USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) is an Arleigh Burke-class missile destroyer of the United States Navy.

Donald Cook is a Vietnam War POW who died in captivity, the destroyer entered service in 1998. She was one of the first US warships to come to the rescue USS Cole, which was damaged by suicide bombers on October 12, 2000. In 2003, the Donald Cook ship launched Tomahawk packages during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Donald Cook was featured as the "Super-Fast Warship" on Build It Bigger.

February 16, 2012, secretary navy Ray Mabus has designated the destroyer Donald Cook as one of four ships to be based in the port of Rota, Spain.

Modernization

November 12, 2009 Agency missile defense announced that Donald Cook will be upgraded during fiscal 2012 to RIM-161 Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) capabilities, allowing him to operate under the Aegis Ballistic missile defense system.

Destroyer URO "Donald Cook"
USS Donald Cook (DDG-75)
Service: USA
Class and type of vessel Destroyer URO (Guided Missile Destroyer)
Home port Naval base Norfolk
Organization US Navy
Manufacturer Bath iron works
Ordered for construction January 19, 1993
Construction started July 9, 1996
Launched May 3, 1997
Commissioned August 21, 1998
Status in service

Main characteristics
Displacement 6783 long tons, 8915 long tons (full)
Length 153.92 m (maximum), 142.3 m (waterline)
Width 20.1 m., 18.0 m (waterline)
Draft 9.4 m (with GAS)., 7.3 m (without GAS)
Reservation No
Engines 4 gas turbine units General Electric LM2500-30
Power 108000 l. with.
Mover 2
Travel speed 32 knots (maximum)
Sailing range 4400 miles at 20 knots.
Crew 337 people (including 23 officers)

Armament
Tactical strike weapons 2 launchers of the Aegis system for 29 (bow) and 61 (aft) missile cells, respectively. In various combinations, they can arm themselves: Tomahawk KR Tomahawk, RIM-66 SM-2 Standard-2 SAM, RUM-139 ASROC PLUR
Artillery 1 * 1 127 mm. AU Mark 45. Mod. 3/54 cal., 600 rounds
Flak 2 6-barrel 20 mm. ZAU "Falanx"
Rocket armament 2 * 4 RCC Harpoon
up to 74 missiles RIM-66 SM-2 "Standard-2"
Anti-submarine weapons PLUR RUM-139 ASROC
Mine torpedo armament 2 * 3 324 mm. TA Mk. 32 (torpedoes Mk. 46 and Mk. 50)
Aviation group 1 SH-60 LAMPS helicopter, no hangar

Course to the Black Sea

On April 8, 2014, US military officials confirmed the US military support mission of destroyer Donald Cook to the Black Sea to their allies in Eastern Europe worried about the build-up. Russian troops along its border with Ukraine.

The large reconnaissance ship Dupuy-de-Lom has joined it today, April 11. In addition, it is assumed that on April 14, the French Navy Duplex destroyer will enter the Black Sea, ”the agency's source said.

"Thus, taking into account the fact that the rescue ship Alize of the French Navy has been located in the southwestern part of the Black Sea since the end of March, for the first time since 2008 a NATO naval group is being created in the Black Sea basin, near the Russian border," he noted.

According to a source in the Russian military department, representatives of the alliance no longer claim that the calls of their warships into the Black Sea are planned. "Now they openly declare that these visits are directly related to the events in Ukraine," the Defense Ministry spokesman added.

Why NATO sends ships to the Black Sea

He explained that NATO, by sending ships to the Black Sea, pursues several goals at once. Lavrov: Russia calls for the observance of the Montreux convention on the presence of military vessels in the Black Sea "One of them is to provide moral support to the authorities in Kiev, the other is to demonstrate force against Russia in order to contain it. The third goal is to collect intelligence about the activities of the Russian military command in Crimea and other regions of Russia bordering Ukraine, including conducting radio and electronic intelligence against our armed forces, "the source said.

According to him, the notification of the entry of their ships into the Black Sea by the United States and France, according to the Montreux convention, was sent to the Turkish side in advance. He recalled that the current call American ship to the Black Sea - already the fourth in a row since February of this year. "During the current Black Sea activation, Donald Cook may visit the ports of Turkey and Romania. It is not yet known whether he will go to the Ukrainian port of Odessa to demonstrate US support for the current leadership in Kiev," the source said.

How Russia assesses the actions of the United States in the Black Sea

He especially noted that the Russian military department considers the appearance in the Black Sea of ​​an American battleship with anti-missile system"Aegis" as the desire of the United States "to bring the naval component of its missile defense system as close as possible to the territory of Russia."

