Helena-class destroyer: Difference between revisions

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|Builders= Algiers Maritime Engineering, Smith Island, {{Flag|Meridon}}  
|Builders= Algiers Maritime Engineering, Smith Island, {{Flag|Meridon}}  
|Operators= {{flag|Meridonian Navy}}  
|Operators= {{flag|Meridonian Navy}}  
|Class before= [[Otapara-class]]
|Class before= [[Otapara-class destroyer]]
|Class after= Next-Generation Destroyer General Purpose
|Class after= Next-Generation Destroyer General Purpose
|Subclasses=
|Subclasses=
|Cost= Classified
|Cost=  
|Built range=  1990-2012
|Built range=  1991-2012
|In service range= 1996-present
|In service range= 1994-present
|In commission range=   
|In commission range=   
|Total ships building=  
|Total ships building=  
|Total ships planned= 5
|Total ships planned= 15
|Total ships completed= 5
|Total ships completed= 15
|Total ships cancelled=  
|Total ships cancelled=  
|Total ships active= 5
|Total ships active= 15
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships lost=
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|Hide header=
|Hide header=
|Header caption=  
|Header caption=  
|Ship class= '''Aircraft carrier'''
|Ship class= Guided missile destroyer, air warfare destroyer
|Ship type=  
|Ship type=  
|Ship tonnage=  
|Ship tonnage=  
|Ship displacement= 87,000 tons, full load
|Ship displacement= 9,700 tons, full load
|Ship tons burthen=   
|Ship tons burthen=   
|Ship length= Overall: 330 meters
|Ship length= Overall: 520 ft
|Ship beam= Overall: Around 74 meters
|Ship beam= Overall: Around 71ft
|Ship height=  
|Ship height=  
|Ship draught= 11 meters
|Ship draught= 24ft
|Ship draft=  
|Ship draft=  
|Ship depth=
|Ship depth=
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|Ship ice class=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship power=  
|Ship power=  
|Ship propulsion= 2 × Central Electric RM-2 reactors <br> 4 × steam turbines, four shafts, 270,000 shp
|Ship propulsion= CODLAG 2 shafts integrated electric propulsion, 28,500 shp each
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed= In excess of 30 knots
|Ship speed= In excess of 32 knots
|Ship range= Unlimited
|Ship range= In excess of 7,000 nm at 18kts
|Ship endurance=  
|Ship endurance=  
|Ship test depth=
|Ship test depth=
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|Ship capacity=  
|Ship capacity=  
|Ship troops=  
|Ship troops=  
|Ship complement= Around 5,200 including embarked airwing.
|Ship complement= 204, with accomodations for up to 310.
|accessdate=
|accessdate=
|Ship crew=  
|Ship crew=  
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors=  
|Ship sensors=  
* Broadlight SEA SENTINEL air tracking radar
* Broadlight SEA KEEPER air tracking radar
* Broadlight S1620 3D air search radar
* Broadlight S1620 3D air search radar
* Delta SM315 surface search radar
* 2x MATCA combined AHRS/INS systems
* Broadlight MCV-M1 air traffic control radar
* MATCA Command Navigation Program
* Matca AGS-101 landing aid radars
* 2x Delta SM333 I Band surface search/navigational radar
* Navigational radars
* 1x Delta SM315 E/F Band surface search radar
* MATCA RAGOTS combined radar and optical gun tracking suite
* Matca R43 sonar suite
|Ship EW=  
|Ship EW=  
* CEG AFSEE electronic warfare suite
* MATCA SHREWD electronic warfare suite
* MATCA NGSEE signals exploitation suite
* Nulka decoys
* Nulka decoys
* Advanced Counter-Torpedo Decoy System
* Offboard Float Decoy System
* Nixie decoys
* Nixie decoys
|Ship armament=  
|Ship armament=  
4x M21 {{wpl|Aster (missile family)|CADS}} Launching Mounts, 8x CADS/S missiles each
1x Type 42 4.5in naval gun<br>
x3 {{wpl|Goalkeeper CIWS}}<br>
2x Type 318 30mm chaingun<br>
''Kohaku'' subclass: <br>
2x 7.62 miniguns<br>
4x 8-cell VLS tubes, with capacity for:
6x 7.62 general purpose machine guns<br>
-CADS/S
2x 48-cell [[ANVIL Vertical Launching System#Variants|Type 2 VLS]] Type 2 VLS, 2x 16-cell [[ANVIL Vertical Launching System#Variants|Type 1 VLS]], with capacity for:
-MSU-14 antisubmarine rocket-propelled torpedo  
*MSA-15 short-range anti-aircraft missile (up to 4x per cell)
3x {{wpl|Goalkeeper CIWS}}
*MSA-30 long-range anti-aircraft missile
*MSU-14 antisubmarine rocket-propelled torpedo  
*MSS-18 cruise missile (fitted for but not with)<br>
2x Goalkeeper 40 25mm CIWS<br>
8x MSS-33 anti-ship missiles
|Ship armour= Kevlar over vital spaces
|Ship armour= Kevlar over vital spaces
|Ship armor=
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft= 80 fixed wing and helicopter
|Ship aircraft= 1x H50M5 normally carried
|Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes=
|Ship aircraft facilities= Enclosed hangar for up to 2x {{wpl|Sikorsky SH-60 Seahawk|H50M5 Hawk}}|Ship notes=


