The US Navy has produced some
great warships but what are the best ship designs – the ones that opened new
lines of development or set the standard for ships and navies that would
follow? Just for fun, here’s my list.
1. Constitution – Old Ironsides revolutionized naval construction with a design that
was strong enough to beat any ship in its class or even a bit above but
retained a frigate’s speed. It instantly
obsoleted every frigate in the English and French navies.
2. Albacore
(AGSS-569) – The first teardrop shaped submarine, this sub set the pattern for
all subsequent submarines and helped pioneer the use nuclear reactors, the now
classic stern rudder forms, propeller shapes, and much more.
3. Ticonderoga (CG-47) – This Aegis cruiser class remains the
world’s most powerful AAW vessel and set the standard for effective air
defense. Recent adaptation to ballistic
missile defense further enhances an already impressive design.
4. Harris
(APA-2) – Built just after WWI, this troop attack transport set the pattern for
all subsequent attack transports that would become the backbone of US
amphibious assaults in WWII.
5. Enterprise Yorktown class set a new standard for aircraft carrier
development and performance. Enterprise US
6. Los
Angeles
7. Forrestal
(CV-59) – First of the supercarriers, this ship set the design pattern for all
subsequent carriers.
8. Spruance
(DD-963) – The finest ASW surface ship ever built, the Spruance class also demonstrated
its versatility and value by providing the basic hull for the Ticonderoga class. The
Spruance ASW capability has not been duplicated since.
9. Fletcher
(DD-445) – This ship became the classic American destroyer and was the
workhorse and backbone of the fleet in WWII.
The combination of range and firepower remains impressive even today.
10. Enterprise
What would you change about
the list?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI considered Nautilus but went with Albacore as the pattern setter. GW is certainly a good choice!
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteCan't argue with that but Albacore put it all together. Nautilus was a nuclear powered surface ship. Albacore was the true submarine and set the pattern for every submarine today.
DeleteFor Los Angeles class, they were first to have land attack missiles , first out of torpedo tubes and then in their own vertical launch tubes.
DeleteThis finally changed the sub from being an ocean only weapon.
Monitor......granted limited ocean going capabilities. I would replace the TICO and Spru-Can. The sad thing was not never completely wanted by the Navy because they wanted the proposed Nuclear Strike Cruiser that proved unaffordable and initially the Spru-Can was derided for being over large and under armed for a destroyer.
ReplyDeleteI considered Monitor, however, it was not the first of its kind. The North had built several ironclads prior to Monitor, the South had already built Merrimac/Virginia, and the French and English were building various ironclads. Further, the Monitor's basic design was not a success. A significant vessel, for sure, but not a top 10.
DeleteAre we talking great designs or most influential?
DeleteTo me a great design is epitomized by something like the Fletcher or even Iowa. Not new technology per se, but durable, maintainable, versatile, and lethal. Both designs lasted a long time, and into different eras, because of the solidity of the base design. There can be some ground breaking tech (Nuclear power on the Enterprise) but it doesn't have to be there (Fletcher). It seems most of your ships fit that bill.
Monitor and Albacore were more influential, on the other hand. The rotating turret of Monitor became a naval mainstay; as did the teardrop hull of the Albacore. But Monitor *sucked* in sea keeping and really was best kept to the coasts. Similarly, Albacore was a test bed.
So, given that, for me, I'd replace Albacore with maybe the Sturgeon or Skipjack class. Both were workhorses during the cold war, and lasted longer in the traces than the Permit class.
Albacore was normal diesel power, no reactor. But was a true test bed with various different configurations for rear propellor and diving planes. Is now a museum boat at the superlative navy shipyard Portsmouth, Maine that designed and built her.
DeleteZtev, oops, my mistake. Good catch.
DeleteHow about the first wooden ship that had a coal fired steam plant on it.
ReplyDeleteThat was vision and careful attention to operational details!
That's a good one. Any idea what ship it was?
DeleteThe first vessel that can be considered a steam warship was the Demologos, which was launched in 1815 for the United States Navy.[1]
Deletehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_frigate
Fascinating story. Thanks!
DeleteKeeping with a submarine theme, the Gato-class from early in World War II. Didn't display the innovation of the Albacore or the Nautilus but a great design for the long range missions that the submarine force was tasked with in the Pacific, and helped solidify the "away game" perspective.