Taking into account the fact that the installation of missile defense elements on the land of the US European allies, in particular Romania, is a long process, the Americans have led the line towards an all-out increase in the intensity of their warships with an anti-missile system entering the Black Sea, the interlocutor emphasized. - Since February of this year, US Navy ships have been in the Black Sea on a regular periodic basis. Instead of one American ship that left the Black Sea, another immediately appears, or even several. It is quite possible that this practice will be applied to destroyers with the Aegis missile defense system.

As previously reported, "Donald Cook" will be the first of four American ships that will form the main striking element of the initial stage of the deployment of missile defense systems in Europe. They are equipped with an Aegis interceptor missile system with an SM-3 (SM-3) missile system capable of destroying ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere. These forces will be combined in unified system with an early warning radar in Turkey and a land-based Aegis missile launcher under construction in Romania, which is to be placed on alert duty in 2018.

What is the Montreux Convention on the limitation of the presence of warships in the Black Sea

According to the provisions of the Montreux Convention on the mode of passage of warships into the Black Sea through the Dardanelles and Bosporus straits, the presence of warships of non-Black Sea countries in the Black Sea cannot exceed 21 days, and the total tonnage of ships of each country is 30 thousand tons. This February during Olympic Games in Sochi, in the Black Sea, there were two American ships at once - the headquarters Mount Whitney and the frigate Taylor. The first of them met the terms of the Montreux convention, and the second delayed them under the pretext of eliminating the breakdown of the propeller in the Turkish port of Samsun when leaving the Black Sea. In March, against the backdrop of the crisis in Ukraine and the tense situation in Crimea, another American ship, the destroyer Traxton, appeared in the Black Sea, which visited the ports of Romania and Bulgaria and conducted joint exercises at sea with the ships of the navies of these countries. The American command called this visit a planned one. "Thruxton" also did not violate the terms of the Montreux convention, entering the Black Sea on March 7 and leaving it on March 21.

Mediterranean (January 14, 2003) - Missile destroyer Donald Cook conducts a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as part of a planned six-month deployment. Donald Cook is part of the carrier battle group (CVBG) belonging to the aircraft carrier Harry Truman's group (CVN 75). U.S. Navy photo by 1st Class Photographer Michael Pendergrass. Central Command Area (21 March 2003) - Missile destroyer Donald Cook underway. Donald Cook was the first surface ship to fire Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAM) to liberate Iraq. Donald Cook was based in Norfolk, Virginia, and conducted combat missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by Alan J. Beribo.
At sea aboard the USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) January 13, 2003 - Boatswain 3rd Class Randal S. Davis directs an SH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter onto the Donald Cook take-off pad. U.S. Navy photo by 1st Class Photographer Michael Pendergrass.
(April 9, 2003) - Missile destroyer Donald Cook during operations in support of Operation Iraqi Liberation and the destruction of Saddam Hussein's regime. US Navy photo by journalist Alan J. Beribo. (23 April 2003) - missile destroyer Donald Cook. Fire is fired from a 5-inch (127 mm) Mark 45 cannon. US Navy photo by journalist Alan J. Beribo. Atlantic Ocean (April 29, 2009) Rocket Harpoon is launched from the rocket destroyer Donald Cook during the Unitas exercise. The participating countries are Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Germany, Mexico, Peru, the United States and Uruguay. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist Patrick Griko.
(23 April 2003) - Missile destroyer Donald Cook (DDG 75). Reusable torpedo tube shooting exercises. US Navy photo by journalist Alan J. Beribo. (23 April 2003) 3rd class electrician Brandon Yakubowski, left, and 2nd class controller Chad Kurtmansh of the destroyer crew Donald Cook attached the torpedo to the ropes. U.S. Navy photo by journalist Alan J. Beribo.
Red Sea (March 19, 2003) Donald Cook (DDG 75) launches one of his Tomahawk Ground-to-Ground missiles at military targets in Iraq. Donald Cook is part of the aircraft carrier Harry Truman's group operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by 2nd class journalist Patrick Reilly.
Central Command Area (21 March 2003) Donald Cook (DDG 75) launches one of his Tomahawk Ground-to-Ground missiles at military targets in Iraq. Donald Cook is part of the aircraft carrier Harry Truman's group operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. U.S. Navy photo by 2nd class journalist Patrick Reilly. U.S. Navy photo by journalist Alan J. Beribo. Central Command Area of ​​Responsibility (April 8, 2003) Sailor Angela Dellarvel of Pauchetton, Ohio, examines the surface overboard of missile destroyer Donald Cook. US Navy photo by journalist Alan J. Beribo.

