Spruance Class DD

[Geoff]

I have one of the old Italeri models of this and am in need of ideas. I had thought of doing it as a long range Coast Guard vessel, with the VLS system and ASROC removed.

Any ideas please? 

Cheers, GeoffP

[Hobbes]

May I suggest this:



from this thread

[Geoff]

Thanks I had forgotten that thread - I quite like the idea of the APD version. But I think someone did one of those here a while back.

[Thorvic]

With a coast gaurd deep water cutter you probably could have gone with the ASROC in place of the VLS. You could look at revising the hanger and flight deck lay out to accomodate two coast gaurd choppers and revise the stern for handling RIBs, possibly with a ramp and suitable crane. Add the Sea Sparrow above the hanger for limited SAM capability, for the change of roles, do a new mast layout, maybe a pole mast for comms in place of the aft mast and configure fwd mast for a the radars.

[anthonyp]

JoeP did a nice version of a US Army Sprucan with the aft ramp a few years ago.

Pics are in this thread.

[pyro-manic]

What about making it into an all-gun destroyer? The Sprucans are pretty big, so there's lots of space for turrets.

[Cobra]

How about Turning it into a Super Missile Armed Destroyer? Really Go wild with it. Hope This Helps.Dan

[Cliffy B]

I always liked this variation:



It was designed by a USN officer and an published in a Proceedings article back in the 80's IIRC.

Impracticable, arguably.  Really friggin cool, no contest! 

[Geoff]

With a coast gaurd deep water cutter you probably could have gone with the ASROC in place of the VLS. You could look at revising the hanger and flight deck lay out to accomodate two coast gaurd choppers and revise the stern for handling RIBs, possibly with a ramp and suitable crane. Add the Sea Sparrow above the hanger for limited SAM capability, for the change of roles, do a new mast layout, maybe a pole mast for comms in place of the aft mast and configure fwd mast for a the radars.

Thanks Geoff, I like this idea, but I am not sure about keeping the ASROC as I was thinking more of an anti surface vessel capability for anti-piracy patrols etc. How about Harpoon or Exocet instead?

Cliffy B - Yes the Air Capable one is very cool, but I fear beyond my capabilities. Thanks for the 3 view though.

[Hobbes]

For anti-piracy, either would be fine, overkill even since your adversaries will be small vessels. The long range would come in handy.

Add a few guns: small ones to take out pirate vessels close in, and a big tube to bombard shore bases.

The RIB launch ramp is a good idea. Maybe add a bigger boat as well (gunship for use in enemy harbors).

And I'd add a big helipad to handle a large chopper (long range patrols and landing parties).

[Thorvic]

Thanks Geoff, I like this idea, but I am not sure about keeping the ASROC as I was thinking more of an anti surface vessel capability for anti-piracy patrols etc. How about Harpoon or Exocet instead?

Cliffy B - Yes the Air Capable one is very cool, but I fear beyond my capabilities. Thanks for the 3 view though.

Hi Geoff

No problem, i suggested keeping the ASROC as the USCG did support the ASW operations, but can resort to the internal torpedo tubes for that instead. A couple of Harpoon launchers would fit the bill either on the superstructure or in place of the ASROC fwd of the superstructure.  Add light guns for anti-piracy ops where appropriate.

G

[Geoff]

I have read that some of the large merchant vessels that have been taken off the East African coast have been used for "Motherships" by the pirates. So I was thinking of a fairly effective over the horizon ship killer like Harpoon, assuming some  the millions that the pirates have made has been re-invested into countermeasures.
The small craft can be handled by FACs and armed helicopters operating from the Spruance I thought?
Also I was not thinking specifically of a USCG vessel, althought that would be the most likley. I was wondering about Denmark maybe where Greenlands' waters are still patroled and their forces are active internationally? Or perhaps Japan??

[proditor]

I really need to finish my Spruance flat-top.  All it needs is paint but lethargy is just killing it.

[Joe C-P]

Consider the alternate "aviation" variant of the Spruance, with an extended hangar and longer flight deck. The other suggestions - ASROC, no VLS, Sea Sparrow launcher, and RIB handling gear aft - would work. The forward gun could be reduced to a OTO Melara 76mm.

[anthonyp]

For a Coastie/Pirate hunter, I'd go with the standard Sprucan, but with JoeP's aft ramp, a 76mm forward mount, a forward VLS that could handle Penguin missiles vertical launched, as well as ASROC, ESSM, and RIM-66.  Don't need to go insane on the VLS for a Coastie.

If you don't want to modernize it to ESSM, place a Sea Sparrow launcher atop the hangar as others have described.  The hangar would be two HH-60J or MH-60T's, where the Tango models would allow Penguin capability.  If you're going to engage pirates, best to visually ID them before sinking them.  Maybe keep two quadruple Harpoon launchers amid ships for after target confirmation via helo.

If you want to go all out in mods, maybe do the DDH-997 Hayler mod that was originally proposed, where the Sprucan had its hangar extended aft, and was able to house 4 LAMPS III helos.  That version could easily be modified to a USCG Extremely High Endurance Cutter with the above mods.  Delete the aft 5" gun in this version, and put in the aft ramp, and it would be an ideal extended range high endurance cutter.

But then, there's my "The Manifesto" where a couple VSS's and a modified Wasp class LHD become Coastie carriers to handle the air interception part of the USCG's mandate, but that's another (insane) story...