The Navy's Newest Ship: FFG-7

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ment, it is removed and then repaired or overhauled off the ship. For essen­tial items for which there is no backup capability, the ship carries replace­ment modules or at least the parts necessary to repair them. We think a crew this size will be able to do the job, although we have hedged our bets by developing backup designs to in­stall accommodations for 12, 18, or 30 additional people should the opera­tion of the lead ship over the next year or so indicate a need for them.

The result of all the planning, de­sign, and testing which has gone into the Oliver Hazard Perry class is that the Navy will have what we believe to be a most capable warship for her as­signed mission—open ocean escort of convoys, amphibious task groups, and underway replenishment ships. The

FFG-7 and her forthcoming sisters will serve as excellent complements to the already existing surface combatants of the Spruance and Knox classes. Those two classes are designed primarily for antisubmarine warfare. Where they have large active SQS-26 sonars, the FFG-7 has the small, in-layer SQS-56 to detect targets at closer ranges. Where they have minimal antiair warfare capabilities, the new frigate is excel­lent in that area and in quick reaction missile defense and will be even better when the close-in weapon system is added.

What’s more, the Oliver Hazard Perry class will be much better at ASW as succeeding ships come off ship­builders’ ways. The addition of a passive towed array sonar and the LAMPS 111 helos will make them out­standing ASW ships instead of just very good ones.

In summary, the Oliver Hazard Perry class gives every indication that it will prove to be a most capable ad­dition to the fleet. It is designed to provide the capabilities most in de­mand, in the numbers required by out worldwide sea control mission com­mitments, and at a construction cost and “manning” cost that we can af­ford. The use of “fly-before-buy” has permitted us to avoid the many grow­ing pains normally associated with the lead ship of a class and provides a high level of confidence in the capabilities and reliability of the follow ships now under contract. The lead ship has flown superbly in all her trials. We need have no reluctance about buying more.

The Navy’s Newest Ship: FFG-7

By Commander Stephen J. Duich, U.S. Navy, Commanding Officer, USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)

The Navy’s newest frigate repre­sents a break with tradition in a number of ways—a gas turbine pow­ered propulsion plant, austere man­ning, a fully integrated combat sys­tem, two helicopter hangars, auxiliary propulsion units, and a ship control console that gives one the feeling of being in the cockpit of an airplane rather than in the pilothouse of a war­ship.

The innovative systems and man­ning concepts employed in the Oliver Hazard Perry are enhanced by the ship’s organization. The traditional frigate’s operations, weapons, and supply departments do not exist in the FFG-7. Instead, they are replaced by combat systems, ship control/com- munications, and support depart­ments. The only officers in the ship control/communications and support departments are the department heads, while the engineering depart-

^rncnt is manned by two officers—an ^engineer officer and a damage control ^assistant (DCA). Except for engineer- ^lng s E-2 division, which is headed by ^che DCA, all divisions in these three departments are headed by chief petty °fficers. (Figure 1 depicts the ship’s ^0rganization.)

The combat systems department* has been designed for optimum opera­^tIOn under minimum manning condi- ^tl0ns- Two AN/UYK-7 digital com­puters integrate the ship’s command and decision (C&D) system with the ^ship s weapon systems. In addition to ^standard AN/UYA-4 consoles at the ^radar tracker and antisubmarine air ^c°ntroller (ASAC) positions, the C&D system includes operations summary consoles for the tactical action officer ^a°d ASW evaluator. The combat in­formation center (CIC) operates in a Navy tactical data system (NTDS) envi- ^r°nment with standard symbology, ^real-time data analysis, and computer Programs designed to provide quick- ^reaction defense throughout the Ululti-threat spectrum.

. The ship’s weapons provide defense ^In depth via the quick-reaction fea­tures of the C&D system. The Mk 13 hlod 4 guided-missile launching sys­tem and the Mk 75 76-mm. Oto Me- lara g_{un are} operated remotely from ^Clc The close-in weapon system— "'hich has yet to be installed in the FFG-7—consists of a rapid firing gun ^and a closed-loop tracking system. It is ^also a fully automated, quick-reaction

For additional information on combat system apartments see G. N. Maddox’s "The Vir- g'nia’s Combat System Department,” pp. ^U-9l, August 1977 Proceedings.

component. The underwater weapons battery encompasses LAMPS (light air­borne multi-purpose system) helicop­ters and Mk 32 SVTT (surface vehicle torpedo tube) launchers. Designed to work in concert with existing ASW ships and aircraft, the FFG-7 is equipped with the AN/SQS-56 digital sonar for medium-range direct path detection and provides near field pro­tection with hull-borne systems and a longer range capability through LAMPS, the installed AN/SQR-17 acous­tic processor, and an ASW computer program which displays the tactical situation.

