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Ship Characteristics Board
The Ship Characteristics Board was a unit of the United States Navy. The purpose of the Ship Characteristics Board was to coordinate the creation of 'ship characteristics' that are essential to the design of naval combatants and auxiliaries. Coordination was required because the operators and the designers of ships had different interests, perceptions, and concepts: as summarized by the naval historian Norman Friedman, "How to achieve the best possible compromise among competing bureaus has been one of the great dilemmas of 20th-century U.S. naval administration." This list of SCB projects is a useful exposition of the U.S. Navy's shipbuilding priorities in the first half of the Cold War. History The Ship Characteristics Board was founded in 1945 under the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations / OpNav. It was created after the body previously responsible for coordinating ships characteristics, the General Board, had been seen as ineffective in a series of earlier Navy bureau ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Submarine Depth Ratings
Depth ratings are primary design parameters and measures of a submarine's ability to operate underwater. The depths to which submarines can dive are limited by the strengths of their hulls. Ratings The hull of a submarine must be able to withstand the forces created by the outside water pressure being greater than the inside air pressure. The outside water pressure increases with depth and so the stresses on the hull also increase with depth. Each 10 metres (33 feet) of depth puts another atmosphere (1 bar, 14.7 psi, 101 kPa) of pressure on the hull, so at 300 metres (1,000 feet), the hull is withstanding thirty atmospheres (30 bar, 441 psi, 3,000 kPa) of water pressure. Test depth The maximum depth at which a submarine is permitted to operate under normal peacetime circumstances, and is tested during sea trials. The test depth is set at two-thirds (0.66) of the design depth for United States Navy submarines, while the Royal Navy sets test depth at 4/7 (0.57) the design depth ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mitscher-class Destroyer
The ''Mitscher''-class destroyer was an experimental destroyer class of four ships that were built for the United States Navy shortly after World War II. Considerably larger than all previous destroyers, but smaller than their immediate predecessor, the experimental ''Norfolk'', they would have been the first post-war destroyer class had they not been reclassified during construction as destroyer leaders (DL). Commissioned in 1953–1954, two of the class served until 1969, and were scrapped in the 1970s. The other two were converted into guided missile destroyers (DDG), served until 1978, and were sold for scrap by 1980. Description All four ''Mitscher''-class ships were designed under project SCB 5 and ordered 3 August 1948. They were named for admirals of the Second World War. Each ship displaced 3,331 tons light, 3,642 tons standard and 4,855 tons under full load with a length of , a beam and a draft. Beyond that, each ship had a different loadout of pro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tang-class Submarine
The ''Tang''-class submarines were the first submarines designed (under project SCB 2) and built by the United States Navy after WWII. They incorporated the best features of the high-speed German Type XXI U-boat and the venerable U.S. Navy fleet submarine. The ''Tang''-class, with the fleet submarines converted under the Greater Underwater Propulsion Power (GUPPY) program, had much higher submerged performance than their predecessors, but were quickly surpassed by the nuclear-propelled submarines that entered service beginning in 1954. Six units in total were built. Design Probably the most important innovation of the ''Tang''s, and their primary advantage over contemporary GUPPY conversions, was an increase in test depth from to , achieved with the same High Tensile Steel (HTS; yield strength) as the ''Balao'' and ''Tench'' classes. This allowed the class to take advantage of deeper ocean conditions to evade sonar, as well as maneuver more safely at moderate depths. An un ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Norfolk (DL-1)
The second USS ''Norfolk'' (DL-1) was the first destroyer leader of the United States Navy. Originally projected as a hunter-killer cruiser, she was in service until 1970, and was scrapped in 1974. History The first major U.S. warship built after the construction boom of World War II, ''Norfolk'' was designed beginning in 1945, designated project SCB 1 in 1946, and authorized in 1947 as CLK-1, an anti-submarine hunter killer ship which could operate under all weather conditions and would carry the latest radar, sonar, and other electronic devices. She was designed on a light cruiser hull so she could carry a greater variety of detection gear than a destroyer. She was laid down 1 September 1949 by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden, New Jersey, launched 29 December 1951 with the destroyer leader reclassification DL-1, sponsored by Miss Betty King Duckworth, and commissioned 4 March 1953, Capt. Clarence Matheson Bowley in command. After her Caribbean shakedown cruis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hull Classification Symbol
The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use a hull classification symbol (sometimes called hull code or hull number) to identify their ships by type and by individual ship within a type. The system is analogous to the pennant number system that the Royal Navy and other European and Commonwealth navies use. History United States Navy The U.S. Navy began to assign unique Naval Registry Identification Numbers to its ships in the 1890s. The system was a simple one in which each ship received a number which was appended to its ship type, fully spelled out, and added parenthetically after the ship's name when deemed necessary to avoid confusion between ships. Under this system, for example, the battleship ''Indiana'' was USS ''Indiana'' (Battleship No. 1), the cruiser ''Olympia'' was USS ''Olympia'' (Cruiser No. 6), and so on. Beginning in 1907, some ships also were referred to alternativ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Inflation