}}
}}
|}
|}


The '''Sistine-class''' is a class of {{wpl|Nuclear propulsion|nuclear powered}} {{wpl|Aircraft carrier|aircraft carriers}} in service with the [[Meridonian Navy]]. The ships are named after large Meridonian cities, and are the largest warships ever built for the Meridonian navy. They succeeded the {{wpl|Forrestal-class aircraft carrier|Atlantia-class}} of aircraft carriers. They were built starting in late 1990, and the first ship. ''Sistine'', was commissioned in 1996, with the final ship of the class, ''Baymark'', commissioning in 2012.
The '''Helena-class''' is a class of {{wpl|Anti-aircraft warfare|air warfare}} {{wpl|guided missile destroyer|guided missile destroyers}} in service with the [[Meridonian Navy]].  
Designed from the ground up as specialized air warfare escorts for the upcoming [[Sistine-class aircraft carrier]]s using lessons learned in the 1980s, the Helena-class pioneered a number of new technology systems for the Navy. They are named after [[Territories of Meridon|territories]], districts, and large settlements. They were built starting in the early 1990s, and the first ship, ''Helena'', was commissioned in 199X, with the last ship ''Caster Ridge'' commissioning in 201X.
 
The ''Helena''-class was commissioned shortly after the [[Otapara-class destroyer]]s began construction when naval planners realized that the Otapara-class would not be able to meet the anticipated fleet needs for a air defense platform, currently provided by the ''Mystere'' class of destroyers. Due to the Otapara's general purpose requirements of being capable of anti-air, anti-submarine, and surface warfare and the design of its hull it was determined the class would be better suited to a destroyer leader and multirole destroyer. This was critically important with the development of the [[Sistine-class aircraft carrier]]s, who were to make up the core of the naval fleet into the 21st century. The Helena-class was also to be a testbed for technology critical to not only the coming carriers, but to the Defense Force as a whole with the advent of the [[Common Air Defense System]], which serves as its principal armament.
 
The ''Helena''-class is optimized for air defense and operates primarily as an escort destroyer, acting as the Carrier Task Group's principal anti-aircraft platform with supporting roles in anti-submarine warfare with MSU-14 antisubmarine rocket-propelled torpedoes and embarked anti-submarine helicopter, and anti-ship warfare with its eight MSS-33 anti-ship missiles. While capable of carrying land attack munitions in the form of the MSS-18, as reported by the Defense Department, the ship does not regularly carry these munitions. Its primary armament consists of a mix of MSA-15 and MSA-30 CADS interceptor missiles, which were designed to intercept maneuvering supersonic cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Its powerful Broadlight air search and air targeting radars are capable instantaneously tracking over 2,000 targets and coordinate the flight of multiple missiles towards targets.  


Replacements for the aging ''Atlantia''-class carriers had been planned since at least the early 1980s, but were delayed a multitude of time due to a mixture of budget constraints and emerging design requirements- most notably the integration of the new [[Common Air Defense Missile]] system, which was replacing a medley of other air defense missile systems across the Navy by the early 2000s. The Liberal government of 1986 was planning on cancelling the project and replacing the carriers instead with large missile cruisers as the centerpiece capital ship of the Navy, which were seen as cheaper and an effective way to limit long-term military expenditures. This caused an uproar in both Navy command and public opinion when said plans were made public. When five senior admirals and half of the Chiefs of Defense Staff tendered their resignations over the issue and more conservative members of the coalition began to vacate it, a snap election saw the liberal government ousted and replaced by a Federal Party coalition, which immediately reinstated the general officers and the Sistine-class project.


