Page 42: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (February 1986)

USS Valley Forge (CG-50), shown on sea trials in the Gulf of Mexico, is the fourth Ingalls- built Aegis cruiser commissioned into the U.S. Navy Fleet.

Aegis Missle Cruiser Valley Forge

Commissioned At Ingalls Yard

The U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet re- ceived its newest ship, and its sec- ond Aegis guided missile cruiser, following the recent commissioning of the USS Valley Forge (CG-50) at the Ingalls Shipbuilding yard in

Pascagoula, Miss. Principal speaker at the commissioning ceremony was

William H. Taft IV, Deputy Sec- retary of Defense. He was welcomed to Mississippi by Congressman

Trent Lott (D-Miss.).

The Valley Forge is the fourth in a series of Ticonderoga Class cruis- ers being built by Ingalls. She is equipped with the advanced Aegis weapons system, the most capable shipboard air defense radar and missile system in the world today.

Also participating in the commis- sioning ceremony were: Adm.

James B. Busey, vice chief of naval operations; Vice Adm. Jo- seph Metcalf III, deputy chief of naval operations for surface war- fare; Vice Adm. William H.

Rowden, commander, Naval Sea

Systems Command; Rear Adm.

John W. Nyquist, commander

Cruiser Destroyer Group Five; Rear

Adm. John F. Shaw, Aegis pro- gram manager; Capt. George W.

Dowell, supervisor of shipbuilding,

Pascagoula; and Jerry St. Pe, vice president of Litton and president of

Ingalls Shipbuilding.

Mrs. Julia Vadala Taft, who served as sponsor of the Valley

Forge during her September 1984 christening, also participated in the commissioning ceremony.

The Valley Forge and other ships of the Aegis class, the most impor- tant surface shipbuilding program in America today, will provide the primary protection for the Navy's battle forces well into the next cen- tury. Aegis cruisers are big ships— 567 feet long with a beam of 55 feet.

Four 20,000-shp gas turbine engines drive the 9,400-ton ship at speeds in excess of 30 knots.

The ship's Aegis weapons system, the heart of her fighting capability, is a significant advance in fleet air defense. Four fixed array radar an- tennas mounted on the sides of the ship's superstructure replace con- ventional totaling antennas, enabl- ing the crew to "see" in all direc- tions simultaneously. The Aegis sys- tem can simultaneously fire and di- rect more missiles at more targets, with greater accuracy, than any oth- er system.

The Valley Forge is also equiped with a fully integrated LAMPS (Light Airborne Multipurpose Sys- tem) MK III combat suite. This includes the SH 60B Seahawk heli- copter for antisubmarine warfare, ship surveillance, targeting, and search and rescue; The RAST (Re- cover, Assist, Securing, Traversing) recovery system that "pulls" the he- licopter to the ship's deck during heavy weather opertions; and ad- vanced electronic control systems.

VALLEY FORGE

Major Suppliers

Main engines .... General Electric

Reduction gears .... Westinghouse

Propellers Bird-Johnson

SS generators . . Stewart & Stevenson

Auxiliary boilers . . Combustion Engineering

Ship control system Litton

Sonars General Electric

Aegis computers programing . . Computer Sciences

Fire control system, radar system Raytheon

Combat system operating consoles Hughes Aircraft

Combat system computers Sperry Univac

Guns and missile launchers . . . FMC

Fire control system . . . Lockheed Electronics

Missile control directors GE

Switchboards & panels Nelson Electric

Shaft bearings .American Metal Bearings

Deck covering Steigerwald

Commissary equipment . .H.E.Green

Distilling plants Aqua-Chem

Air cond. & ref York

Fan coil assemblies . Nuclear Cooling

LP air compressors . . . Worthington

Steering gear Jered Brown

Pumps Carver and Warren

Fans Joy Manufacturing

Strikedown elevators . . Unidynamics

Duplex strainers . . . .Chas. M. Bailey

Control valves Cla Val

Bronze valves . . Milwaukee and Pima

Globe valves Waeco

Electrical connectors SAE

Electrical backshells Sunbank

Gauges Weksler

Valves & fittings Mobile

Electrical symbol items . . . Henschel

Steel plate .... Armco; U.S. Steel

Steel shapes Inland

Electrical cable Collyer

House & hose fittings .... Aeroquip

Contract design personnel Advanced Marine

The LAMPS significantly improves the ship's antisubmarine warfare ca- pabilities.

As lead shipbuilder for five of the latest classes of Navy surface com- batants, Ingalls has delivered 44 complex warships into the Navy

Fleet since 1975, more than any oth- er shipyard in the country. The Mis- sissippi shipyard delivered the lead ship of the Aegis cruiser class, the

USS Ticonderoga (CG-47), ahead of schedule in 1983. The second ship of the class, the USS Yorktown (CG- 48), joined the Atlantic Fleet abead of schedule in July 1984. The USS

Vincennes (CG-49) became the first

Pacific Fleet Aegis cruiser following commissioning in July 1985.

New Straight Thread

Ball Valve From PBM—

Free Literature Offered

Pittsburgh Brass Manufacturing,

Irwin, Pa., has added straight thread tube fitting end connections to MS-33649, to its growing family of ball valves. These full port valves give maximum Cv factor, and are fitted with lock washers for vibra- tion-proof operation.

Panel-mounted version with gull wing handle is available, as well as standard in-line and actuated ver- sions. Sizes range from Vi -inch to 2 inches in 316 stainless steel from stock, but other metals can be fur- nished with reasonable lead time.

Pressures to 600 psi and tempera- tures to 500°F are possible, with

TFE body cavity fillers as an op- tion.

For free literature on the new ball valves with straight thread tube fit- tings and connections from Pitts- burgh Brass Manufacturing,

Circle 69 on Reader Service Card

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In-Line 31L separator since 1942.

If you are plagued by condensate in any onboard air or steam systems, Wright-

Austin separators with exclusive "BLC" will solve your problem. All Wright-

Austin separators either meet or exceed all ABS, USCG and Navy requirements.

Ships currently using Wright-Austin separators are:

ARS-50 (Rescue/Salvage Vessel)

CG47 (Guided Missile Cruiser)

WMEC (Medium Endurance Cutter)

DDG-51 (Guided Missile Destroyer)

DD963 & DD997 (Destroyers)

CVN (Nuclear Aircraft Carrier)

Write for our general bulletin 811

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Suppliers to the Navy and Merchant Marine 44 Maritime Reporter/Engineering News