Comments by "William Cox" (@WildBillCox13) on "USS Atlanta – Guide 024 (Human Voice)" video.

  1. More of a super destroyer than a cruiser, this class of ships was only given two screws, limiting maneuverability. Whereas SoNAR and Depth Charges seemed a good idea for a super destroyer meant to provide general support to carriers, in practice the last thing you want is a cruiser moving slow enough to use its SoNAR (which requires a very slow trawl; 3--5nts) in an area where enemy submarines are expected. In fact, this seems like a good place to discuss the ASW capabilities of fleet destroyers in general. Any ship too valuable to give up to a submarine torpedo should move faster than the submarine on the surface. The utility of Fleet Destroyers as ASW frigates is questionable, but they are less valuable than Carriers, Battleships, or Cruisers. By process of elimination a Fleet Destroyer or two will be detailed to hold down a located (or suspected) enemy submarine long enough for friendly ships at risk to escape the area. Unfortunately, this process requires the Destroyer to move very slowly and in a straight line, while trawling with its Active SoNAR (which, despite all the positive hype had very limited range--i.e.: 100m to either side of the ship in a seaway). Over 8 nauts speed and Passive (Hydrophone) SoNAR would not be able to pick up anything. No fast moving ship of WW2 (or today) could detect a submerged submarine, however, and every Fleet Destroyer that a carrier battlegroup leaves behind to manage suspected enemy subs is lost to the carrier group (and ends up far away from the fleet supply train) as a result. Since a big part of carrier screening is physical presence, that loss weakens the carrier battlegroup's defense. Enter the ASW Frigate. Smaller than the Fleet Destroyer, less well armed, slower, and, ultimately, easier to produce in large numbers, the ASW Frigate is optimized for low speed ASW trawling. Most ASW frigates were, unfortunately, unable to keep up with carriers. And therein lies the rub. Purpose built ASW Frigates are terrible sea boats, being small, slow, and designed without crew comfort in mind. But, their SoNAR, coupled with Hedgehog + Depth Charge armament, is effective and, best of all, they are expendable*. Rather than moving with, and screening, a carrier battlegroup, the ASW Frtigate moves with the Fleet Train (composed of slower oilers, dry goods replenishment, reefers/refrigerators, and ammunition, ships). If the carrier group is harassed by enemy submarines it moves on and the Frigates are detailed to trawl the area as they arrive from the fleet train. This frees up any Fleet Destroyers left behind to keep that sub at bay. Being expendable is not pretty, but it is crucial to the survival of your most valuable combat units. I relate this as an ex ASW Frigate crewman of the early 1970s**. The expendable part was well explained by our captain and we took it as a matter of pride to do our jobs exceeding well. We were protecting carriers from the enemy and the carrier was the main arm of force extension and for showing the flag in foreign waters. *The Gabbianos proved that ** I was NOT a SoNARman.
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