The United States Navy is the largest and most advanced navy in the world, fielding
everything from aircraft carriers and maritime patrol aircraft to submarines, destroyers,
and unmanned helicopters.
So, when your editor asks you to choose the Navy’s five most lethal weapons systems,
your most difficult challenge is trying to narrow it down to just five selections.
In this video, I bypassed the larger platforms such as the aircraft carriers and amphibious
assault ships.
To be sure, those are actually the most lethal weapons in the Navy’s arsenal, however,
everybody knows them, and, as big platforms, they are actually the sum of many smaller
ones.
Instead, I wanted to highlight platforms that were outstanding in some particular way, with
an emphasis on the biggest bang for the buck.
I also wanted to spread out the selection; it’s easy to merely include surface ships
and submarines, ignoring aircraft and certain missions.
Before proceeding, it’s worth noting that the Navy is currently on the cusp of a technological
revolution, with new ships, fighters, radars, lasers, railguns, and unmanned systems on
the horizon.
In ten years, a repeat of this list may look very different.
Arleigh Burke-class Guided Missile Destroyer:
Named after the legendary World War II admiral, the Arleigh Burke class destroyers are some
of the most balanced, capable ships fielded by any modern navy.
The Burke class is the backbone of the fleet, with some 62 vessels comprising over a fifth
of all the ships in the Navy.
The heart of the Burke’s combat systems is in its Aegis radar system, which is capable
of directing a variety of air defense missiles against incoming targets.
Aegis can coordinate the defense of an entire naval surface group, and with the new Cooperative
Engagement Capability the Burkes can fire on targets at extended ranges using targeting
data from platforms such as the E-2D Hawkeye.
The Burke class is also capable of launching Evolved Sea Sparrow air-defense missiles against
short and medium range targets, and SM-2 and SM-6 missiles against long-range aerial targets.
Many destroyers also have a ballistic missile defense capability and can launch SM-3 missiles
specialized for engagement of ballistic missiles.
EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack Aircraft:
Based on the successful F/A-18F Super Hornet, the EA-18 Growler is an electronic warfare
aircraft with the performance of a fighter.
Unlike its predecessor the EA-6B Prowler, the Growler is capable of being used more
aggressively, pacing high performance fighter bombers on dangerous missions.
The Growler is basically a two-seat Super Hornet, with 90 percent commonality in some
features between the two planes.
The Super Hornet’s internal M61 gun is deleted to accommodate an AN/ALQ-227 communications
jamming system, and AN/ALQ-99 radar jamming pods are fitted to the plane’s weapons stations.
Growler has three key capabilities.
Firstly, it can conduct Suppression of Enemy Air Defense missions in support of drones
or UAVs.
Growler can jam communications and enemy radars on the ground and actively attack radars with
anti-radar HARM missiles.
Second, Growler can conduct stand-off and escort airborne early warning platforms and
enemy fighters.
Growler can keep up with fighters conducting a counter-air sweep and keep enemy radars
and communications scrambled.
Third, Growler is also capable of what is called “Non-Traditional Electronic Attack,”
a somewhat mysterious capability which supposedly allows it to “integrate with ground defenses.”
Virginia-class Attack Submarine:
One of the most successful weapons programs of the post-Cold War period, the Virginia
class attack submarine combines one of the most advanced nuclear attack submarines with
an affordable shipbuilding program.
At least 33 units are planned.
Each Virginia class is 377 feet long and 34 feet in diameter and weighs 7,800 tons submerged.
Each has 12 vertical launch tubes for Tomahawk missiles., as well as four 533mm torpedo tubes
capable of launching Mk 48 ADCAP homing torpedoes, mines, and torpedo tube-launched unmanned
underwater vehicles.
Subs of the class are also equipped with lockout chambers for divers and can carry SEAL mini-submarines.
In addition to their attack mission, Virginia submarines are also useful surveillance platforms.
Each has an extensive sonar suite with bulb, sail, and chin sonars covering the front hemisphere,
sonar arrays on the flanks, and a towed array to detect objects in the sub’s wake.
The ship is equipped with Electronic Support Measures sensors for detection of enemy signals
and optronic sensors.
Ohio-Class Cruise Missile Submarine:
The four guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) of the Ohio-class: Ohio, Michigan, Florida,
and Georgia — are four of the most heavily armed ships in the world.
Each is equipped with 154 cruise missiles and can carry up to four platoons of Navy
SEALs.
Originally constructed as ballistic missile submarines, each submarine carried 24 nuclear
tipped D-5 Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles.
Under the terms of the START II treaty the United States was left with four excess ballistic
missile submarine hulls.
Rather than decommission them, the U.S. Navy paid $4 billion to convert them to carry conventionally-armed
Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.
Twenty-two of the Trident missile silos were converted to each hold seven Tomahawk missiles.
The result is a stealthy cruise missile platform capable of firing 154 Tomahawk missiles, a
unique capability that greatly increases the US Navy’s firepower.
USS Ponce:
It may seem strange for an aging amphibious transport dock to be on this list, and indeed
a week ago it would not have made the cut The 43-year-old USS Ponce, launched in July
1971, served for years as a transport for U.S. Marines.
Now it’s an Afloat Forward Staging Base, and the first ship in the US Navy operationally
armed with a laser weapon.
The laser system is designed to target unmanned aerial vehicles, slow-moving helicopters,
and fast patrol craft.
The U.S. Navy claims that, per the Geneva Convention the laser will not be used to target
individual humans.
It’s safe to say, however, that detonating explosive devices, fuel, or causing catastrophic
damage to a vehicle could have lethal consequences for the crew.
LaWS is a 30-kilowatt laser system.
The U.S. Navy plans to test more powerful 100 to 150-kilowatt systems within the next
two years.