JTF-Quartz Weapon System – USS Princeton (CG 59)

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Logan Kellums | 200928-N-OW019-0038 ARABIAN GULF (Sept. 28, 2020) - The guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) fires its Mark 45 5-inch gun during a live-fire exercise in the Arabian Gulf, Sept. 28. Princeton is part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to ensure maritime stability and security in the Central Region, connecting the Mediterranean and Pacific through the Western Indian Ocean and three critical chokepoints to the free flow of global commerce. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Logan C. Kellums)  

INDIAN OCEAN

12.28.2020

Story by Bryan Franks 

Joint Task Force-Quartz

USS Princeton (CG 59) is part of Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and is currently operating off the coast of Somalia under Joint Task Force – Quartz in support of Operation Octave Quartz. The mission of OOQ is to reposition U.S. Department of Defense personnel from Somalia to other locations in East Africa.
Description
Large multi-mission surface combatant. Modern U.S. Navy guided-missile cruisers perform primarily in a Battle Force role. These ships are multi-mission Air Warfare (AW), Undersea Warfare (USW), Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS) and Surface Warfare (SUW) surface combatants capable of supporting carrier battle groups, amphibious forces or operating independently and as flagships of surface action groups. Cruisers are equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles giving them additional long range strike warfare capability. Some Aegis Cruisers have been outfitted with a Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capability.
Armament
MK41 vertical launching system Standard Missile (MR); Vertical Launch ASROC (VLA) Missile; Tomahawk Cruise Missile; Six MK 46 torpedoes (from two triple mounts); Two MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight guns; Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems.
Background
Technological advances in the Standard Missile coupled with the Aegis combat system in the Ticonderoga class cruisers have increased the Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) capability of surface combatants to pinpoint accuracy from wave-top to zenith.
Under the FY15 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress directed modernization in accordance with the "2-4-6" plan, which allowed the Navy to modernize two Cruisers a year, remain under modernization for no more than four years and allow no more than 6 ships to undergo modernization at any one time.
General Characteristics, Ticonderoga Class
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding: CG 47-50, CG 52-57, 59, 62, 65-66, 68-69, 71-73; Bath Iron Works: CG 51, 58, 60-61, 63-64, 67, 70
Date Deployed: January 22, 1983 (USS Ticonderoga)
Unit Cost: About $1 billion each.
Propulsion: 4 General Electric LM 2,500 gas turbine engines; 2 shafts, 80,000 shaft horsepower total.
Length: 567 feet
Beam: 55 feet
Displacement: 9,600 long tons (9,754.06 metric tons) full load
Speed: 30 plus knots
Crew: 30 Officers, 300 Enlisted
Aircraft: Two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS III)

• Date Taken: 12.28.2020
• Date Posted: 12.29.2020 09:02
• Story ID: 385954
• Location: INDIAN OCEAN