Designed based on lessons learned with the Atlantia-class, the ''Sistine''-class carriers feature a number of new improvements. Most notable of these is an innovative two-island design, originally made to accommodate a separation of funnels when the ship was intended as a non-nuclear carrier, but ported over to the nuclear design due to their improvements in deck space usage, redundancy of systems and command, and operational efficiency. It features a state-of-the-art Broadlight air search radar developed for the [[Helena-class destroyer]]s, capable of tracking hundreds of targets in real time. It is the first Meridonian capital ship to be nuclear-powered, and features improved facilities for aircraft and munitions handling. Carriers from ''Kohaku'' onwards have the M21 CAD/S launching mounts replaced with 8-cell VLS tubes/The VLS tubes do allow for the integration of standoff anti-submarine rockets and theoretically allow for the integration of ship-based cruise and anti-ship missiles, however the integration of non-defensive ship-based weaponry aboard the ''Sistine''-class carriers has been rejected by the Navy. The ''Sistine''-class is expected to serve until the 2050s at the earliest.


==Description==
==Description==
===Design===
===Design===
[[File:Kohaku_subclass.png|360px|thumb|right|MRS ''Kohaku'', the first of the ''Kohaku''-subclass, which primarily features the integration of 4 8-cell VLS systems in place of the CADS launcher mounts.]]
[[File:HMS Diamond (22920216265).jpg|360px|thumb|right|A rear view of ''Alexandria'', showing her Broadlight air search and tracking radars. The radar set, and the integration of the [[Common Air Defense System]], were the first implementations of a number of new naval systems first seen aboard ''Helena''-class destroyers.]]
The design of the ''Sistine''-class carriers, due to a number of shifting requirements during its development, took a period of nearly ten years from conceptualization to construction. Key to its requirements from the design was the capability to meet or exceed the airwing size carried by the Atlantia-class, have a higher top speed, be capable of landing and launching aircraft simultaneously, and modularity to accomodate emerging technologies and aircraft. Sistine was originally designed to feature integrated electronics propulsion, but the design was altered to operate off of nuclear propulsion.  
 
The ''Helena''-class was designed from the outset as a dedicated air defense platform centered around the BROADLIGHT air radar suite system and the [[Common Air Defense System]]. The latter was a major tri-service effort to standardize a motley of air defense systems across the Defense Forces for standardized procurement, and would be its first employment aboard naval vessels after successful integration tests on land-based vehicles. The primary role of the class was to provide air defense escort for the [[Sistine-class aircraft carrier]]s that the [[Otapara-class destroyer]] was too few in number and lacking in processing and armament capacity to effectively provide, allowing for the latter to be employed primarily as the lead ship of surface action groups and escort coordination in strike groups. This lead to the emergence of the semi-formal designation of the ''Helena''-class as an "air warfare destroyer", with the ''Otapara''-class labeled as "general purpose" destroyers.
 
''Helena'' improved on the design plans from the previous class, further reducing the radar cross section and reducing the hull height and width while extending the length. The ''Helena''-class' radar signature was able to be reduced by about 23% compared to the Otapara-class' using this method.
 
The design of the ''Sistine''-class carriers, due to a number of shifting requirements during its development, took a period of nearly ten years from conceptualization to construction. Key to its requirements from the design was the capability to meet or exceed the airwing size carried by the Atlantia-class, have a higher top speed, be capable of landing and launching aircraft simultaneously, and modularity to accommodate emerging technologies and aircraft. Sistine was originally designed to feature integrated electronics propulsion, but the design was altered to operate off of nuclear propulsion.  


