Des Moines Class CA in modern USN

The Sea Sparrow issue wasn't expense or room. Iowas have plenty of room.

It was the overpressure when the 16-inch guns were fired. The Sea Sparrow box launchers - Mk. 29 I think? - just weren't able to take it.

I know that. I was thinking of the Des Moines class when I said that. You'd also have to fit SPG-62 or SPS-65 fire control radars for them, too, thus also further taxing the ship's electrical supply. I don't know why one couldn't have made mounts for the Mk.25 and/or Mk.29 that retracted into a box when not needed. When you need the system, it pops out of its box, shoots and then drops back into its box.
 

Bearcat

Banned
I know that. I was thinking of the Des Moines class when I said that. You'd also have to fit SPG-62 or SPS-65 fire control radars for them, too, thus also further taxing the ship's electrical supply. I don't know why one couldn't have made mounts for the Mk.25 and/or Mk.29 that retracted into a box when not needed. When you need the system, it pops out of its box, shoots and then drops back into its box.

I'm sure you could have somehow gotten around it - retractable, or armored launchers.

Bu now you're running into that nasty bugaboo of expense. How much money do you put into a 40-year old (mainly) single-mission warship.

It didn't happen for the same reason the VLS and the VTOL fighters didn't happen - the Navy had better places to spend their money...
 
Top