Gearing class destroyer
Encyclopedia
The Gearing class was a group of 98 destroyer
s built for the US Navy
during and shortly after World War II
. The Gearing design was a minor modification of the immediately preceding Allen M. Sumner
class. The hull was lengthened 14 ft (4.3 m) amidships, creating more storage space for fuel, thus giving the ships a larger range than the Sumners.
The first Gearings were not ready for service until mid-1945, so they saw relatively little wartime service. They continued serving, with a series of upgrades, until the 1970s. At that time many were sold to other nations, where they served many more years.
Two Gearing-class ships still exist, as museum ships: in Fall River, MA, and in Lake Charles, LA.
platform.
The FRAM MK I program was designed primarily for the Gearing-class destroyers. This upgrade included rebuilding the ship's superstructure, engines, electronic systems, radar, sonar, and weapons. The second twin 5" gun mount was removed. Upgraded systems include SQS-23 sonar, SPS-10 surface search radar, 2 × triple Mk 32 torpedo launchers, 8-cell ASROC
box launcher, and QH-50C DASH ASW drone helicopter, with its own landing pad and hangar
.
The Gyrodyne QH-50C DASH was an unmanned anti-submarine helicopter, controlled remotely from the ship. The drone could carry 2 × MK.44 homing ASW torpedoes
. During this era the ASROC system had an effective range of only 5 nautical miles (9 km), but the DASH drone allowed the ship to deploy ASW attack to sonar contacts as far as 22 nautical miles (41 km) away.
An upgraded version of DASH, QH-50D, remained in use by the US Army until May, 2006.
(ROCN) in Taiwan
. These ships, along with Fletcher-class
and Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers also acquired then, were upgraded under the Wu Chin I, II, and III programs and known throughout the ROCN as the Yang-class destroyers as they were assigned names that all end with the word "Yang". The last batch of 7 WC-III program vessels, all of them Gearing class, were retired in early 2000s.
Under the most advanced Wu Chin III upgrade program, all World War Two vintage weapons were removed and replaced with 4 × Hsiung Feng II
SSM, 10 × SM-1
(box launchers), 1 × 8-cell ASROC
, 1 × 76 mm gun
, 2 × 40 mm/70 AA, 1 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
and 2 × triple 12.75" torpedo tubes
. The DASH ASW drones were not acquired, but hangar facilities aboard those ships that had them were later used to accommodate ASW version of Hughes MD500 helicopters.
After the Yang-class destroyers were decommissioned, the SM-1 launch boxes were moved to Chi Yang-class frigates
to improve their anti-air capability.
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s built for the US Navy
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...
during and shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The Gearing design was a minor modification of the immediately preceding Allen M. Sumner
Allen M. Sumner class destroyer
The Allen M. Sumner class was a group of 58 destroyers built by the United States during World War II. Another twelve ships were completed as destroyer minelayers...
class. The hull was lengthened 14 ft (4.3 m) amidships, creating more storage space for fuel, thus giving the ships a larger range than the Sumners.
The first Gearings were not ready for service until mid-1945, so they saw relatively little wartime service. They continued serving, with a series of upgrades, until the 1970s. At that time many were sold to other nations, where they served many more years.
Two Gearing-class ships still exist, as museum ships: in Fall River, MA, and in Lake Charles, LA.
FRAM I upgrade
In the late 1950s forty-four of the Gearing-class destroyers underwent extensive modernization overhauls, known as FRAM I, which were designed to convert them from an AA destroyer to an anti-submarine warfareAnti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
platform.
The FRAM MK I program was designed primarily for the Gearing-class destroyers. This upgrade included rebuilding the ship's superstructure, engines, electronic systems, radar, sonar, and weapons. The second twin 5" gun mount was removed. Upgraded systems include SQS-23 sonar, SPS-10 surface search radar, 2 × triple Mk 32 torpedo launchers, 8-cell ASROC
ASROC
ASROC is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed on over 200 USN surface ships, specifically cruisers, destroyers, and frigates...
box launcher, and QH-50C DASH ASW drone helicopter, with its own landing pad and hangar
Hangar
A hangar is a closed structure to hold aircraft or spacecraft in protective storage. Most hangars are built of metal, but other materials such as wood and concrete are also sometimes used...
