Frigates - FFG
Description: Frigates fulfill a Protection of Shipping (POS) mission as Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys.
Background: The guided missile frigates (FFG) bring an anti-air warfare (AAW) capability to the frigate mission, but they have some limitations. Designed as cost efficient surface combatants, they lack the multi-mission capability necessary for modern surface combatants faced with multiple, high-technology threats. They also offer limited capacity for growth. Despite this, the FFG-7 class is a robust platform, capable of withstanding considerable damage. This "toughness" was aptly demonstrated when USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine and USS Stark was hit by two Exocet cruise missiles. In both cases the ships survived, were repaired and returned to the fleet. USS Stark was recently decommissioned in May 1999.
The Surface Combatant Force Requirement Study does not define any need for a single mission ship such as the frigate and there are no frigates planned in the Navy's five-year shipbuilding plan.
Point of Contact:
Public Affairs Office
Naval Sea Systems Command
Washington, D.C. 20362
General Characteristics, Oliver Hazard Perry Class
Builders: Bath Iron Works: FFG 8, 11, 13, 15, 29, 32, 36, 39, 42, 45, 47, 49, 50, 53, 55, 56, 58, 59.
Todd Shipyards, Seattle: FFG 28, 31, 37, 40, 48, 52.
Todd Shipyards, San Pedro, Calif.: FFG 9, 12, 14, 19, 23, 30, 33, 38, 41, 43, 46, 51, 54, 57, 60, 61.
Power Plant: Two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 1 shaft, 41,000 shaft horsepower total.
Length: 445 feet (133.5 meters); 453 feet (135.9 meters) with LAMPS III modification.
Beam: 45 feet (13.5 meters)
Displacement: 4,100 tons (4,165.80 metric tons) full load
Speed: 29 plus knots (33.4+ miles per hour)
Aircraft:
Two SH-60 (LAMPS III) in FFG
8, 28, 29, 32, 33, 36-61
One SH-2F (Lamps Mk-I) in FFG 9-19, 30, 31.
Ships:
USS McInerney (FFG-8), Mayport, Fla.
USS Wadsworth (FFG-9), San Diego, Calif.
USS Clark (FFG-11), Norfolk, Va.
USS George Philip (FFG-12), San Diego,
Calif.
USS Samuel Eliot Morison (FFG-13), Mayport, Fla.
USS Sides (FFG-14), San Diego, Calif.
USS Estocin (FFG-15), Norfolk, Va.
USS John A. Moore (FFG-19), San Diego,
Calif.
USS Boone (FFG-28), Mayport, Fla.
USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29), Pascagoula,
Miss.
USS John L. Hall (FFG-32), Pascagoula, Miss.
USS Jarrett (FFG-33), San Diego,
Calif.
USS Underwood (FFG-36), Mayport, Fla.
USS Crommelin (FFG-37), Pearl Harbor,
HI
USS Curts (FFG-38), San Diego, Calif.
USS Doyle (FFG-39), Mayport, Fla.
USS Halyburton (FFG-40), Norfolk, Va.
USS McClusky (FFG-41), San Diego, Calif.
USS Klakring (FFG-42), Norfolk, Va.
USS Thach (FFG-43), San Diego,
Calif.
USS De Wert (FFG-45), Mayport, Fla.
USS Rentz (FFG-46), San Diego, Calif.
USS Nicholas (FFG-47), Norfolk, Va.
USS Vandegrift (FFG-48), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Robert G. Bradley (FFG-49), Mayport, Fla.
USS Taylor (FFG-50), Mayport, Fla.
USS Gary (FFG-51), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Carr (FFG-52), Norfolk, Va.
USS Hawes (FFG-53), Norfolk, Va.
USS Ford (FFG-54), Everett, Wash.
USS Elrod (FFG-55), Norfolk, Va.
USS Simpson (FFG-56), Norfolk, Va.
USS Reuben James (FFG-57), Pearl Harbor, HI
USS Samuel B. Roberts (FFG-58), Norfolk, Va.
USS Kauffman (FFG-59), Norfolk, Va.
USS Rodney M. Davis (FFG-60), Everett,
Wash.
USS Ingraham (FFG-61), Everett,
Wash.
Crew: 13 Officers, 287 Enlisted
Armament: Standard Missile (MR); Harpoon
(from Standard Missile Launcher); Six MK-46 torpedoes(from two triple mounts);
One 76 mm (3-inch)/62 caliber MK 75 rapid fire gun; One Phalanx
close-in-weapons system
Date Deployed: 17 December 1977 (Oliver Hazard Perry)