One of the most recognizable features of the ''Sistine''-class is its dual-island configuration, which is primarily a holdover from the diesel-operated design. The forward island is responsible for ship operations, including navigation, defensive systems, radar operations, and other such functions, while the rear island conducts coordination of air operations, including launches, landings, air battle management, and airspace control. Both bridges are redundant and each bridge can conduct operations of both if one of the bridges is damaged.  
One of the most recognizable features of the ''Sistine''-class is its dual-island configuration, which is primarily a holdover from the diesel-operated design. The forward island is responsible for ship operations, including navigation, defensive systems, radar operations, and other such functions, while the rear island conducts coordination of air operations, including launches, landings, air battle management, and airspace control. Both bridges are redundant and each bridge can conduct operations of both if one of the bridges is damaged.  
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===Propulsion===
===Propulsion===
===Armament and protection===
===Armament and protection===
===Carrier air wing===
As of 2020,  a normal air wing of a deployed ''Sistine''-class consists of the following:
* 2 squadrons of [[Gruening F5M Lynx|F5M6/F5M7 Lynx]] fighters (24 aircraft)
* 2 squadrons of {{wpl|Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet|F6M2 Wasp}} fighters (24 aircraft)
* 1 squadron of {{wpl|Boeing EA-18G Growler|E6M2 Backwave}} electronics warfare aircraft (8 aircraft)
* 1 detachment of {{wpl|Northrop Grumman E-2 Hawkeye|S2M3/S2M4 Herald}} airborne early warning aircraft (5 aircraft)
* 1 squadron of {{wpl|Sikorsky_SH-60_Seahawk|H50M5 Seahawk}} antisubmarine patrol helicopters (10-12 aircraft)
* 1 squadron of {{wpl|Sikorsky_SH-60_Seahawk|H50M6 Seahawk}} utility helicopters (10-12 aircraft)
* 1-3 {{wpl|Grumman C-2 Greyhound|C2M Porter}} or 1-4 {{wpl|Boeing V-22 Osprey|C22M Adjutant}} transient carrier onboard delivery aircraft


===Flight deck and aircraft facilities===
===Flight deck and aircraft facilities===

Latest revision as of 00:55, 13 February 2024

Helenaclass.png
Helena, the lead ship of her class.
Class overview
Builders: Algiers Maritime Engineering, Smith Island,  Meridon
Operators:  Meridonian Navy
Preceded by: Otapara-class destroyer
Succeeded by: Next-Generation Destroyer General Purpose
Built: 1991-2012
In service: 1994-present
Planned: 15
Completed: 15
Active: 15
General characteristics
Class and type: Guided missile destroyer, air warfare destroyer
Displacement: 9,700 tons, full load
Length: Overall: 520 ft
Beam: Overall: Around 71ft
Draught: 24ft
Propulsion: CODLAG 2 shafts integrated electric propulsion, 28,500 shp each
Speed: In excess of 32 knots
Range: In excess of 7,000 nm at 18kts
Complement: 204, with accomodations for up to 310.
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Broadlight SEA KEEPER air tracking radar
  • Broadlight S1620 3D air search radar
  • 2x MATCA combined AHRS/INS systems
  • MATCA Command Navigation Program
  • 2x Delta SM333 I Band surface search/navigational radar
  • 1x Delta SM315 E/F Band surface search radar
  • MATCA RAGOTS combined radar and optical gun tracking suite
  • Matca R43 sonar suite
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • MATCA SHREWD electronic warfare suite
  • MATCA NGSEE signals exploitation suite
  • Nulka decoys
  • Advanced Counter-Torpedo Decoy System
  • Offboard Float Decoy System
  • Nixie decoys
Armament:

list error: <br /> list (help)
1x Type 42 4.5in naval gun
2x Type 318 30mm chaingun
2x 7.62 miniguns
6x 7.62 general purpose machine guns
2x 48-cell Type 2 VLS Type 2 VLS, 2x 16-cell Type 1 VLS, with capacity for:

  • MSA-15 short-range anti-aircraft missile (up to 4x per cell)
  • MSA-30 long-range anti-aircraft missile
  • MSU-14 antisubmarine rocket-propelled torpedo
  • MSS-18 cruise missile (fitted for but not with)

2x Goalkeeper 40 25mm CIWS

8x MSS-33 anti-ship missiles
Armour: Kevlar over vital spaces
Aircraft carried: 1x H50M5 normally carried
Aviation facilities: Enclosed hangar for up to 2x H50M5 Hawk

The Helena-class is a class of air warfare guided missile destroyers in service with the Meridonian Navy. Designed from the ground up as specialized air warfare escorts for the upcoming Sistine-class aircraft carriers using lessons learned in the 1980s, the Helena-class pioneered a number of new technology systems for the Navy. They are named after territories, districts, and large settlements. They were built starting in the early 1990s, and the first ship, Helena, was commissioned in 199X, with the last ship Caster Ridge commissioning in 201X.

