The U.S. Navy has reportedly deployed USS Nitze to the northern end of the Persian Gulf.
The move comes after Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq oil processing facility was hit by unprecedented
mass cruise missile and suicide drone attacks.
It is to be noted that Saudi Arabia’s surface-to-air missile systems and anti-aircraft guns located
close to the facility proved ineffective in repelling the attacks.
In this video Defense Updates reports on the deployment of USS Nitze by America to protect
Saudi Arabia against Iran.
Let’s get started
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USS Nitze (DDG-94) is a United States Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
The class is named for Admiral Arleigh Burke, an American destroyer officer in World War
II, and later Chief of Naval Operations.
Arleigh Burke-class warships are designed to be capable of performing multiple missions.
These can carry out Anti Aircraft Warfare (AAW), Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti
Surface Warfare (ASuW).
USS Nitze was commissioned on 5 March 2005
She is named for Paul Nitze, who served as Secretary of the Navy under president Lyndon
B. Johnson and as chief arms control adviser in the administration of President Ronald Reagan.
USS Nitze being an Arleigh Burke class destroyer is among the largest destroyers built in the
United States.
It has an overall length of 155 m and displacement of about 9,200 tons.
The Arleigh Burke design incorporates several stealth configurations like angled rather
than traditional vertical surfaces.
It makes these warships hard to target by Anti Ship Missile
For propulsion, it has 4 General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 75 MW of
power, driving 2 shafts.
It has a speed of 30+ knots or around 55+ km/h and range of 4,400 nmi or 8,100 km
The Arleigh Burke class of guided missile destroyer is the United States Navy's first
class of destroyer to be built from grounds up to incorporate the Aegis Combat System.
The Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System is designed by United States Department of
Defense, Missile Defense Agency to protect against short and intermediate-range ballistic
missiles.
Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense is devised to intercept ballistic missiles post-boost
phase and prior to reentry.
It enables USS Nitze to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles by expanding the Aegis Combat System
with the addition of the AN/SPY-1 radar and Standard missiles.
Aegis BMD-equipped vessels can transmit their target detection information to other systems
and, if needed, engage potential threats using either the SM-2 or SM-3 missile.
This is especially relevant as it will bolster the air defense capability for Saudi Arabia.
The centerpiece of the AEGIS systems is a very powerful multi-purpose AN/SPY-1 radar.
It is considered to be one of the most advanced naval radar that can automatically detect
and track targets.
The high-power of 4 MW enables it to simultaneously track over 100 targets and guide missiles.
Traditional search radars have rotating antennas that can track a target once during every
360-degree sweep.
A separate tracking radar is required to guide missiles to a particular target.
AN/SPY-1 radar is different.
It incorporates the two functions into a single tightly integrated system.
The 4 fixed arrays of "SPY" direct electromagnetic beams in all directions concurrently and continuously.
So, the targets are tracked without interruption.
The radar can be made to focus onto a single target when needed, without blinding the warship
against other threats.
This enables the radar to create a very holistic view of the surrounding, providing an unprecedented
situational awareness.
USS Nitze has AN/SQS-53C sonar array.
This is the latest variant of AN/SQS-53 series sonar.
The Sonar Set AN/SQS-53C is a computer-controlled surface-ship sonar that can work both in both
active and passive mode.
It can provide precise information for Anti Submarine Warfare control and guidance.
It has a hull-mounted transducer array that can be used to detect and track multiple targets
simultaneously.
The AN/SQS-53C provides greater range and detection capability when compared to earlier versions.
It also has only half the electronic components and weighs in much less than its predecessors.
USS Nitze also has AN/SQR-19 Tactical Towed Array Sonar (TACTAS)
The AN/SQR-19 provides very long-range passive detection against the enemy submarine.
TACTAS deploys a long cable full of microphones that is towed about a mile behind the warship.
These can detect the noise emitted from surface ships & submarines and track them.
The sonar systems would be very useful in case the next attack comes via sea.
USS Nitze is one of the most heavily armed destroyers in the world and it will shore
up American offensive capability in the Middle East.
It is designed to be a multi-weapons platform and is capable of dealing with various kind
of threats.
USS Nitze has in total 96 cell Mk 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) divided into two blocks
of 32 & 64 cells.
These can be configured with the combination of the following weapons, based on the mission.
1.
RIM-66M-5 Standard SM-2MR Block IIIB for Air Defense & Anti Ship role with a range of 103
miles or 167 km and speed of Mach 3.5
2.
RIM-156A SM-2ER Block IV for Anti Aircraft & Anti Ship role with a range of 115 miles
or 185 km and speed of Mach 3.5
3.
RIM-161 SM-3 for Ballistic missile defense with a range of 435 miles or 700 km and speed
of Mach 10.
It can also be used as an Anti-satellite weapon.
4.
RIM-162A ESSM for anti-missile role with a range of 31 miles or 50 km and speed of 4
It can be quad packed in single Mk 41 cell.
5.
RIM-174A Standard ERAM or SM 6 for anti-air warfare with a range of 150 miles or 240 km
and speed Mach 3.5.
It can also be used as a high speed anti-ship missile.
6.
BGM-109 Tomahawk for land attack.
It has a long range of up to 1550 miles or 2500 km with subsonic speed.
7.
RUM-139A VL-ASROC anti-submarine missile with a range of 13 miles or 22 km.It also has 2
× Mk 141 Harpoon Missile Launcher for Anti Ship role.
It has a range of 70 to 150 miles depending on variant.
The ship is equipped with two Mark 46 triple torpedo tubes.
Mk-46 torpedoes is a potent weapon and can potentially cripple any ship with one strike.
2 MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters are also present for Anti Submarine Warfare.
Other than it is equipped with a long-range naval gun for close-range offense.
It also has ‘Phalanx’ Close-In Weapon System for last-ditch missile defense.
Reports have emerged that Houthi militants in Yemen have warned foreign diplomats that
Iran is preparing a follow-up strike aimed at crippling Saudi Arabia’s oil industry.
This means the hostilities could spike in the coming days.
USS Nitze deployment will not only bolster defenses of Saudi Arabia but also provide
the U.S with an offensive asset in case a full-blown conflict gets underway in the region.
This move not only has tactical significance but is also has political ramifications.
The deployment sends a message that the U.S is standing firm with its ally and this is
expected to be a deterrence against Iran.