Cruise ship in military service

[Joe C-P]

Now this has happened in the past, in the World Wars, and more recently in the Falklands with SS Canberra. SS United States was designed to be converted into a troop transport.

I was thinking about more modern requirements, an amphibious command and control vessel to replace the USN's Blue Ridge and Mount Whitney.
Most of the passenger spaces are modular these days, and so can be pulled and replaced.
The vessels have long cruising ranges at 20+ knot speeds.
The stage becomes a planning area, there's a big cafeteria aboard, and the pools and driving greens would be enjoyed. There's plenty of hotel services.

So now I need to pick a suitable model and decide on the changes to make - grey, of course, more satellite receivers and other antennae, a couple Phalanx and/or SeaRAMs. What else?

[kerick]

Lots of antennas and a flight deck for helos.

[Thorvic]

Revell do a 1/700 Queen Mary 2 which ties in nicely with a modern look and the right scale for the various accessories

[PR19_Kit]

The only problem with a modern cruise ship is it makes a HUGE target for a sea-skimmer! Most of them make a USN fleet carrier look like a rowboat in comparison.

[Pellson]

The only problem with a modern cruise ship is it makes a HUGE target for a sea-skimmer! Most of them make a USN fleet carrier look like a rowboat in comparison.

...which is exactly why you'd only see that "command cruiser" next to a modern goalkeeper, such as a T45 destroyer or even a T23 with SeaWolf. For USN, obviously an Arleigh Burke would substitute.
Also, the cruise ship istelf would be thoroughly armed up with CIWS, preferrably missilebased systems such as the aforementioned SeaWolf, ESSM or RAM. On a ship as big as the QM2, at least four separate systems with associated search radars would be employed.

C'mon, Joe, go for it! Can't wait to see the model!

[McColm]

You could try converting the Revel 1/144 Lockheed Sea Shadow into a commercial vessel.
Revell do commercial ship kits.
I'm still working on mine, I've fitted a hovercraft skirt and converted it into a roll-on-roll-off. It's got the jet engines from a Martin Sea Master and plastic card fins.

[Cliffy B]

The other MAJOR problem is the interior divisions.  The cruise ships are built like ballrooms inside and would be a nightmare from the darkest corner of Hell for the damage control teams.  A LOT of bulkheads and extra decks would need to be added inside.  They aren't built even close to military DC measures so that needs to be fixed before anything else is done that and cut down jumbo billboard sized sides.  The things look like Mt. Everest on a radar 

[pyro-manic]

Go the other way - plenty of small "cruise" ships around, that do runs to the poles, fjords etc. Have one of those taken up to replace a polar patrol vessel (damaged, as per HMS Endurance), or turn it into a pirate-hunting Q-ship for the Indian ocean.

[Thorvic]

Go the other way - plenty of small "cruise" ships around, that do runs to the poles, fjords etc. Have one of those taken up to replace a polar patrol vessel (damaged, as per HMS Endurance), or turn it into a pirate-hunting Q-ship for the Indian ocean.

The only kit suitable is the Aari Sunflower Japanese ferry in 1/700.

As for the Cruise ship idea the USN are/were looking at a cruise liner for the floating command ship,so they had alrady deemed the Civilan build standards as acceptable, relying on on board self defence systems and escorts for defence against threats.

[Rheged]

I think that MoD had a similar idea 60 years ago.  The three Caledonian Mac Brayne  ferries CLANSMAN   COLUMBA  and HEBRIDES  were all built with  gas/nuclear fallout proof citadels  and a discreet subsidy.  The car decks of these ferries  did have a much heftier  strength  than strictly  necessary. It may possibly have been just a fiction to pay  a  subsidy without  causing commercial aggravation, but I have heard it said that if/when  London etc  were  destroyed,  an administration based on the Western  Isles could be continued.  Anyone else know about this?

[Hobbes]

HMY Britannia was built with conversion to a hospital ship in mind.

As for kits of smaller cruise ships: there's the Revell NS Savannah and Lenin, both had accommodation for a small number of passengers.

[PR19_Kit]

I think that MoD had a similar idea 60 years ago.  The three Caledonian Mac Brayne  ferries CLANSMAN   COLUMBA  and HEBRIDES  were all built with  gas/nuclear fallout proof citadels  and a discreet subsidy.  The car decks of these ferries  did have a much heftier  strength  than strictly  necessary. 

I sailed on the CLANSMAN a zillion years ago when I was test driving. I recall it was a bitch of a ship to get aboard as we had to drive in through a hatch in the side, go forward to a turntable thingie and then back to a lift aft on the other side. It took for ever and loading took an age as a result.

The fact that the ship was a floating nuclear shelter was common knowledge aboard, all the regular passengers and many of the crew told us about it, whether we wanted to know or not. 

Apparently they later rebuilt her in a normal ro-ro configuration, but I'd changed jobs by then.

[raafif]

wasn't the old Aifix MV Free Enterprise II re-released just recently ?? (one on ebay for US$61)
It would make sense to have the ability to ship small AFVs for landing at port along with the PM's & HRH's Daimlers.

[Joe C-P]

All interesting ideas!

Some day I do plan to build SS United States in her military guise; hopefully there were at least sketches of that idea. I'm a supporter of the current effort to preserve her, and would like to help remember this aspect of her plans.

I am already converting the Revell NS Savannah into her little-known naval half-sister, USS Hudson City, AOE(N)-5, circa 1965. (And have been for over a decade.  )

This command ship is not a combat vessel, and would serve over the horizon, coordinating an amphibious assault via an extensive communications suite. Stealth isn't really possible given the wide array of communication signals that would be sent from her - a HARM-type missile would be able to find her, so she would need a dedicated AAW/ASW defensive unit.
And USN carriers have been known to disguise themselves when passing close to shores by lighting up and playing party music.
Phalanx, SeaRAM, chaff launchers, and a towed torpedo decoy system.
I'll have to see what models there are out there. There are also plastic souveniers that I might be able to update. Landing craft and life raft canisters in place of the lifeboats. Perhaps a bigger hatch in the side for a ro/ro capability for landing staff vehicles with containerized facilities after the initial assault is successful and troops have moved inland.

As for Free Enterprise II, her history might make some people hesitate to use that design...

[proditor]

I'm probably adding one as an AMC to my anti-pirate force, assuming I ever get around to finishing that idea.