The Helena-class was commissioned shortly after the Otapara-class destroyers began construction when naval planners realized that the Otapara-class would not be able to meet the anticipated fleet needs for a air defense platform, currently provided by the Mystere class of destroyers. Due to the Otapara's general purpose requirements of being capable of anti-air, anti-submarine, and surface warfare and the design of its hull it was determined the class would be better suited to a destroyer leader and multirole destroyer. This was critically important with the development of the Sistine-class aircraft carriers, who were to make up the core of the naval fleet into the 21st century. The Helena-class was also to be a testbed for technology critical to not only the coming carriers, but to the Defense Force as a whole with the advent of the Common Air Defense System, which serves as its principal armament.

The Helena-class is optimized for air defense and operates primarily as an escort destroyer, acting as the Carrier Task Group's principal anti-aircraft platform with supporting roles in anti-submarine warfare with MSU-14 antisubmarine rocket-propelled torpedoes and embarked anti-submarine helicopter, and anti-ship warfare with its eight MSS-33 anti-ship missiles. While capable of carrying land attack munitions in the form of the MSS-18, as reported by the Defense Department, the ship does not regularly carry these munitions. Its primary armament consists of a mix of MSA-15 and MSA-30 CADS interceptor missiles, which were designed to intercept maneuvering supersonic cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. Its powerful Broadlight air search and air targeting radars are capable instantaneously tracking over 2,000 targets and coordinate the flight of multiple missiles towards targets.


Description

Design

A rear view of Alexandria, showing her Broadlight air search and tracking radars. The radar set, and the integration of the Common Air Defense System, were the first implementations of a number of new naval systems first seen aboard Helena-class destroyers.

The Helena-class was designed from the outset as a dedicated air defense platform centered around the BROADLIGHT air radar suite system and the Common Air Defense System. The latter was a major tri-service effort to standardize a motley of air defense systems across the Defense Forces for standardized procurement, and would be its first employment aboard naval vessels after successful integration tests on land-based vehicles. The primary role of the class was to provide air defense escort for the Sistine-class aircraft carriers that the Otapara-class destroyer was too few in number and lacking in processing and armament capacity to effectively provide, allowing for the latter to be employed primarily as the lead ship of surface action groups and escort coordination in strike groups. This lead to the emergence of the semi-formal designation of the Helena-class as an "air warfare destroyer", with the Otapara-class labeled as "general purpose" destroyers.

Helena improved on the design plans from the previous class, further reducing the radar cross section and reducing the hull height and width while extending the length. The Helena-class' radar signature was able to be reduced by about 23% compared to the Otapara-class' using this method.

The design of the Sistine-class carriers, due to a number of shifting requirements during its development, took a period of nearly ten years from conceptualization to construction. Key to its requirements from the design was the capability to meet or exceed the airwing size carried by the Atlantia-class, have a higher top speed, be capable of landing and launching aircraft simultaneously, and modularity to accommodate emerging technologies and aircraft. Sistine was originally designed to feature integrated electronics propulsion, but the design was altered to operate off of nuclear propulsion.

One of the most recognizable features of the Sistine-class is its dual-island configuration, which is primarily a holdover from the diesel-operated design. The forward island is responsible for ship operations, including navigation, defensive systems, radar operations, and other such functions, while the rear island conducts coordination of air operations, including launches, landings, air battle management, and airspace control. Both bridges are redundant and each bridge can conduct operations of both if one of the bridges is damaged.

Sistine is a CATOBAR carrier that features 4 steam catapults and 4 arresting wires on an angled flight deck.

Construction

Propulsion

Armament and protection

Flight deck and aircraft facilities

Strike groups

Design differences within the class

Ships in class

Ship Pennant number Laid down Launched Commissioned
Sistine R10 2 December 1990 3 March 1996 1 December 1996
Kohina R11 11 April 1993 2 March 1998 1 March 1999
Kohaku R12 24 May 1996 12 August 2002 18 September 2003
Marin Bay R13 22 June 2002 4 October 2008 9 July 2009
Baymark R14 11 August 2005 2 December 2011 5 November 2012