ReplyDelete- interestedparty
Not quite top ten but a very good choice!
DeleteUSS South Carolina/USS Michigan with their superimposed turrets. And if they had been built a little more quickly, could we be talking about South Carolina battleships instead of dreadnoughts?
ReplyDeleteHMS Dreadnought was commissioned in Dec 1906 while USS South Carolina was only laid down in Dec 1906 and didnt have steam turbines only the old triple expansion piston engines.
DeleteI would add the Burke-class (DDG-51) as tied with the Ticonderoga-class. The Burke-class is the backbone of the current fleet and probably will be for the next 30-40 years. Granted, it lacks a second 5-in gun and has 32 fewer VLS cells, it is the premier AAW ship out there with many BMD capable. It's also one of the biggest class (in terms of displacement and numbers) of ships built since WWII.
ReplyDeleteWhere's the LCS? 45 knot speed, anti-surface, anti-submarine, anti-mine, anti-piracy, gender neutral, power point friendly, multi-hull, multi-congressional district log rolling, green friendly...
ReplyDeleteI stand corrected. Should have been at the top of the list!
DeleteI was waiting for the LCS to be mentioned.
Deletebut all joking aside, why wasn't the Iowa class on there, it was the Apex of US battleship design?
CNO, At first I thought this was a trick, like Where's Waldo. I read the post upside down and backwards - twice! And, still no Burke.
DeleteI agree with Andy, the Iowa belongs somewhere on the list too.
Cheers!
This list is for best designs - the ones that set standards for the future. The Burke is just an evolutionary development of all the guided missile ships that came before. It's a good, solid design but not a major achievement.
DeleteWhich is why the Spruance class should be listed at 3 since the Tico's and Burke's are derivatives of the original electric greyhound.
DeleteAnother forgotten type is the Coontz class ( a sub class of the Farragut class) of the late 1950s. They were the first ships to be built as guided missile carriers with the large Terrier missile. They showed you didnt need massive hulls like the converted cruisers that preceded them.
ReplyDeleteThe other important class would be the Brooke sub class ( of Garcia) which were the first guided missile frigates which carried the Tartar missile system . Coincidentally they are similar size to LCS- Freedom - shorter but more beam.
Brooke carried Tarter launcher, Asroc with bow mounted sonar, a 5" gun, Seasprite and 3D search radar.
I'm a modern warfare geek so I think missing Nautilus is a mistake in what its lineage represent in terms of global sea control. And its something the US totally and equivocally cracked first. And shifted the nature of naval warfare.
ReplyDeleteOther than that I'd change the order. The carriers represent significant shifts. And again arguably the last word in sea control and strike from the sea. Which order they come I'm not too sure. but they need to be higher up. The Super-Carrier is a significant development. Again in terms of Global power. But also in term of deterrence an a provable area stabiliser, stopping wars before they start in the past.
If you are judging "best" based on demonstrated combat experience, not sure any AEGIS vessel makes the list.
ReplyDeleteAn awful lot of hype has surrounded AEGIS to be sure, but how many actual air threats have they shot down? Iranian airliners don't count.
I'm not. As the post states, the list is for the greatest designs. The ones that set the pattern for those to follow and established new norms. Aegis certainly did that. How effective it will be in combat remains to be seen.
DeleteAnother choice for first of, probably ahead of Harris (APD) would be Ashland LSD-1. This was the first vessel in the world which launched its amphibious craft from a floodable internal dock. Commissioned June 43.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding it was a British design concept ( like a lot of the early beaching landing ships, LCT LSD etc) but designed and built in US.
While a few vessels still use davits most major amphibious ships use the floodable dock
Just checking back, first Enterprise wasnt first purpose built US carrier that honour goes to USS Ranger ( 1934). Plus Enterprise was second ship of the Yorktown class as you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteFor advanced design I would put Lexingtons in , as their high speed, large size set the future direction back when the direction of naval aviation wasn't clear. The Essex class can be seen now as a purposely built version of the Lexingtons
Spruance gets another plus as being the first major combatant to be fully gas turbine powered ( was ahead of OHP frigates)