This week, we'll be taking a look at the USS Spruance, the first and titular ship of the Spruance-class destroyer.
The ships were being built right into the year Blue Water takes place, 1983, making them the new, modern ships of the time, including automated guns and digital weapon control systems.
With the increasing threat from improving Soviet Submarine technology, their designed task was to serve as ASW escorts for carrier battle group.
Working from bow to stern, first we have our Mark 45 5" guns. These have a rate of fire of 16-20 rounds per minute each, and have an effective range of 24 km, and
a magazine with 600 rounds.
Behind it is the Mk. 16 Mod 7 RUR-5 ASROC launcher. Although the Spruance itself was new, the ASROC dated back to the 60's. They could launch either a 10-kt W44 nuclear depth charge or a Mk.46 torpedo 19 km. Upon arriving to the specific location, the Mk.46 would separate, parachute, enter the water, and begin searching for nearby submarines.
The Spruance also carried two additional reloads for each in the launcher, for a total of 24 missiles.
Above the bridge and above the hanger is a Phalanx Block 0 CIWS. These are newer than the Spruance itself, with the USS Spruance not originally having been built with them, and only having just, in 1983, barely been modernized with their addition. Their weapon is an M61 Vulcan capable of putting out 3,000 20mm rounds per minute. Its primary role is to shoot down incoming missiles, though it's also more than adequate against any nearby aircraft. Usage against ships is also possible.
Below are the two quad RGM-84A Harpoon canisters. Being 1983, some RGM-84Cs would be in service as well. These sea-skimming, high-subsonic cruise missiles
have a range of 92.6 km.
They have the name "harpoon" because they were originally designed in the 60's as a counter to surfaced Soviet submarines - thus they were weapons to be used against large submerging leviathans, and were called the "harpoon".
While their uses are far more general than that, that role may still prove useful should an Echo or Juliet surface and begin preparing to fire from a far (but not far enough) distance.
Notice the starboard canister has expended two missiles.
Next we have, what may arguably be the most useful ASW weapon on the Spruance. Given the Seasprite has already gotten its own highlight, there's not much to add here. These will prove invaluable in expanding the search area against Soviet "whales", or making full use of the RUR-5's range.
Being primarily an ASW vessel, the Spruance only had (relatively) short-range RIM-7 Sea Sparrows for extended air defense beyond the Phalanx's range. Like the ASROC, it only has a range of 19 km - but against sea-skimming missiles, this may be all the warning you'll get, anyways. Like most SAMs, it is semi-active radar homing.
And finally, all too easy to miss, yet still a possible godsend in the worst scenarios...
A pair of Mark 32 Triple torpedo tubes on each side of the ship, in a torpedo room within the ship's aft hull, for six Mk. 46 torpedoes ready to launch at any time.
And finally, two more shots of the Spruance during the day - with the last one to show the hanger in the closed position.
Believe it or not, both of the helos actually can fit in that hanger... But only barely.
That's it for this week, please keep the questions and comments coming, and I'll shoot to be more timely for next week. Until then, good sailing.