The Mitscher class was conceived in 1944 as the DD 927 class destroyer, large enough to be at once general purpose, radar picket, anti-sub specialist, and unit flagship and hardy enough to pace the heavies in any weather. But they had to change her class to DL and her name to frigate. Four were built in the first year’s program, with seventeen more coming up, and beautiful ships they are.
The 1200 psi, 950° engineering plant is boldly new—and has had its share of troubles. But the gains provide impressive compensation. The efficient 3700 tonner—at standard displacement—cruises as far on a gallon of fuel as the 2200 ton Gearing class destroyer, and so light is her completely redesigned machinery that if she had her present horsepower and radius at DD 692 class weight and efficiency, she’d be 600 tons heavier! Her top speed is exciting, but perhaps more engaging is the fact that when the CarDiv Commander signals at midnight for dawn air ops at thirty knots, the jaunty frigate sets no emergency four-boiler watch; she can make it on half her plant. And automatic superheat control, just a phrase to topsiders, means the black gang can make the pier smartly, with full maneuverability and no smoking, and still cool down in time for prompt liberty.
Mitscher's 5"/54 battery sports just two barrels, but equals the firepower of the six barrels that need much more space on her 5"/38 predecessors. Her two 3"/70 twins are the hottest anti-aircraft battery—and the costliest—in the trade. Her anti-sub weapon, the powerful rocket with the prosaic name Weapon Able, has a mobile turret that trains in nearly a complete circle so the ship needn’t make an attack run and wait until almost over the sub before firing, but can let fire on contact. This versatile development carries conventional explosives but is considered an obvious forerunner of a ship-launched atomic depth charge, which can be projected from a surface ship for delayed detonation and may kill subs within a mile radius.
Mitscher's broad fantail has been hosting a visitor from another medium lately—a Bell HUL-1 helicopter which is teaming up with the speedy frigate in an augmented ASW system. When the ship’s sonar picks up a contact, the helo heads promptly for the spot to bring its specialized airborne abilities to bear. This marriage of surface endurance and search with airborne mobility holds great promise.
The concept of seagoing flotilla staffs, expert in one or another destroyer specialty, requires a unit flagship that doesn’t just cram extra bodies on board. The frigate is the first destroyer leader with decent flag stateroom and office space plus Flag Plot facilities worthy of the name. The resultant increase in unit commander effectiveness is bound to bring a new dimension to destroyer training.
Weatherwise, these new super-destroyers are rugged, and their high freeboard-length ratio keeps destructive seas off the deck when they make speed in rough weather, bolstering a long-time weak link in task force capabilities. And they are habitable—for the first time a destroyer type has a light and airy messhall at main deck level, for the first time ample evaporators that put out 25,000 gallons daily end water rationing, and for the first time destroyermen are air-cooled.
If the first frigates are doughty ships, subsequent ones will be more so. Later frigates replace the after 5" automatic mount with a Terrier launcher, and the seven in this year’s program go all out with missiles fore and aft.
For the atomic age, Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation has developed a pressurized- water reactor design for a 5000-ton nuclear frigate that will make nearly 50 knots. She won’t make this speed for 48 hours and stop to refuel—this is her cruising speed, sustained indefinitely! A nuclear propelled destroyer is the toughest seagoing nut to crack, because of the brutal power-weight ratio requirements (one-third that of the Nautilus), and this feasibility breakthrough signals an eagerly-awaited revolution in destroyer strategy.