Supporting the minimum manning concept, many of the systems possess built-in test and fault detection/ location capabilities. Modular re­placement features should further re­duce equipment downtime and main­tenance man-hours. The organization and operation of the ship control/ communications department also in­corporate several modern management concepts. As shown in Figure 1, the department is organized into three divisions—communications, deck, and ship control. The division officers for these divisions are a chief radioman, a master chief boatswain’s mate, and a chief quartermaster, respectively.

►  The communications division, tra­ditional in its organization and re­sponsible for the ship’s electronic communications, was included in the ship control/communications depart­ment because the function of the divi­sion did not coincide with the system operator/maintenance concept of the combat systems department.

►  The deck division differs from that traditionally encountered in other frigate-type ships in that division per­sonnel stand no underway watches.

Division personnel, in addition to being responsible for normal deck and seamanship evolutions, are responsible for the cleanliness and maintenance of many of the ship's common-use spaces and all topside spaces under a facilities maintenance (FM) program. Much as the PMS program has organized the ship into maintenance work centers with defined maintenance actions, so it is that specific cleaning and preser­vation tasks have been defined under the FM program. Members of the deck division are organized into FM teams equipped with various labor-saving devices such as spray wax buffers, wet/dry vacuums, and high-pressure washers. The end result is that fewer man-hours, and thus fewer personnel, are required to clean and preserve the ship.

► The signalman and quartermaster personnel of the ship control division man all underway bridge watch, navi­gation, and visual signal communica­tions stations. The FFG-7’s bridge is unique in both its equipment and manning. All ship control functions have been integrated into a ship con­trol console, the operation of which is controlled and monitored by an en­listed console operator and by the offi­cer of the deck. The other bridge watch stations—quartermaster of the watch, lookouts, visual signal com­municator, and visual signal re- corder/messenger—are interchange­ably manned by cross-trained signal­men and quartermasters. From his po­sition at the ship control console, the OOD is able to monitor and control ship’s course and speed, while monitoring the auxiliary propulsion units, weapon systems, and various alarm systems. Additionally, he has ready access to interior communica­tions circuits, general announcing cir­cuits, and radiotelephone communica­tions.

The Oliver Hazard Perry is designed with a high degree of engineering re­dundancy. Mobility is provided by a propulsion power train and two auxil­iary propulsion units. The power train consists of two LM 2500 gas turbines; a double reduction, double helical, locked train reduction gear; a single shaft; and a controllable pitch propel­ler. A propulsion control system (PCS) provides the controls and displays re­quired for the monitoring of the en­gineering systems. The PCS incorpo­rates a special-purpose computer which provides semiautomatic control of the gas turbines and propeller blade pitch, backup alarm systems, digital displays, and automatic data print­outs. Programmed throttle and pitch control is available in the central con­trol station (CCS) and on the bridge.

Ship service electric power is supplied by four diesel-driven 60 hertz generators and three 400 hertz static frequency converters. Two generators are capable of supplying the ship's total combat electrical load require­ments. All machinery spaces, gas tur­bine enclosures, and diesel enclosures are protected by a Halon 1301 fire ex­tinguishing system. AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) and conventional fire stations are also provided in the machinery spaces. A collection, hold­ing, and transfer system, an in­cinerator and a trash compactor, and an oily waste system have been in­stalled. Thus, the FFG-7 will be an en­vironmentally “clean” ship.

Most propulsion, electrical, and damage control systems are started, operated, and secured by the two-man watch in CCS. A third watchstander patrols the normally unmanned ma­chinery spaces and starts and secures the auxiliary systems. Automatic log­ging duties are performed by a bell logger and data logger. Repair of the FFG-7’s equipment is accomplished by modular change-out during inter­mediate maintenance availabilities— every six months—and selected re­stricted availabilities—every two years. The PCS has installed test points to isolate casualties to the card level. The ship is also fully equipped with support equipment and special tools for more detailed analysis and subas­sembly repair.