In all honesty, I will say: "I didn't want to write about this!" But, since the people continue to "hawala" regular nonsense and launch "Victory balls" into the sky .... I have to clarify. In this article, I set myself the task of making you think. Just think.

On December 26, 2014, the outlines of a familiar ship flashed in the Bosphorus. High “Atlantic” nose, octagonal superstructure prism, dashingly littered foremast, emphasizing the swift silhouette of the Aegis destroyer ... An old acquaintance, USS Donald Cook (DDG-75), has returned to the Black Sea. The US Navy missile destroyer, which became famous after a high-profile incident in April 2014.
However, that incident became "loud" only on one side of the ocean. On the official website of the destroyer "Donald Cook" there is no mention of the refusal of "Aegis", the inclusion of electronic warfare "Khibiny" or the reports of 27 sailors who resigned with the motivation "we do not want to expose our lives to mortal danger."

Missile destroyer 6th Fleet (assigned to the Rota naval base in Spain) last year patrolled the Mediterranean Sea, carrying out missile defense missions in Europe and demonstrating assurances of support to US allies in the region. On New Year's holidays (26.12 - 14.01), the Americans decided to have a nice rest on the Black Sea. During 21 days of active rest, the destroyer visited Constanta and Varna, conducted joint maneuvers with a Turkish Navy ship and the only surviving Ukrainian Navy ship, the Hetman Sagaidachny frigate, and then, within the time period established by the Montreux convention, left the Black Sea.

In connection with the previous events (of April 12, 2014), a reasonable question arises: what has “Cook” forgotten again in our latitudes? Are the Yankees looking for new adventures? We have completely lost our fear. Have you come for revenge? Or did their acquaintance with KREP “Khibiny” not bring any deliberate expectations?

90 missile silos with the ability to store and launch anti-aircraft missiles of any class - from light self-defense missiles ESSM (4 in each cell) to space interceptors SM-3. In addition to missiles, universal silos can be used to accommodate "Tomahawks" and anti-submarine rocket torpedoes - in any combination, depending on the tasks ahead. The destroyer's air defense in the near zone is additionally provided by two rapid-fire anti-aircraft guns "Falanx" (4000 rds / min) with guidance according to the data of the radars built into them. All weapons and systems are under a single control of the Aegis (Aegis) combat information and control system, which provides automatic detection, tracking, selection and destruction of selected targets on the water, under water and in the air, and also controls the operation of the power plant, navigation systems, communications , as well as means of struggle for the damage to the ship. The automated robotic ship is able to exchange information with its “colleagues” (to date, the Aegis are installed on 84 cruisers and destroyers of the US Navy), distribute tasks and independently make decisions in a combat situation.

"Donald Cook is more than capable of defending itself against two Su-24s."

- said Colonel Stephen Warren of the Pentagon Press Office.

Radiance of pure energy

Power plant destroyer Arlie Burke consists of four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines with a total capacity of 77 million watts (105 thousand hp), which allows the destroyer to reach speeds of over 30 knots (~ 55 km / h).

The Burkov power supply system of the first sub-series consists of three Allison 501-K34 gas turbine generators (GTGS, Gas Turbine Generator Sets) with a capacity of 2.5 MW each, dispersed in three compartments (generator No. 1 - auxiliary machinery compartment, No. 2 - second turbine compartment , No. 3 - a separate generator compartment), which allows to ensure sufficient power generation to provide all shipboard consumers, including the Aegis BIUS and its subsystems: first of all, advanced detection means and weapons.

Three-phase electrical network, voltage 440 V, frequency 60 Hz.

The destroyers, built at the beginning of the new century, were equipped with new 3-megawatt generators. In the future, in the event of the appearance of a super-powerful AMDR missile defense radar (destroyers of sub-series 3), one of the destroyer's helicopter hangars will have to be re-equipped to install an additional generator: the voltage in the network will increase to 4500 Volts, which will entail a significant number of technical problems related to electrical safety and nutrition of ordinary consumers.
The front-line bomber Su-24 (and its reconnaissance version Su-24MR) is equipped with two alternators GT30P48B with a capacity of 30 kW each (generate a current at a voltage of 200/115 V, a frequency of 400 Hz) and two generators direct current GSR-ST-12 / 40а with a power of 12.5 kW (rated voltage 28.5 V).
To convert the voltage of alternators into a three-phase current with a nominal voltage of 36 volts and a frequency of 400 Hz, two power transformers are provided (three-phase current is required for the operation of sighting and navigation equipment).

