bunge@wam.umd.edu (Robert David Bunge) (03/13/91)
From: Robert David Bunge <bunge@wam.umd.edu> I submitt the following: swilliam@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Steve Williams) writes: (In nice listing of operational U.S. aircraft carriers) > the KITTY HAWK class: > CV-67 USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (actually an improved KITTY HAWK carrier) I've often seen this written like this. Does anybody know just what improvements where made to the JFK (especially ones that haven't been done to the other KITTY HAWKs in twenty plus years of shipyard overhauls) to make it worthy of a separate listing? Before you start listing visible characteristics like the JFK's tilted stack, please realize that all four of these ships look different from one another. > 2. USS LEXINGTON will be replaced by a FORRESTAL class carrier > in the near future. ^^^^ Hasn't the navy been saying this for YEARS? Anybody know if there are concrete plans to finally do this? If so, will the new ship be based out of Pensacola? I've always heard the channel there was too shallow for any of the other carriers (including the Midway class). Just wondering. Bob Bunge bunge@wam.umd.edu
averys@mist.CS.ORST.EDU (03/14/91)
From: averys@mist.CS.ORST.EDU Robert David Bunge <bunge@wam.umd.edu> writes, ******** I've often seen this written like this. Does anybody know just what improvements where made to the JFK (especially ones that haven't been done to the other KITTY HAWKs in twenty plus years of shipyard overhauls) to make it worthy of a separate listing? Before you start listing visible characteristics like the JFK's tilted stack, please realize that all four of these ships look different from one another. ******* In the book "The Modern US War Machine", Crown Publishers, Inc. New York 1987, p 142, reprinted without permission Speaking about the differences between the JFK and the other ships of the class, "Of even greater significance was the abandonment of the expensive long- range Terrier system, which took up valuable space and merely duplicated similar area defence systems on the carrier escorts, in favour of the Basic Point Defence Missile System (BPDMS), for which three octuple launchers were fitted.The SPS-48 radar, carried on a rather slimmer mast aft of the island, was fitted at the outset. Provision was made, as in America, for an SQS-23 sonar, but this was never installed. John F. Kennedy marks the high point of US carrier construction, and it is significant that the later CVNs of the Nimitz class are almost identical in flight-deck layout, armament, and sensor outfit. The earlier three ships of the Kitty Hawk class are now being refitted to the same standard. In particular the Terrier launchers, together with the fire control radars, are being removed and replaced by Mk 29 launchers for NATO Sea Sparrow." I hope that this was helpful. Scott Avery averys@mist.cs.orst.edu My opinions are all my own