The VSTOL Support Ship (VSS) was a proposed light aircraft carrier design for the United States Navy in the late 1970s that would be smaller and less expensive than the Navy's existing aircraft carriers such as the Nimitz-class. The design would cost one-quarter as much, although the V/STOL aircraft it would carry would have reduced performance. The United States Senate and others supported the design, but it was ultimately rejected by the Navy.
Artist's conception of the VSTOL Support Ship design
Development and designedit
In the early 1970s, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO), Elmo Zumwalt, proposed that the US Navy build the Sea Control Ship (SCS), a small aircraft carrier equipped with helicopters and V/STOL aircraft such as the AV-8A Harrier which was intended for convoy escort operations.[1] The austere SCS design was heavily opposed by factions within the US Navy, including Admiral Hyman G. Rickover and much of the Naval aviation community and plans to purchase the SCS were rejected by the US Congress in 1975.[1][2]
Zumwalt's successor as CNO, James L. Holloway III abandoned plans for the SCS and instead proposed a larger and faster design, the VSTOL Support Ship, or VSS.[1] By June 1976, it was planned that the VSS would be 690 feet (210 m) long and would be powered by four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines driving two propeller shafts (essentially double the machinery of the single shaft SCS) which would give a speed of 29 knots (54 km/h; 33 mph). It would carry 22 helicopters (16 H-53 Sea Stallions and six LAMPS light helicopters) together with four Harriers.[3] Holloway hoped to develop a series of advanced V/STOL aircraft, including a supersonic fighter and a utility aircraft for Anti-Submarine and Airborne Early Warning duties which could operate from the VSS as well as from the Navy's existing carriers, although these types were never fully defined.[3] The need to accommodate the new designs resulted in the carrier's design being reworked in February 1978 as the VSS II. This design had a larger hangar and greater beam than the original design to allow the potentially larger advanced aircraft to be carried, and carried substantially more aviation fuel.[1][4]
A third variant, the VSS III, evolved by July 1978 as a result of a requirement to protect the ship's magazines. In order to cope with the extra weight of the armor, the ship had a new hull form with less freeboard but allowing greater speed.[5] The final VSS III design was 717 feet (218.5 m) long overall and 690 feet (210.3 m) at the waterline, with a beam of 178 feet (54.3 m) and a draft of 24 feet 4 inches (7.42 m). Displacement was 20,116 long tons (20,439 t) light and 29,130 long tons (29,600 t) full load. As well as the ship's aircraft, two quadruple Harpoon anti-ship-missile launchers were to be mounted on the fantail, with two PhalanxClose-in weapon systems were to be fitted.[1] A complement of 49 officers and 910 other ranks were to operate the ship while the ship's air wing had 87 officers and 541 other ranks.[6]
Comstock, Edward N.; Bales, Susan L.; Gentile, Dana M. (1982). "Seakeeping Performance Comparison of Air Capable Ships". Naval Engineers Journal. 94 (2). American Society of Naval Engineers: 101–117. doi:10.1111/j.1559-3584.1982.tb02432.x. ISSN 0028-1425.
Friedman, Norman (1983). U.S. Aircraft Carriers: An Illustrated Design History]. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN0-87021-739-9.
Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN1-55750-132-7.
Hart, Gary (Spring 1978). "The U.S. Senate and the Future of the Navy". International Security. 2 (4). The MIT Press: 175–184. doi:10.2307/2538464. JSTOR 2538464. S2CID 153892886.
April 11, 2024
vstol, support, ship, proposed, light, aircraft, carrier, design, united, states, navy, late, 1970s, that, would, smaller, less, expensive, than, navy, existing, aircraft, carriers, such, nimitz, class, design, would, cost, quarter, much, although, stol, aircr. The VSTOL Support Ship VSS was a proposed light aircraft carrier design for the United States Navy in the late 1970s that would be smaller and less expensive than the Navy s existing aircraft carriers such as the Nimitz class The design would cost one quarter as much although the V STOL aircraft it would carry would have reduced performance The United States Senate and others supported the design but it was ultimately rejected by the Navy Artist s conception of the VSTOL Support Ship designDevelopment and design editIn the early 1970s the Chief of Naval Operations CNO Elmo Zumwalt proposed that the US Navy build the Sea Control Ship SCS a small aircraft carrier equipped with helicopters and V STOL aircraft such as the AV 8A Harrier which was intended for convoy escort operations 1 The austere SCS design was heavily opposed by factions within the US Navy including Admiral Hyman G Rickover and much of the Naval aviation community and plans to purchase the SCS were rejected by the US Congress in 1975 1 2 Zumwalt s successor as CNO James L Holloway III abandoned plans for the SCS and instead proposed a larger and faster design the VSTOL Support Ship or VSS 1 By June 1976 it was planned that the VSS would be 690 feet 210 m long and would be powered by four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines driving two propeller shafts essentially double the machinery of the single shaft SCS which would give a speed of 29 knots 54 km h 33 mph It would carry 22 helicopters 16 H 53 Sea Stallions and six LAMPS light helicopters together with four Harriers 3 Holloway hoped to develop a series of advanced V STOL aircraft including a supersonic fighter and a utility aircraft for Anti Submarine and Airborne Early Warning duties which could operate from the VSS as well as from the Navy s existing carriers although these types were never fully defined 3 The need to accommodate the new designs resulted in the carrier s design being reworked in February 1978 as the VSS II This design had a larger hangar and greater beam than the original design to allow the potentially larger advanced aircraft to be carried and carried substantially more aviation fuel 1 4 A third variant the VSS III evolved by July 1978 as a result of a requirement to protect the ship s magazines In order to cope with the extra weight of the armor the ship had a new hull form with less freeboard but allowing greater speed 5 The final VSS III design was 717 feet 218 5 m long overall and 690 feet 210 3 m at the waterline with a beam of 178 feet 54 3 m and a draft of 24 feet 4 inches 7 42 m Displacement was 20 116 long tons 20 439 t light and 29 130 long tons 29 600 t full load As well as the ship s aircraft two quadruple Harpoon anti ship missile launchers were to be mounted on the fantail with two Phalanx Close in weapon systems were to be fitted 1 A complement of 49 officers and 910 other ranks were to operate the ship while the ship s air wing had 87 officers and 541 other ranks 6 See also editSea Control Ship Aircraft Carrier Medium References edit a b c d e Gardiner and Chumbley 1995 p 575 Friedman 1983 p 354 a b Friedman 1983 pp 354 356 Friedman 1983 pp 353 356 Friedman 1983 p 356 Friedman 1983 p 353 All Hands July 1976 at 1 Comstock Edward N Bales Susan L Gentile Dana M 1982 Seakeeping Performance Comparison of Air Capable Ships Naval Engineers Journal 94 2 American Society of Naval Engineers 101 117 doi 10 1111 j 1559 3584 1982 tb02432 x ISSN 0028 1425 Friedman Norman 1983 U S Aircraft Carriers An Illustrated Design History Annapolis Maryland USA Naval Institute Press ISBN 0 87021 739 9 Gardiner Robert Chumbley Stephen eds 1995 Conway s All The World s Fighting Ships 1947 1995 Annapolis Maryland USA Naval Institute Press ISBN 1 55750 132 7 Hart Gary Spring 1978 The U S Senate and the Future of the Navy International Security 2 4 The MIT Press 175 184 doi 10 2307 2538464 JSTOR 2538464 S2CID 153892886 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title VSTOL Support Ship amp oldid 1062457354, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
