Arsenal ship
Encyclopedia
An arsenal ship is a concept for a floating missile platform intended to have as many as five hundred vertical launch bays
for mid-sized missiles, most likely cruise missiles. In current US naval
thinking, such a ship would initially be controlled remotely by an Aegis Cruiser
, although plans include control by AWACS aircraft such as the E-2 Hawkeye and E-3 Sentry.
cancelling some funding, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) providing some funding to individual contractors for prototypes. Some concept artwork of the Arsenal Ship was produced, some images bearing the number "72," possibly hinting at an intent to classify the arsenal ships as a battleship
, since the last battleship ordered (but never built) was USS Louisiana (BB-71)
.
The U.S. Navy has since modified the four oldest Ohio-class
Trident submarines to SSGN configuration, allowing them to carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles
using vertical launching system
s installed in the tubes which previously held strategic ballistic missiles.
Vertical Launching System
A vertical launching system is a system for holding and firing missiles on surface ships and submarines used by many navies around the world. Each VLS system consists of a number of cells, which can hold one or more missiles ready for firing...
for mid-sized missiles, most likely cruise missiles. In current US naval
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
thinking, such a ship would initially be controlled remotely by an Aegis Cruiser
Aegis combat system
The Aegis Combat System is an integrated naval weapons system developed by the Missile and Surface Radar Division of RCA, and now produced by Lockheed Martin...
, although plans include control by AWACS aircraft such as the E-2 Hawkeye and E-3 Sentry.
History
Proposed by the US Navy in 1996, it has since had funding problems, with the United States CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
cancelling some funding, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) providing some funding to individual contractors for prototypes. Some concept artwork of the Arsenal Ship was produced, some images bearing the number "72," possibly hinting at an intent to classify the arsenal ships as a battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
, since the last battleship ordered (but never built) was USS Louisiana (BB-71)
Montana class battleship
The Montana-class battleships of the United States Navy were planned as successors to the , being slower but larger, better armored, and having superior firepower...
.
The U.S. Navy has since modified the four oldest Ohio-class
Ohio class submarine
The Ohio class is a class of nuclear-powered submarines used by the United States Navy. The United States has 18 Ohio-class submarines:...
Trident submarines to SSGN configuration, allowing them to carry up to 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles
BGM-109 Tomahawk
The Tomahawk is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic cruise missile. Introduced by General Dynamics in the 1970s, it was designed as a medium- to long-range, low-altitude missile that could be launched from a surface platform. It has been improved several times and, by way of corporate divestitures...
using vertical launching system
Vertical Launching System
A vertical launching system is a system for holding and firing missiles on surface ships and submarines used by many navies around the world. Each VLS system consists of a number of cells, which can hold one or more missiles ready for firing...
s installed in the tubes which previously held strategic ballistic missiles.
External links
- FAS page on Arsenal Ships
- Dawn H. Driesbach's paper on arsenal ships
- TRAMCO Striker page
- Arsenal ship - GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...