Another Joint High Speed Vessel launched

[mick silver]

Another Joint High Speed Vessel launchedChristopher P. Cavas (http://intercepts.defensenews.com/author/ccavas/) / October 2, 2014 (http://intercepts.defensenews.com/2014/10/another-joint-high-speed-vessel-launched/)
http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JHSV05-140930-3-JHSV-5-Sept-2014b.jpg (http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JHSV05-140930-3-JHSV-5-Sept-2014b.jpg)TRENTON (JHSV 5) being rolled out of Austal USA’s facility at Mobile, Alabama on 29 Sept. 2014. MONTGOMERY (LCS 8) is alongside the quay fitting out. In the background at upper right are JACKSON (LCS 6) and FALL RIVER (JHSV 4). Mobile Bay stretches away in the distance at top. (Austal USA photo)

Another Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) was launched from Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard at the end of September, marking a half-way point in the construction of ten all-aluminum JHSVs for the US Navy.
The Trenton (JHSV 5) was floated over a two-day period in a process involving several contractors. On Sept. 29, Berard Transportation moved the ship from Austal’s Assembly Bay 3 onto a Crowley deck barge, which was then towed to BAE Systems’ Southeast Shipyard. On Sept. 30, the Trenton was transferred from the barge into BAE’s floating dry dock Alabama, which was flooded in a deep section of Mobile Bay to float off the JHSV. Tugs returned the Trenton to the Austal shipyard where it will continue outfitting, aiming at a spring 2015 delivery date.
Austal USA specializes in the construction of all-aluminum ships, and currently is in full production on both JHSVs and Independence LCS 2-class littoral combat ships for the US Navy. Their Mobile River waterfront is now crowded with four ships in various stages of completion: Fall River (JHSV 4), which was delivered on Sept. 15 and will soon sail away to enter service with the Military Sealift Command; Jackson (LCS 6), launched and christened last December; and Montgomery (LCS 8), launched on Aug. 6.
The next ships to be launched at Austal USA are the Gabrielle Giffords (LCS 10) and Brunswick (JHSV 6), which should both hit the water in 2015. Other ships under construction at Austal include the Omaha (LCS 12), Manchester (LCS 14), Tulsa (LCS 16) and Carson City (JHSV 7).
http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JHSV05-140930-N-EW716-001b.jpg (http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JHSV05-140930-N-EW716-001b.jpg)Supported by a small army of transporters, the TRENTON slowly rolls out from Austal USA’s Assembly Bay 3 onto a deck barge, tended by tugs SCOTT QUEST, MOBILE POINT and ESCAMBIA. To save weight and maintenance, the JHSVs are left unpainted. (US Navy)

http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JHSV05-140930-22-JHSV-5-Sept-2014b.jpg (http://intercepts.defensenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/JHSV05-140930-22-JHSV-5-Sept-2014b.jpg)Floatoff completed, the TRENTON is moved by tugs on Sept. 30 back to the shipyard to complete the fitting-out process. The shipyard’s manufacturing bays are at upper right. (Austal USA photo)

[JohnQPublic]

Pretty impressive looking vessel. If I were a Somali pirate, I would not want to see that in my rear view mirror!

Wikipedia


Class overview


Builders:
Austal USA (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austal_USA)


Operators:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/a4/Flag_of_the_United_States.svg/22px-Flag_of_the_United_States.svg.png United States Navy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Navy)


Cost:
$214m/unit[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-GAO-13-294SP-1)


Built:
2010s


Building:
2[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-austal16sep14-2)


Planned:
10


Completed:
5[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-austal16sep14-2)


Active:
4[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-austal16sep14-2)


General characteristics


Tonnage:
1,515 tonnes


Length:
103.0 m (337 ft 11 in)


Beam:
28.5 m (93 ft 6 in)


Draft:
3.83 m (12 ft 7 in)


Propulsion:
Four MTU 20V8000 M71L diesel engines (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diesel_engine)
Four ZF 60000NR2H reduction gears


Speed:
43 knots (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knot_%28unit%29) (80 km/h; 49 mph)


Range:
1,200 nmi (1,400 mi; 2,200 km)[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-usni20march13-3)


Boats & landing
craft carried:
Can deploy 7-meter rigid hull inflatable boats (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rigid_hull_inflatable_boat)[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-4)


Capacity:
600 short tons[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-usni20march13-3)


Troops:
312


Crew:
41


Aircraft carried:
Landing pad for a helicopter (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helicopter), up to CH-53 Super Stallion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CH-53_Super_Stallion)/CH-53K King Stallion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CH-53K_King_Stallion).[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spearhead-class_joint_high_speed_vessel#cite_note-navylive14oct14-5)

[crimethink]

Another waste of money. What are these for? Pork-barrel deals, apparently. They're not even "United States Ships," but non-commissioned "United States Naval Ships." Unarmed, not even Phalanx, and all-aluminum, eh? One hit, and it goes up in flames, like HMS Sheffield.

We should buy more Arleigh Burkes, even if they cost more. At least they're real warships.