The big gamble

[Administrator]

Like no other military service in history, the Navy is betting a very large — and expensive — chunk of its future fleet on untested technologies and practices. Large destroyers built to a hull design no one has ridden. Aircraft carriers that will launch their planes by a method yet to launch an aircraft. Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) operated in ways entirely new to any navy.

http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2008/03/3348591

[The Universal Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Administrator

Like no other military service in history, the Navy is betting a very large — and expensive — chunk of its future fleet on untested technologies and practices. Large destroyers built to a hull design no one has ridden. Aircraft carriers that will launch their planes by a method yet to launch an aircraft. Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) operated in ways entirely new to any navy.http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2008/03/3348591

At the risk of sounding like a broken record on the DDG 1000 class vessels, consider the following:

1. LENGTH

a. RMS Graf Spee - 610'
b. USS DDG 1000 - 600'

2. BEAM

a. RMS Graf Spee - 71.0'
b. USS DDG 1000 - 80.7'

3. SPEED

a. RMS Graf Spee - 28.5 Kt
b. USS DDG 1000 - 30 Kt

4. CRUISING RANGE

a. RMS Graf Spee - 12,500 Nm
b. USS DDG 1000 - 6,000 Nm

5. CREW

a. RMS Graf Spee - 1,075
b. USS DDG 1000 - 150

6. GUNNERY RANGE

a. RMS Graf Spee - 40 mi
b. USS DDG 1000 - 100 mi (projected) 59 mi (actual)

7. ARMAMENT

a. RMS Graf Spee -

i. 6 × 280 mm (11 inch)

720 rounds

ii. 8 × 150 mm (5.9 inch)

1,000 rounds

iii. 6 × 105 mm (4.1 inch)

3,000 rounds

iv. 8 × 37 mm

v. 10 × 20 mm

vi. 8 × 533 mm (21 inch) torpedo tubes

b. USS DDG 1000 -

i. 2 x 155mm Advanced Gun System

920 - 155mm Long Range Land Attack Projectile
[600 Threshold / 1200 Objective]

ii. 80 x PVLS cells

8. ARMOUR

a. RMS Graf Spee -

i. Turret Face - 160mm
ii. Belt - 80mm
iii. Deck - 40mm

b. USS DDG 1000 - ???

9. COST (2007 US$)

a. RMS Graf Spee

US$ 303,061,000

b. USS DDG 1000

US$1,500,000,000 (hopefully)
US$2,500,000,000 (probably)

Considering the advances in the technology of propulsion, armour, gunnery, ammunition, and artillery - it looks like the USN would be better off building a whole bunch of modernized Graf Spees - even if they cost double the inflation adjusted price of the original.

Besides they would look really KEEN compared to the rather frumpy looking DDG 1000s.