In economics, inflation is an increase in the general price level of goods and services in an economy. When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services; consequently, inflation corresponds to a reduction in the purchasing power of money. The opposite of inflation is deflation, a sustained decrease in the general price level of goods and services. The common measure of inflation is the inflation rate, the annualized percentage change in a general price index. As prices do not all increase at the same rate, the consumer price index (CPI) is often used for this purpose. The employment cost index is also used for wages in the United States. Most economists agree that high levels of inflation as well as hyperinflation—which have severely disruptive effects on the real economy—are caused by persistent excessive growth in the money supply. Views on low to moderate rates of inflation are more varied. Low or moderate inflation may be ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam and South Vietnam. The north was supported by the Soviet Union, China, and other communist states, while the south was supported by the United States and other anti-communist allies. The war is widely considered to be a Cold War-era proxy war. It lasted almost 20 years, with direct U.S. involvement ending in 1973. The conflict also spilled over into neighboring states, exacerbating the Laotian Civil War and the Cambodian Civil War, which ended with all three countries becoming communist states by 1975. After the French military withdrawal from Indochina in 1954 – following their defeat in the First Indochina War – the Viet Minh took control of North Vietnam, and the U.S. assumed financial and military support for the South Vietnames ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ethan Allen-class Submarine
The ''Ethan Allen'' class of fleet ballistic missile submarine was an evolutionary development from the ''George Washington'' class. The ''Ethan Allen'', together with the , , , and classes comprised the " 41 for Freedom" that were the Navy's main contribution to the nuclear deterrent force through the late 1980s. Design Rather than being designed as attack submarines with a missile compartment added, the ''Ethan Allen''s were the first submarines designed "from the keel up" as Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) submarines carrying the Polaris A-2 missile. They were functionally similar to the ''George Washington''s, but longer and more streamlined and with torpedo tubes reduced to four. In the early and mid-1970s, they were upgraded to Polaris A3s. Because their missile tubes could not be modified to carry the larger diameter Poseidon missile, they were not further upgraded. Conversions To comply with SALT II treaty limitations as the ballistic missile submarines entered se ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ballistic Missile Submarine
A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. The United States Navy's hull classification symbols for ballistic missile submarines are SSB and SSBN – the ''SS'' denotes submarine, the ''B'' denotes ballistic missile, and the ''N'' denotes that the submarine is nuclear powered. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their nuclear deterrence capability. They can fire missiles thousands of kilometers from their targets, and acoustic quieting makes them difficult to detect (see acoustic signature), thus making them a survivable deterrent in the event of a first strike and a key element of the mutual assured destruction policy of nuclear deterrence. The deployment of SSBNs is dominated by the United States and Russia (following the collapse of the Soviet Union). Smaller numbers are in service with France, the United Kingdom, China and India; North K ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Washington-class Submarine
The ''George Washington'' class was a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines deployed by the United States Navy. ''George Washington'', along with the later , , , and classes, comprised the " 41 for Freedom" group of submarines that represented the Navy's main contribution to the nuclear deterrent force through the late 1980s. Development In 1957, the US Navy began using submarines in the nuclear deterrent role, when a pair of World War II vintage diesel-electric boats, and , converted to be able to carry a pair of Regulus cruise missiles, began operating deterrent patrols. These two were soon joined by a pair of purpose built diesel boats, and a nuclear powered boat, . However, the use of Regulus in the deterrent role showed a number of limitations; as a cruise missile, it was vulnerable to interception by fighter aircraft, it was limited to subsonic speed, and had a range of less than 1000 km, while the largest of the Regulus armed boats could carry a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
USS Iwo Jima (LPH-2)
USS ''Iwo Jima'' (LPH-2) was the lead ship of her class and type—the first amphibious assault ship to be designed and built from the keel up as a dedicated helicopter carrier. She carried helicopters and typically embarked USMC elements of a Marine Amphibious Unit (MAU)/later Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) principally the Aviation Combat Element (ACE) to conduct heliborne operations in support of an amphibious operation. There was no well deck to support landing craft movement of personnel or equipment to/from shore. ''Iwo Jima'' was the second of three ships of the United States Navy to be named for the Battle of Iwo Jima, although the first to be completed and see service ( the first was cancelled during construction). First cruises and Cuban Missile Crisis ''Iwo Jima'' was laid down on 2 April 1959 by Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Washington; launched on 17 September 1960, sponsored by Mrs. Harry Schmidt; and commissioned on 26 August 1961. Following shakedown ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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