Phased AN / SPY-1 radar antenna (one of four). Peak radiation power 6 MW.

AN / SLQ-32 electronic warfare station, known in nautical jargon as "Slik-32". Standard on all American destroyers.

Container KREP "Khibiny" (L175V). The length of the container is 4950 mm. Weight 300 kg. Power consumption 3.6 kW

Based on the above data, the well-known “elephant and pug” paradox arises.

"Cook" from afar spotted the approach of the "drying", played a combat alert and froze at the combat posts. Everything went smoothly, the radars calculated the course of approach to the target, the Aegis regularly controlled the guidance systems. And suddenly - bang! Everything went out. The Aegis does not work, the screens show dregs, even the Phalanxes cannot receive target designation! SU-24, meanwhile, passed over the Cook's deck, made a combat turn and simulated a missile attack on the target. Of course, successful - because there is no opposition! Then he turned around and imitated another one. And so on - 10 more times! All attempts of technicians to revive the Aegis and give target designation for air defense failed, and only when the silhouette of the “drying” melted in the haze over the Russian coast, the screens came to life, and the guidance systems faithfully showed the clear, shining empty April sky.

- From the popular article "Khibiny" versus "Aegis", or What scared the Pentagon so much? "

"Clap!" - good sound. But the usual logic for some reason suggests the opposite: to distinguish the pulses of the "Khibiny" against the background of the pulses of the SPY-1 radar and the electronic warfare systems of the destroyer is like hearing the breath of a KamAZ driver through the roar of the engine.

Therefore, all the tales about “jamming”, “turning off” and some kind of “driving mad” of the Aegis radars by impulses that are three (!) Orders of magnitude inferior in power are designed for the victims of the exam and cannot be taken seriously.

It is not possible to “burn” or in any way damage the electronics of the destroyer with an electronic warfare aircraft container. To create an impulse of the required power, it would be necessary to detonate a nuclear charge equivalent to tens or even hundreds of kilotons of TNT near the ship.

Finally, one must be aware that the Khibiny CREP is not an offensive, but a purely defensive weapon.

What Khibiny Can Do

Aviation electronic countermeasures are considered an important element that increases the chances of aircraft survival in modern combat conditions. The principle of operation of the KREP is based on the radio direction finding of the sounding signal of the radiation source (enemy radar) with the subsequent distortion of the parameters of the reflected signal in order to:

- delays in the detection of the KREP carrier aircraft as an object of attack for the enemy;
- masking the true object against the background of false ones;
- difficulties in measuring the distance to the object, its speed and angular position;
- deterioration of the characteristics of the tracking mode "on the pass" when scanning the beam of the on-board radar antenna;
- an increase in the time and difficulty in capturing an object when switching to the continuous radio direction finding mode.

It is impossible to “knock out” the enemy's radar with the help of the KHIBINA KREP (such a task is not even posed), but acting on a local scale, it is quite possible to turn the “drying” into a “difficult target”, giving the pilots a few precious minutes to complete the mission in the area of ​​action aviation and air defense of the enemy.

Now about how all this relates to the case with "Donald Cook". The answer is no way!

KREP “Khibiny” is not installed on Su-24 aircraft (silent stage). The complex is intended only for new tactical bombers Su-34 (the aforementioned L175V containers, delivery of 92 sets, according to the contract of the Ministry of Defense dated January 14, 2013). The version of this station KS-418E for export Su-24MK and MK-2 did not go into production; it was last seen at the stand of the MAKS air show in the mid-2000s.

For effective operation, the “Khibiny” does not need to fly point-blank to the enemy's radar. Radar power is inversely proportional to the fourth power of the distance. And if at a distance of 200 km there is still a chance to distort the signal and "deceive" the radar of the Aegis destroyer, then it will be extremely problematic to do this close up: powerful signals will quickly reveal the true position of the bomber and nothing good awaits further pilots.

Taking into account all of the above, it becomes clear the cost of all the talk about the outbreak of panic on board, and the voluntary landing of 27 frightened crew members. The air show, staged by a single Russian bomber, undoubtedly remained a bright page in the memory of American sailors, but could not cause any serious consequences. Donald Cook continued to fulfill its tasks in the region. And, as we can see, eight months later, without any particular fears, he returned to the Black Sea. American sailors(each, in accordance with their job responsibilities) know about the capabilities of their supership and know how invulnerable their destroyer is to attacks by single aircraft.

