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rnchnologically hmroved Wshi~s: A hrtial Answef t o a Reduced Fleet Reuven Leopold I Continued reductions of our surface fleet over the past decade, with no tum-around in sight, indicate that the U. S. Navy may have to depend on technological, rather than numerical superiority in the future. From the viewpoint of force levels, the U. S. Navy is now significantly smaller than it was in the pre-Vietnam period. From a fleet of nearly 1000 ships at that time, it has dwindled to about 470 commissioned ships, plus a number of civilian operated auxiliary ships. During this same period, the Soviets have managed to create and maintain a Navy of over 2000 ships. (Albeit, this comparison does not consider respective fleet capabilities.) Last year, our goal of a 600 ship Navy was reduced to 550, and it is possible that an even smaller Navy would be acceptable to many people. However, if current R&D and acquisition programs are allowed to run their course, we are in the process of gradually creating a brand new and very potent warship fleet albeit a smaller one. Most of the surface warships we operated during the Vietnam War lacked what will soon be commonplace-an offensive surface-tosurface missile capability; an adequate anti-ship missile defence; a well integrated organic air capability on small warships; naval vessels which can exceed 35 knots; and warships with a much reduced number of sailors to operate them. The U. S. surface combatant force (excluding carriers) currently consists of a number of guided missile cruisers optimized for the anti-aircraft (and anti-missile) defense of fast carrier forces; guided missiIe destroyers of lesser capability intended to supplement the cruisers or to replace them in areas of lesser threat; ASW-oriented destroyers and frigates; and missile-armed frigates of lesser capabilities , particularly lesser speed than their destroyer and cruiser counterparts. The combat suites of these ships naturally differ depending on whether the ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare), AAW (Anti-Air Warfare) or SUW (Surface Warfare ) role is emphasized. New WeaponsSystems The anti-surface ship offensive capabilities of these warships were, until very recently, seriously deficient. This situation, however, is rapidly changing. U. S. ~ Reuven Leopold is Technical Director, Ship Design Division, Naval Ship Engineering Center, Department of the Navy. As such, he is responsible for the design of all surface ships and submarines for the U.S.Navy. His previous position WRS director of ship engineering for Litton Industries. 185 lnfernational Security 1 186 warships are now beginning to receive Harpoon, an autonomous anti-ship weapon (13.5" diameter, 500 lbs. blast type warhead) with a range in excess of 40 miles, which is launchable from ships, submarines and aircraft. The successful use of a Soviet built weapon of this type by the Egyptians during the 1967 Middle East war prompted the U. S. Navy to accelerate its R&D programs and to introduce Harpoon into the fleet. Fleet introduction began in 1976 for FF-1052 class ships and is continuing into other classes. Another new anti-ship weapon now under development is Tomahawk. Traveling at low altitude, at subsonic speeds, and carrying a conventional 1000 lb warhead, Tomahawk is designed to hit targets located more than 300 miles from the launching ship. The first flight of the Navy's Tomahawk took place in March, 1977. Since President Carter has selected the Tomahawk strategic version for development instead of the Air Force's B-1, Tomahawk's continued rapid development has been emphasized. Another offensive surface-to-surface warship weapon under development is the 8" light-weight gun for possible installation aboard the 30 DD-963 class destroyers recently purchased by the Navy. The gun can accurately fire a 260 lb. ballistic or guided projectile every five seconds at targets more than 15 miles away. Borrowing from air-dropped guided munitions and missile technologies ("smart bombs"), terminal guidance was adopted for the Navy's 8" Paveway Guided projectile. The current projectile program is expected to increase the effective range of the gun against both air and surface targets as much as 40 percent over what can be obtained by conventional ballistic ammunition. An even newer program has been already started to...

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