main gun armament consisted of 1 5 inch/54 (12.7 cm) Mark 42 gun rather than the previous class which featured the older and less powerful 5 inch/38 naval gun, the ship was also armed with 1 8 cell Mark 16 RUR-5 ASROC launcher for anti submarine warfare, the ship also came with 2 quad 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes which made up the armament, the ships would also include a helipad which would allow them to use the DASH system but system was as it turned out not very reliable however within a few years many of the ships would have SAM systems installed in the form of the sea sparrow being installed (most received the 8-cell Mark 25 launchers though one ship received a Mark 29 launcher) along with the replacement of the DASH systems for a piloted helicopter which also saw the increase in size for the helipad and hanger, throughout their service they would most receive changes in the form of new radar, sonar, and electronic warfare systems as well as the installation of the 20mm phalanx CIWS to replace the sea sparrow as well as some ships receiving modification to allow the usage os the harpoon anti ship missile which would be launched from the ASROC launcher however the maximum load for these was 4 plus 2 for reloads at the cost of carrying any RUR-5 ASW rockets. 

                                                                    

 

                                                                                                                                 Specifications

Displacement:

3,020 tons standard

4,066 tons fully loaded

 

Length: 438 ft (134 m)

 

Beam: 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)

 

Draft: 24 ft 9 in (7.54 m)

 

Installed power:

2 × 1,200 psi (8,300 kPa) boilers

35,000 shp (26,000 kW)

 

Propulsion:

1 × Westinghouse steam turbine

1 × shaft

 

Speed: 27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)

 

Range: 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)

 

Complement: 224

 

Sensors and processing systems: (May not be fully  precise of all ships)

As built

1 x AN/SPS-10 Radar

1 x AN/SPS-40B Radar

1 x AN/SQS-26CX active/passive Sonar

1 x AN/SQR-18 Towed array sonar system

1 x AN/SPG-53A/D/F Mk68 Gun Fire Control System

 

1971 - 1975 Refit (Only for ships with sea sparrow)

2 x Mark 95 Radars

1 x AN/SPS-10 Radar

1 x AN/SPS-40B Radar

1 x AN/SQS-26CX active/passive Sonar

1 x AN/SQR-18 Towed array sonar system

 1 x AN/SPG-53A/D/F Mk68 Gun Fire Control System

 

1972 - 1975 Refit (Not For all ships)

2 x Mark 95 Radars (only for ships with sea sparrow)

1 x AN/SPS-10 Radar

1 x AN/SPS-40B Radar

1 x AN/SQS-26CX active/passive Sonar

1 x AN/SQS-35 sonar

1 x AN/SQR-18 Towed array sonar system

 1 x AN/SPG-53A/D/F Mk68 Gun Fire Control System

 

Early 1980's refit (systems vary by ship) (will just be included under 1980s refit)

1 x Mark 90 Radar (Replaced mark 95 radar when it sea sparrow was replaced with CIWS)

1 x AN/SPS-10 Radar

1 x AN/SPS-40B Radar

1 x AN/SPS-67 Radar

1 x AN/SQS-26CX active/passive Sonar

1 x AN/SQR-18A sonar (All ships 

1 x AN/SQR-18 Towed array sonar system

 1 x AN/SPG-53A/D/F Mk68 Gun Fire Control System

 

Electronic warfare & decoys:

As Built 

 WLR-1C ECM suite

2 x Mk 33 RBOC decoy RL

 

Early 1980's Refit (will just be included under 1980s refit)

SLQ-32(v)1 ECM suite

2 x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL

 

Late 1980's Refit (Not for all ships) (will just be included under 1980s refit)

SLQ-32(v)2 ECM suite
2 x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL

 

Armament:

As built

Main armament:

1 x 5 inch/54 (127 mm) Mark 18 gun (1 x 1 Mark 42 mount)

(600 rounds total)

Rocket launchers:

8 x RUR-5 ASROC launchers (1 x 8 Mark 16 launcher)

(8 loaded + 8 for reload)

Torpedo tubes:

4 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 2)

(22 torpedos carried total)

 

1971 - 1975 Refit (Does not apply to all ships)

Main armament:

1 x 5 inch/54 (127 mm) Mark 18 gun (1 x 1 Mark 42 mount)

(600 rounds total)

Surface to air missiles:

8 x Sea sparrow surface to air missiles (1 x 8 Mark 25 mount (*USS Downes has a Mark 29 mount and used the RIM-7H missile rather than the standard RIM-7)

Rocket launchers:

8 x RUR-5 ASROC launchers (1 x 8 Mark 16 launcher) 

(8 loaded + 8 for reload)

Torpedo tubes:

4 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 2)

(22 torpedos carried total)

 

Late 1970's Refit (Does not apply to all)

Main armament:

1 x 5 inch/54 (127 mm) Mark 18 gun (1 x 1 Mark 42 mount)

(600 rounds total)

Anti ship missiles: 

4 x RGM-84 Harpoon anti ship missiles (1 x 4)

(4 loaded + 2 for reload) (According to sources these weapons were placed in the ASROC launcher, however it cannot carry RUR-5 rockets at the same time)

Surface to air missiles:

8 x Sea sparrow surface to air missiles (1 x 8 Mark 25 mount (*USS Downes has a Mark 29 mount and used the RIM-7H missile rather than the standard RIM-7)

(Not all ships which received this refit had the sea sparrow)

Rocket launchers:

8 x RUR-5 ASROC launchers (1 x 8 Mark 16 launcher) (Rockets cannot be carried when Harpoon missiles are carried)

(8 loaded + 8 for reload)

Torpedo tubes:

4 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 2)

(22 torpedos carried total)

 

1980's Refit (Does not apply to all ships)

Main armament:

1 x 5 inch/54 (127 mm) Mark 18 gun (1 x 1 Mark 42 mount)

(600 rounds total)

Anti ship missiles: 

4 x RGM-84 Harpoon anti ship missiles (1 x 4)

(4 loaded + 2 for reload) (According to sources these weapons were placed in the ASROC launcher, however it cannot carry RUR-5 rockets at the same time)

Anti aircraft armament:

1 x 20mm Mark 15 Phalanx CIWS

Rocket launchers:

8 x RUR-5 ASROC launchers (1 x 8 Mark 16 launcher) (Rockets cannot be carried when Harpoon missiles are carried)

(8 loaded + 8 for reload)

Torpedo tubes:

4 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes (2 x 2)

(22 torpedos carried total)

 

Aviation Facilities:

1 x Hanger & Helipad (both enlarged for ships all ships between 1972 to 1975)

 

Aircraft carried:

1 x DASH (drone anti submarine helicopter) (replaced by SH-2 Seasprite when hanger and helipad was enlarged)

 

                                                                                                                               More Images

Spoiler

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

                                                                    

 

Sources:

Spoiler

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knox-class_frigate

https://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_de_knox.htm

https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/ship/ff-1052.htm

http://www.navweaps.com/Weapons/WNUS_5-54_mk42.php

Image Sources:

Spoiler

http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/06021052.htm

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Knox_class_frigates

                                                                    

Edited January 27, 2022 by de Radio Demon@live

[leroyonly 4,310]

Open for discussion. 

[Milocat 4,849]

+1 with other missile ships.