Aegis is not perfect. But, directing criticism, it is necessary to understand that where the Aegis destroyer fails, the other ship will "roll back" even earlier. This is one of the best shipborne air defense systems, continuously evolving over the past 30 years. Any ridicule is inappropriate here. As well as doubts about the combat capabilities of a robotic destroyer: contrary to the opinion of the victims of the exam, electronics is the most reliable element of any system (for example, spacecraft, where they try to minimize the number of moving parts), the most resistant to strong vibrations and other unfavorable factors. Let's leave the tales of "powerful electromagnetic pulses" on the conscience of the nuclear weapons fans.

By the time the computers "shut down" and "go out", all other ship systems (mechanics / hydraulics / electric drive) will have long been broken and disabled.

Attempts to find the primary source of news about the flight of 27 sailors lead to the same Russian-language Internet resource. The Pentagon's official statement regarding this incident does not contain any meaningful information. The Americans only hint, offended, that it was impolite.

What was it?

Aircraft commanders of each Party shall exercise the utmost caution and prudence when approaching aircraft of the other Party operating over open sea, and ships of the other Party operating on the high seas, in particular, to ships engaged in the release or reception of aircraft, and in the interests of mutual security should not be allowed to: simulate attacks by imitating the use of weapons on aircraft, any ships, performing various aerobatic figures over ships and dropping various objects near them in such a way that they constitute a danger to ships or hindrance to navigation.

- Article 4 of the Agreement between the governments of the USSR and the USA on the prevention of incidents on the high seas and in the airspace above it.

The incident with 12-fold overflights of “Donald Cook” can be viewed as a combat maneuvering to demonstrate its displeasure with the presence of an American ship in the Black Sea and politely warn the Yankees against making any sudden movements in the context of the growing internal Ukrainian conflict.

There are many unclear points in this story. The American side does not want to disclose details. Russian Naval Aviation Command has also modestly remained silent after a brief news report broadcast on Cosmonautics Day 2014. However, even the scanty data was enough to American destroyer"Donald Cook" became famous all over the world. This ship is quite new, equipped with everything necessary, and despite the fact that its dimensions are not record-breaking, it could symbolize the naval power of the United States, for which it was sent to the Black Sea. As the circus workers say in such cases, the number did not work out.

Exciting plot

In April, a drama began to unfold near the Russian borders, called the anti-terrorist operation, in fact, it became a real civil war... After a successful coup d'état against the rebellious eastern regions, the new Ukrainian authorities sent regular troops with artillery, tanks, tactical ballistic missiles and all other weapons originally manufactured to fight a powerful and dangerous external aggressor. Crimea managed to avoid the sad fate of the victim, the population of the peninsula voted for independence and annexation to Russia.

In the midst of this seething turmoil, accompanied by bloodshed, the US destroyer Donald Cook entered the Black Sea. One can only guess about the true purpose of this visit, but certain conclusions can be reached by understanding the combat capabilities of this ship.

Arlie Burke series and its 25th copy

Americans have their own national heroes, and they name this or that cruiser, frigate or destroyer after them. Donald Cook, a corps captain, fought in Vietnam and died of illness (malaria) while in captivity. Even in the homeland of this hero, there is no consensus about how just this war was. Also unknown are the feats, if any, performed by Cook prior to his capture. However, is it really so important? The captain fought for his country where he was sent and died in 1967. In honor of him, the 25th unit of the most massive post-war series of American warships was named. In total, it is assumed that the number of twins of this destroyer will exceed 60.

The Arleigh Burke project seemed so successful to the Pentagon leadership that great hopes were pinned on it. In 1983, when the lead ship of the series was laid, it impressed with its contours, technologies used in construction and even its appearance.

Surface-to-shore destroyer

Any naval series consists of ships that are similar in appearance, differing from each other the more, the later this or that unit left the stocks. The destroyer "Donald Cook" was launched in 1997 and entered the fleet after 15 months. This ship cannot be called obsolete, it has a powerful missile armament, equipped with the most advanced electronic means, protected from a variety of possible damaging factors and is almost invisible on radars. However, the destroyer has some peculiarities due to the nature of its specific fire capabilities. The fact is that its airborne anti-ship systems are presented very modestly. Four "Harpoon" cruise missiles (subsonic and small) are clearly not enough to conduct a serious naval battle against a strong enemy. In other words, the USS Donald Cook destroyer is designed to strike at coastal targets in conditions of complete domination and lack of resistance from the enemy fleet. To do this, he has "Tomahawks" (according to the number of cells under the deck of the KR can be up to 90 pieces).

