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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AIRCRAFT CARRYING SHIPS
SAIPAN light aircraft carriers (1946 - 1947)


Ships


No Name Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comm Fate
CVL48, 5.1959- AVT6, 1.1964- CC3, 8.1965- AGMR2 Saipan, 4.1965- Arlington 469 New York SB, Camden 10.7.1944 8.7.1945 14.7.1946 aviation transport 5.1959, communications relay ship 8.1966, stricken 8.1975
CVL49, 5.1959- AVT7, 5.1963 - CC2 Wright 470 New York SB, Camden 21.8.1944 1.9.1945 9.2.1947 aviation transport 5.1959, NECPA command ship 5.1963, stricken 12.1977


Technical data


Displacement standard, t

15118

14500

Displacement full, t

18750

19600

Length, m

202.4 wl 208.4 oa

202.4 wl 208.4 oa

Breadth, m

23.4 wl 32.9 oa

23.6

Draught, m

8.22 full load

8.50

No of shafts

4

4

Machinery

4 sets General Electric geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

4 sets General Electric geared steam turbines, 4 Babcock & Wilcox boilers

Power, h. p.

120000

120000

Max speed, kts

33

33

Fuel, t

oil 2400 max

oil 3371

Endurance, nm(kts)13000 (15) 11700 (14)
Armour, mm

belt: 102 on 16mm plating, bulkheads: 102, main deck: 64

belt: 102 on 16mm plating, bulkheads: 102, main deck: 64

Armament

CVL48: 5 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 10 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 16 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 48 aircraft (F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, FR Fireball, F8F Bearcat fighters, SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, TBF/TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, F4U-P Corsair, F6F-P Hellcat, F8F-P Bearcat reconnaissance planes, TBM-S Avenger ASW planes, TBM-W Avenger EW planes, TBM-R Avenger cargo planes)

CVL49: 5 x 4 - 40/60 Mk 2, 10 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 16 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, 48 aircraft (F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, F7F Tigercat, FR Fireball, F8F Bearcat fighters, SB2C Helldiver dive bombers, AD Skyraider attackers, TBF/TBM Avenger torpedo bombers, F4U-P Corsair, F6F-P Hellcat, F8F-P Bearcat reconnaissance planes, TBM-S Avenger ASW planes, TBM-W Avenger EW planes, AD-Q Skyraider ECM planes, TBM-R Avenger cargo planes)

AGMR2: 4 x 2 - 76/50 Mk 33

CC2: 4 x 2 - 40/60 Mk 1, 6 helicopters (3 CH-46, 3 HH-43)

Electronic equipment

CVL48: SP, SK-2, SG radars, TDY ECM suite

CVL49: SP, SR, SR-2, SG radars, TDY ECM suite

SPS-6B radar, WLR-1, ULQ-6 ECM suites

Complement

1821

1317 (additionally 522 flag on CC2)



Air group


Year Fighters torpedo bombers
1946 36 F6F and F4U 12 TBM


Standard scale images


<i>Saipan</i> 1946
Saipan 1946
<i>Wright</i> 1953
Wright 1953
<i>Wright </i>1963
Wright 1963
<i>Wright </i>1968
Wright 1968
<i>Arlington </i>1968
Arlington 1968
<i>Saipan </i>1954
Saipan 1954


Aircraft facilities

 (fd - 4,543 m², ha - 1,793 m² / 9,680 m³): Flight deck: 186.2 x 24.4 m. Hangar: 86.6 x 20.7 x 5.4 m. There were 2 lifts in center line (13.6 t, 14.6 x 13.4 m). There were 2 H 2-1 catapults. Aircraft fuel stowage: 543 100 l.    

Project history

In 1943 admiral King ordered to continue building of two light aircraft carriers per year to replace expected losses, two new ships would be completed in December 1945. New ships were to be based on Baltimore heavy cruiser hull. It was not planned to convert existing cruisers but use of already produced hull would simplify design and building. Really an entirely new hull was designed, without bulges. Protection was generally on the Essex carrier scale and was stronger than on Baltimore; flight deck was strengthened to take 9t aircraft, new island, similar to Commencement Bay, was provided. Only two ships were built, by the time another pair might nave been ordered, the war ended. Both ships were rather cramped for jet aircraft and were soon laid up.

In 1961 the threat of Soviet ICBMs seemed increasingly acute and it appeared that no fixed US command centres would be secure in wartime. The Navy proposed the use of surface ships off the coasts. In an emergency President could be carried to them by helicopter and communicate with military forces by newly developed tropo-scatter radio. Under FY62 Wright was refitted to command ship (CC2) to serve as National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA) with large antenna farm. Plans to convert Saipan as third NECPA ship (first was CC1 Northampton) were cancelled and she was converted to major communications relay ship (AGMR2 Arlington). Both NECPA ships were decommissioned in the spring of 1970: the number of Soviet submarines operational in the North Atlantic in peacetime had strongly reduced chances NECPAs if war could begin. Attention of US command turned to an airborn command posts.

Ship protection

102mm belt was closed by 102mm bulkheads and 64mm main deck. Steering gear compartment was protected by 102mm belt and bulkheads, 64mm roof and 19mm deck. Thickness of main bulkheads decreased over main deck to 37mm. There was light underwater protection.

after modernization:102mm belt was closed by 102mm bulkheads and 64mm main deck. Steering gear compartment was protected by 102mm belt and bulkheads, 64mm roof and 19mm deck. Thickness of main bulkheads decreased over main deck to 37mm. There was light underwater protection.

Modernizations

1947-1948, both: - 1 H 2-1 catapult; + 1 H 4B catapult.

1950s, Saipan: - 16 x 2 - 20/70, SK-2 radar, TDY ECM suite, fore funnel was removed; + SPS-6 radar, WLR-1 ECM suite

1950s, Wright: - 16 x 2 - 20/70, SR radar, TDY ECM suite, fore funnel was removed; + SPS-6 radar, WLR-1 ECM suite

(1963-8/1966), Arlington was converted to communication relay ship and (3/1962-5/1963), Wright to NECPA (National Emergency Command Post Afloat) command cruiser. Data was as follows:

Naval service

No significant events.