AEGIS Cruisers

[OracleMSU]

Well, I did not realize this, but according to a little blurb I watched on Discovery (could have been History channel) the AEGIS cruisers are something to the effect of the God of the Navy. No, they did not use those words, but they did make it out like the Navy would not survive without them. I was just wondering if these things still are all that and a bag of chips. I mean, sure they can track like thousands of different things on radar, but I was sure the Navy had other vessels and aircraft with that capability. Also, are the cruisers the only ships with the AEGIS system, also something that the show did not deal with. Yeesh, I hate television. "Ooooohh, look at the Navy's new toy, isn't dat purty". Hell, it isn't even THAT new is it? Just wondering if you had any knowledge of them, because I remember them being around since I was in highschool (at least), and I graduated in '97. Anyway, thanx for the info.



-----OracleMSU----------
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else."

 

[Tripp]

The Discovery Channel almost always gives the military establishment good PR (more so than "JAG" even...).

I think the AEGIS has been around since like the mid-80's (1983?). USS Ticonderoga , maybe? I know all Arleigh Burke -class destroyers have the AEGIS system. How long have they been around? 8-10 years? All of this random knowledge stored up...now why can't I remember where I put my car keys?

 

[Steve Wilkins]

Oracle,

Your getting me all fired up with all this talk of the AEGIS system. I am going to an AEGIS cruiser here in a little over a month...after my leave (ahhh, rest and relaxation). I will be on the USS VALLEY FORGE (CG 50) where we will be doing a drug interdiction deployment in the Carribean. I will actually be meeting the ship for the last 3 months of the deployment.

The official primary mission of the AEGIS cruisers is to operate with aircraft carrier battle groups in extreme threat environments well into the 21st century. The purpose of the ship is to detect, classify and track hundreds of potential targets simultaneously in the air, on the surface, and under the sea. It can destroy targets using a variety of weapons: ship and helicopter launched torpedoes, deck guns, surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missiles, rapid-fire close-in weapons, and electronic jammers and decoys. The school I am currently in (still here in Newport, RI) deals exclusively with the AEGIS system. It is unique in that only those officers going to AEGIS platforms (cruisers and DDG's) go to this school. The school is made up of lectures and simulations where we "stand watch" in a mock up of the Command Information Center (CIC) on the ship. The CIC here at the school looks pretty much identical to the one on the ship except its a tad smaller. We sit at consoles where we track, interrogate, identify, and even shoot down surface, subsurface and air contacts. These sims are a lot of fun, but we learn a great deal of information too.

To comment on one thing you said about the cruisers being the God of the Navy. Well, they are definately play an integral role in the war fighting effort in the battle group. But I think that all the ships are dependent upon the other. They all work together to perform the mission at hand...whatever that may be. You said that the Discovery Channel made it out like the Navy could not survive without them. That may be true, but the Navy couldn't survive without oilers/refuelers either. Oilers/refuelers may be have a less romantic or glorious job, but cruical none the less.

The AEGIS system can track hundreds, not thousands of targets. I'd love to tell you exactly how many, but that is classified just as are a lot of nifty little things on this system. It is truly amazing what the AEGIS system can do. I'll try to look up what I can tell you and what I can't.

The AEGIS cruisers have been around since the mid 80's beginning with the USS TICONDEROGA.

Hope this answers yours questions and raises some others. Take care.

 

[OracleMSU]

Hey, thanx for the info. I was just surprised at the over-dramatization of the AEGIS system. I was aware that it played a key role, but Discovery (and I do LOVE discovery) can get carried away. I mean, they have been around for awhile, and the show was produced in 1998 (just found that out).

Heh, even though I wanna be a fly guy, if I don't make it to flight school, I would probably stay in the Navy to have the chance to work with the AEGIS system.

Oh yeah, and I don't know if you caught it or not, but I saw a show on TLC (can't remember the title) about the USS Harry S Truman. I especially loved the part about the carrier during sea trials. Heh, I think someone else commented on its 40 hours going backwards. My favorite part was the shots of it doing high speed turns. MAN OH MAN!

Anyway, wish me luck with the tests for OCS this friday (3 days from now). Get to meet with a female recruiter a month out of OCS. She is awaiting intelligence officer training. I am taking the test at the East Lansing, MI recruiting center. We'll see how it goes.



-----OracleMSU----------
"Give me ambiguity or give me something else."

 

[Dave Shutter]

Best of luck! I'll be testing in a few more weeks too and applying for SNA, USN recruiting station Philadelphia P.A. wish me luck!

D

 

[webmaster]

quote:
The purpose of the ship is to detect, classify and track hundreds of potential targets simultaneously in the air, on the surface, and under the sea.


Well... I agree up to the "under the sea" part... to a submarine, AEGIS = "Big juicy target". Then again, a submarine is the best weapon to use against another submarine... but if you are just stating that the AEGIS CIC is the "brains" behind all the data taken in by the subs, helos, OTH targeting data, satellites, and the wonderful AEGIS radar system, then I would concur. Guess I am splitting hairs, but it IS hard to find a needle in a haystack. Gee, am I biased or what?

Good luck on that Dave...


Edited by - John Wickham on 9 May 2000