Shipbucket

A side AU project, showing an improved and up-armed Freedom-class LCS as the mainstay frigate of the US Navy to replace the Oliver Hazard Perry-class. Like the LCS irl, the vessels are named after US cities (often reusing the names of decommissioned Los Angeles-class submarines or Austin-class LPDs) - with the exception of the first two vessels (the USS Freedom and USS Independence). Although smaller than other frigates used by global navies (such as the Type 26 of the Royal Navy, Russian Admiral Gorshkov-class, or French Aquitaine-class) they form a core part of the USN fleet worldwide alongside the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers.

These vessels are up-armed with a Mk41 VLS (capable of firing RIM-162A ESSM missiles), 8 Harpoon missiles located amidships, a 5 inch Mk45 main gun, Phalanx CIWS over the rear hangar, and 2 twin Mark 50 torpedo launchers. They have an increased complement of around 105 personnel (less than the OHP-class they replace) and can carry up to two MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, as well as numerous small boats/USVs launched from the modular mission bay in the stern alongside the Raytheon DART towed sonar system.

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Currently working on:
- AU Royal Navy
- Various FD scale aircraft

Interesting idea. I have a few questions/comments in no particular order:

1) I'm somewhat doubtful that you have the hull depth to accommodate the Strike-length VLS required to carry TLAM in that position.

2) Does the TRS-4D radar have the capability to provide guidance for SM-2? I suspect you might require a separate director(s) to provide full guidance capability.

3) Why are the Mk 32 torpedo launchers in that position? Why not between the helideck and the superstructure? Generally, torpedo tubes are located as close as possible to the helicopter hangar as possible so that the helos can share the same magazine. I pity the poor crewman who has to roll a torpedo on a cart all the way through the ship from the magazine to the bow of the vessel in order to reload.

4) Is the Freedom-class hull form compatible with a bow sonar like that? I assume that one of the reasons that the LCS class was only planned to be fitted with a towed sonar module is that it was impractical to have a bow-mounted sonar and still achieve the high top speeds (47+ knots) that the vessels were designed for.

yeah it's doubtful that you can have a bow sonare like that, on a planning hull. On a displacement hull it'l work.

There a no space for a full length VLS in the bow, due to hull design.

Thank you, I think the main reason for most of these is just my lack of knowledge regarding surface ship design (indeed, I do a lot more FD scale work than SB). I have made the changes you have suggested.

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Currently working on:
- AU Royal Navy
- Various FD scale aircraft