.
The Gyrodyne QH-50C DASH was an unmanned anti-submarine helicopter, controlled remotely from the ship. The drone could carry 2 × MK.44 homing ASW torpedoes
Mark 44 torpedo
The Mark 44 torpedo is an obsolete air-launched and ship-launched lightweight torpedo manufactured in the U.S., and under licence in Canada, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom with 10,500 being produced for U.S. service. It was superseded by the Mark 46 torpedo...
. During this era the ASROC system had an effective range of only 5 nautical miles (9 km), but the DASH drone allowed the ship to deploy ASW attack to sonar contacts as far as 22 nautical miles (41 km) away.
An upgraded version of DASH, QH-50D, remained in use by the US Army until May, 2006.
FRAM II upgrade
The FRAM MK II program was designed primarily for the Sumner-class destroyers, but were used to upgrade the Gearing class as well. This upgrade program includes life-extension refurbishment, a new radar system, Mk. 32 torpedo, DASH ASW drone, and most importantly, a new variable depth sonar (VDS).Yang class
After the Gearing-class ships were retired from USN service, many were sold abroad, including over a dozen to the Republic of China NavyRepublic of China Navy
The Republic of China Navy is the maritime branch of the Armed forces of the Republic of China . The ROC Navy's primary mission is to defend ROC territories and the sea lanes that surround Taiwan against a blockade, attack, or possible invasion by forces of the People's Republic of China...
(ROCN) in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. These ships, along with Fletcher-class
Fletcher class destroyer
The Fletcher class were a class of destroyers built by the United States during World War II. The class was designed in 1939 as a result of dissatisfaction with the earlier destroyer leader types...
and Allen M. Sumner-class destroyers also acquired then, were upgraded under the Wu Chin I, II, and III programs and known throughout the ROCN as the Yang-class destroyers as they were assigned names that all end with the word "Yang". The last batch of 7 WC-III program vessels, all of them Gearing class, were retired in early 2000s.
Under the most advanced Wu Chin III upgrade program, all World War Two vintage weapons were removed and replaced with 4 × Hsiung Feng II
Hsiung Feng II
The Hsiung Feng II is an anti-ship missile system developed by the Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology in Taiwan. The HF-2 is designed to be deployed aboard ships or at land-based facilities, an airborne version has also been developed which can be carried by the ROC Air Force's F-CK...
SSM, 10 × SM-1
Standard missile
Standard Missile can refer to a family of several different American missiles:* RIM-66 Standard , a medium range surface-to-air missile, the successor of the RIM-24 Tartar missile...
(box launchers), 1 × 8-cell ASROC
ASROC
ASROC is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed on over 200 USN surface ships, specifically cruisers, destroyers, and frigates...
, 1 × 76 mm gun
Otobreda 76 mm
The Otobreda 76 mm gun is a naval artillery piece built by the Italian defence conglomerate Otobreda. It is based on the Oto Melara 76mm/L62 Allargato, which was bigger and heavier...
, 2 × 40 mm/70 AA, 1 × 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
Phalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
and 2 × triple 12.75" torpedo tubes
Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes
The Mark 32 Surface Vessel Torpedo Tubes system is a torpedo launching system designed for the United States Navy. The Mark 32 has been the standard anti-submarine torpedo launching system aboard United States Navy surface vessels since its introduction in 1960, and in use aboard the warships of...
. The DASH ASW drones were not acquired, but hangar facilities aboard those ships that had them were later used to accommodate ASW version of Hughes MD500 helicopters.
After the Yang-class destroyers were decommissioned, the SM-1 launch boxes were moved to Chi Yang-class frigates
Knox class frigate
Knox class frigates were United States Navy warships, originally laid down as ocean escorts , but were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975 in the USN 1975 ship reclassification and their hull designation changed from DE to FF.A sub-class of the Knox class was built, commonly referred to as...
to improve their anti-air capability.
External links
- Gearing-class destroyers at Destroyer History Foundation
- http://www.gyrodynehelicopters.com/gearing_class.htm