Missile Cruiser Query

[Cobra]

Hey Guys, just had thought jump into my head:What If there were 3 Classes of Missile Cruiser i use? the 3 are:Tactical Missile Cruiser, AA Missile Cruiser,and Bombardment Heavy Missile Cruiser. Had the Thought & Decided to post it. i also Ask that After 3 or More Replies the Moderator(s) remove this subject. Plan to post an Idea in the Idea Bank after i see How Many Replies i get. What Say You? Thanks for Looking.Dan

[Maverick]

Dan, I believe the Aegis system classifies as an anti-air system, whilst I guess any platform that could launch a Tomahawk would classify as a theatre-reach weapon.  As for tactical, given it's a sea-going thing, anything carrying Harpoon would be a tactical system.  In all truth, I don't see why there couldn't be one platform for all three roles.  But then again, I'm not a Navy person and don't understand the 'big picture' as they say.

Regards,

Mav

[Hobbes]

I agree Mav, cruisers are big enough that the AA and tactical roles can be combined. Bombardment I assume means large guns, you may want a cheaper, more expendable platform to put near enemy shores.

[viper29_ca]

At one time, that is what and why there were different cruisers.

However now with the Aegis Ticonderoga Cruisers and Arleigh Burke Destroyers, the anti air and tomahawks all come in the same missile pack for the VLS launchers, so they can be tailor suited to what ever mission they are going out for.

Shore or inland bombardment with Tomahawks....you load up on more of those. Tasked with air defense of a carrier battlegroup, it is loaded out with more SM2 anti-air missiles. Cheaper that way, as you only need one ship, but it can do many different jobs depending on the loadout

[Joe C-P]

Until relatively recently missiles had to be guided most or all of the way to the target. This required a director for each missile.

There were different sizes of AA missiles, from the nearly point-defense Tartar, Sea Cat, and SA-N-4, through the medium range Terrier, Sea Slug and Sea Dart, and SA-N-6, and the very long range and very large Talos. The medium and long range missiles had a secondary surface to surface capability. As time went by missile became semi-guided, then terminally self-guided.

SSMs started as land-attack, but the Soviets decided to create large ship-killers as a method to attack US carriers. Later came the somewhat smaller Exocet, and the Harpoon and Tomahawk.

The Soviets also put rockets on their landing ships.
There is talk of adapting the MLRS to ships for pre-landing bombardment, but this hasn't happened yet. However, we are the Whiffers, so we can say it has been.

[Gary]

You know, for all the exactness of a guided missile to hit a target, there just is something missing when you aren't hitting the shores with 18 inch guns.

To quote Marvin, where's the Earth shattering kaboom?

[Weaver]

There were different sizes of AA missiles, from the nearly point-defense Tartar, Sea Cat, and SA-N-4, through the medium range Terrier, Sea Slug and Sea Dart, and SA-N-6, and the very long range and very large Talos. The medium and long range missiles had a secondary surface to surface capability.

Some of the short range ones did too. Tartar could home on a ship (if it was lofted reasonably high before the illuminator was switched on) and make a hell of a mess of it. There was also a mod for Seacat (not sure how widely adopted) that put a radar altimeter in one of the wings so that it could be steered into a FAC-type target without ditching.