The support department in the Oliver Hazard Perry is designed to in­corporate a traditional guided-missile frigate supply organization with as many ship’s administrative/service functions as possible. The Supply Corps officer is identified by the ship’s manning document as the support of­ficer and his department contains two divisions—the administrative/supply

division and the food service/support division. These divisions are headed by the ship’s yeoman and the leading mess management specialist, respec­tively.

Advances in the support/supply area include a central supply storeroom which contains aviation-style drawer cabinets for the stowage of repair parts and is located below the flight deck with an access hatch therefrom for ease in transferring stores during r^e' plenishment operations. These cabinets are a great space-saver for storing the approximately 13,000 storeroom line items. In addition, ^a stores elevator moves foodstuffs (dry, fresh, and frozen) from the main deck to the dry provisions and refrigerated storerooms. This elevator is also used to replenish the Oto Melara gun magazine.

The FFG-7 is a comfortable ship in terms of crew accommodations. She is the most habitable frigate ever deliv-

Figure 1 FFG-7 Shipboard Organizatio"

Commanding Officer (CDR) — Executive

communications with that depart­ment's spaces.

Because the second ship of the class ^w°n’t be coming along until 1980, ^che Oliver Hazard Perry didn’t employ the fleet introduction team (FIT) which ^ls being used with the Spruance-dass destroyers. Instead, tradition ruled

^ered to the U.S. Navy. The crew’s three living complexes are attractive ^and roomy. Each has its own sleeping ^area, dressing area, lounge, and sani­^tary space. The central galley serves the enlisted dining facility, and the ^cpO mess, and the wardroom.

Still another change is the incorpo- tation of a central office complex. Within this single space is located the ^ship’s administrative office, the com­bat systems office, the engineering log ^r°om, the support office, and the ship ^c°ntrol/communications office. This central office is well compartmented, allowing some degree of privacy. Each the separate cubicles has direct this area. I reported to the ship along with the nucleus crew in July 1976, while the executive officer and the balance crew were organized in Sep­tember 1977 at the Fleet Training Center, Norfolk, Virginia. The FFG-7 passed acceptance trials in mid- November 1977, the balance crew ar­rived on board on 28 November, and the Navy accepted delivery of the ship on 30 November. When ships of the class go into series production in a couple of years, the FIT concept may well be used with teams of perhaps four officers and a dozen enlisted men transferring what they learn on one ship of the class to subsequent ones. The actual crews won’t report to the ships until shortly before commission­ing.

The commissioning of the Oliver Hazard Perry took place on 17 De­cember in Bath, Maine. Since then, the ship has been undergoing a fitting-out availability and will soon begin working her way down the coast to her new home port of Mayport, Florida. An intensive post-delivery tests and trials schedule will be pur­sued during the next seven months to determine if any design changes to the class are necessary.

Next fall, the FFG-7 will head back to Bath for a post-shakedown avail­ability. The things learned about the ship during the next few months will be incorporated into the ships now under construction and still to come. One thing already has been learned: the FFG-7 is a fine ship and will be a valuable member of the fleet for years to come.

Editors Note: The Proceedings ex­tends its thanks to Mr. Fred Kahrl of Bath Iron Works and Mr. Fred Koch of the office of the Navy Supervisor of Ship­building, Bath, Maine, for their assist­ance in assembling this issue’s coverage of the Oliver Hazard Perry.

Electronics Technician (ET)

Interior Communications Electrician (1C) Data Systems Technician (DS)

Sonar Technician (ST)

Torpedoman's Mate (TM)

Gunner’s Mate M (Missiles) (GMM) Gunner's Mate G (Guns) (GMG)

Fire Control Technician M (Missiles) FTM Fire Control Technician G (Guns) FTG

Operations Specialist (OS)

Electronics Warfare Technician (EW)

Boatswain's Mate (BM)

Quartermaster (QM) Signalman (SM)

Radioman (RM)

Damage Control Assistant (ENS)

Electrician's Mate (EM) Engineman (EN)

Hull Maintenance Technician (HT) Machinery Repairman (MR)

Engineman (EN)

Electrician's Mate (EM)