Knox class frigate

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Four Knox-class frigates steaming alongside

USS Badger (FF-1071). A Knox-class frigate

Knox class frigates were United States Navy ships, originally laid down as ocean escorts (formerly called destroyer escorts), but were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975 in the USN 1975 ship reclassification and their hull designation changed from DE to FF.

The lead ship of the class was the USS Knox (DE-1052), laid down October 5, 1965 and commissioned April 12, 1969, at Todd Shipyards in Seattle.

These ships were designed primarily as antisubmarine (ASW) platforms. They each had AN/SQS-26 hull-mounted sonar manufactured by General Electric and capable of active echo ranging in the 3.2 kHz range. The active modes of operation included omni-directional, phased directional, bottom bounce, and convergence zone. The battle displays included A and B scans. There was also a "Unit 31" chart readout display capable of long-distance passive detection, often well beyond the ranges capable of the surface search radar. The frigates were also equipped with an AN/AQS-35V Independent Variable Depth Sonar (IVDS) manufactured by EDO Corportaion of College Point, NY, operating actively in the 13 kHz range with dual Planned Position Indicator (PPI) battle displays. The IVDS' sonar transducers were packaged within a 2 ton fiberglass-enclosed "fish" containing the sonar array and a gyro-compass/sensor package launched by the massive 13V Hoist from a stern compartment, located just beneath the main deck, to depths of up to 600 feet. The IVDS could take advantage of water layer temperature conditions in close-range (less than 20,000 yard) submarine detection, tracking and fire-control.

At 4,200 metric tons (4,130 tons), with a length of 438 feet and a beam of 47 feet, they are driven by a single screw geared turbine developing 35,000 shaft horsepower (26 MW), giving them a speed of 27 knots. The steam plant for these ships consists of two Babcock & Wilcox "D" type boilers, each equipped with a high-pressure (supercharger) forced draught air supply system, allowing a plant working pressure of 1,200 PSI and 1000 F° degree superheat. This design allows fast acceleration, crucial while prosecuting a submarine attack. They are equipped with one 5 in (127 mm) 54 calibre Mark 42 gun forward, an ASROC abaft the gun and forward of the bridge. Since they are single purpose platforms their surface defense capability is nominal; however they do mount Harpoon missiles and Mk-46 torpedoes. The aft weapons point was originally outfitted with Mk 25 basic point defense missle systems (BPDMS) for launching Sea Sparrow missiles. These were eventually refitted with a 20 millimetre Phalanx CIWS. They are equipped with a helicopter hangar aft.

These ships were retired with the end of the Cold War and the removal of the need for an advanced ASW capability. By 1994 all ships of this class had been retired from the US Navy, although some remain in service with foreign nations such as Egypt, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and Mexico.

[edit] Specifications

Displacement: 3,011 tons (3,877 full load) [3,059 metric tons (2923 t full load)]
Length overall: 438 ft (133.5 m)
Beam: 46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Draught: 24 ft 9 in (7.6 m)
Propulsion: one westinghouse steam turbine. total 35,000 shp, maximum
Speed: over 27 knots

[edit] Units

Ship Name	Hull No.	Commission– Decommission	Fate	Link
Knox	FF-1052	1969–1992	Held for possible museum donation, laidup at Bremerton	[1]
Roark	FF-1053	1969–1991	Scrapped	[2]
Gray	FF-1054	1970–1991	Scrapped	[3]
Hepburn	FF-1055	1969–1991	Sunk as target	[4]
Connole	FF-1056	1969–1992	To Greece, renamed Epirus (F-456)	[5]
Rathburne	FF-1057	1970–1992	Sunk as target	[6]
Meyerkord	FF-1058	1969–1991	Scrapped	[7]
W. S. Sims	FF-1059	1970–1991	Grant aid to Turkey as parts hulk	[8]
Lang	FF-1060	1970–1991	Scrapped	[9]
Patterson	FF-1061	1970–1991	Scrapped	[10]
Whipple	FF-1062	1970–1992	To Mexico, renamed Almirante Francisco Javier Mina (F-140)	[11]
Reasoner	FF-1063	1971–1993	To Turkey, renamed Kocatepe (F-252)	[12]
Lockwood	FF-1064	1970–1993	Scrapped	[13]
Stein	FF-1065	1972–1992	To Mexico, renamed Ignacio Allende (E-50)	[14]
Marvin Shields	FF-1066	1971–1992	To Mexico, renamed Mariano Abasolo (E-51)	[15]
Francis Hammond	FF-1067	1971–1992	Scrapped	[16]
Vreeland	FF-1068	1970–1992	To Greece, renamed Makedonia (F-458)	[17]
Bagley	FF-1069	1972–1991	Scrapped	[18]
Downes	FF-1070	1971–1992	Sunk as target	[19]
Badger	FF-1071	1970–1991	Sunk as target	[20]
Blakely	FF-1072	1970–1991	Scrapped	[21]
Robert E. Peary	FF-1073	1972–1992	To Taiwan, renamed Chih Yang (FF-932)	[22]
Harold E. Holt	FF-1074	1971–1992	Sunk as target	[23]
Trippe	FF-1075	1970–1992	To Greece, renamed Thraki (F-457)	[24]
Fanning	FF-1076	1971–1993	To Turkey, renamed Adatepe (F-251)	[25]
Ouellet	FF-1077	1970–1993	To Thailand, renamed HTMS Phutthaloetla Naphalai (F 462)	[26]
Joseph Hewes	FF-1078	1971–1994	To Taiwan, renamed Lan Yang (FF-935)	[27]
Bowen	FF-1079	1971–1994	To Turkey, renamed Akdeniz (F-257)	[28]
Paul	FF-1080	1971–1992	To Turkey as parts hulk	[29]
Aylwin	FF-1081	1971–1992	To Taiwan, renamed Ning Yang (FF-938)	[30]
Elmer Montgomery	FF-1082	1971–1993	To Turkey as parts hulk	[31]
Cook	FF-1083	1971–1992	To Taiwan, renamed Hae Yang (FF-936)	[32]
McCandless	FF-1084	1972–1994	To Turkey, renamed Trakya (F-257)	[33]
Donald B. Beary	FF-1085	1972–1994	To Turkey, renamed Karadeniz (F-255)	[34]
Brewton	FF-1086	1972–1992	To Taiwan, renamed Fong Yang (FF-933)	[35]
Kirk	FF-1087	1972–1993	To Taiwan, renamed Fen Yang (FF-934)	[36]
Barbey	FF-1088	1972–1992	To Taiwan, renamed Hwai Yang (FF-937)	[37]
Jesse L. Brown	FF-1089	1973–1994	To Egypt, renamed Dumyat (F961)	[38]
Ainsworth	FF-1090	1973–1994	To Turkey, renamed Ege (F-256)	[39]
Miller	FF-1091	1973–1991	To Turkey as parts hulk	[40]
Thomas C. Hart	FF-1092	1973–1993	To Turkey, renamed Zafer (F-253)	[41]
Capodanno	FF-1093	1973–1993	To Turkey, renamed Mauvenet (F-250)	[42]
Pharris	FF-1094	1974–1992	To Mexico, renamed ARM Guadalupe Victoria	[43]
Truett	FF-1095	1974–1994	To Thailand, renamed HTMS Phutthayotfa Chulaok (F 461)	[44]
Valdez	FF-1096	1974–1991	To Taiwan, renamed Ki Yang (FF-939)	[45]
Moinester	FF-1097	1974–1994	To Egypt, renamed Rasheed (F.962)	[46]