About the Aegis system

But this ship was created not only for shooting at cities and coastal positions, which cost the military budget a billion (at the prices of the second half of the 90s). The main share of this astronomical amount is accounted for by the latest electronics, integrated into the design of the hull and superstructures. The multifaceted angular wheelhouse does not just serve as a cladding of the premises; antennas of emitters and receivers of radar signals are mounted on its inclined planes. They are sensitive to hundreds of possible targets, and by transmitting information to the computer control complex, they ensure the safe execution of a combat mission. Fifty anti-aircraft missiles capable of hitting ICBMs in near space are subject to the Aegis system. The American destroyer Donald Cook, by design, is a mobile element of the global missile defense system, conducting reconnaissance and automatically, like a robot, generating strategic decisions.

In addition to the antennas stationary relative to the body, the ship has another AN / SPY-1 radar that performs many functions, from detecting low-flying objects to monitoring spy satellites.

Destroyer as a ship

It makes sense to dwell on the question of what constitutes the US Navy destroyer "Donald Cook" in the navigational sense. The ship's stats are not unique, but they are good. With a total displacement of 8.9 thousand tons, it has a length of 153 meters, a width of 20 m and a draft of 9.4 m.Non-magnetic high-strength magnesium-aluminum alloys are used for the manufacture of the underwater part of the hull, which increases anti-torpedo resistance and reduces visibility to enemy systems detection. The power section, loaded on two propellers, consists of two LM2500-30 gas turbines from General Electric with a total capacity of 108 thousand liters. with. The maximum speed is 32 knots, the autonomy is 4400 miles (with a cruising course of 20 knots). The crew consists of 337 crew members, of which there are 23 officers. Cubicles and combat posts are protected by durable and lightweight Kevlar panels, which also became a revolutionary solution.

The screws are especially admirable. These propellers, as a rule, give out the ship with their noise generated as a result of cavitation processes, and the acoustic stations of submarines can easily determine the type of moving object, its speed and distance to it. Each blade of Cook propellers is equipped with a special tubular system that injects air at the ends of the edges. As a result, a bubble cloud is formed, distorting the sound "portrait" of the ship and absorbing noise. It is not known how justified the funds spent on the development and manufacture of this complex system are, because the destroyer can be detected by many other means of warning.

Anti-tank and air defense system

A ship at sea faces many troubles. In the event of war, the enemy shows a persistent desire to let him go to the bottom, and does everything he can for this. He places mines, sometimes equipped with multiplicity devices (if it is known which of the enemy's most important ship will follow), they are equipped with fuses of various types. In addition, torpedoes, missiles, and, of course, aviation are used. At the shipyards "Bath Iron Works" took care of how to protect the US Navy destroyer "Donald Cook" from all these misfortunes. Its armament includes ASROC-VL anti-submarine missile-torpedoes, Stenderd-2 anti-aircraft missiles for intercepting targets at long distances, ESSM anti-aircraft missile launchers, hitting the approaching enemy, and even SM-3 transatmospheric interceptors.

Eliminating the gap in the anti-ship class, the designers plan to equip the ship with a promising LRASM complex. In general, there are many weapons. But it turned out to be useless even during a training raid of not the most modern Su-24 bomber. The destroyer Donald Cook went blind.

Combat path and experience

From the moment of launching, the ship did not stand idle. Initially based in Norfolk, since 2012 it has been assigned to the Spanish port of Rota, where the US Navy base is deployed. In 2000, during the events in Aden, the destroyer Donald Cook assisted another ship, Cole, rammed by a boat carrying suicide bombers. The first salvo of "Tomahawks" in Iraq in 2003 was fired by the same "Cook". He visited many long voyages, sailed the seas around the world, participated in exercises, including international ones. The ship's crew showed good training and coherence, high qualifications and a certain courage shown during the execution of assignments.

Chronicle of events

Sparse facts describe the chronology of the entire period of the destroyer being in the Black Sea in 2014. The ship passed the Bosphorus on April 10, the Day from the German-Romanian invaders. For about two days, the compound, which, in addition to "Cook", included sea ​​scout The Dupuis de Lom, the rescuer of the Alize and the destroyer Duplex of the French Navy, performed various maneuvers at a relatively short distance from Sevastopol. On April 12, an approaching plane appeared on radar screens, heading straight for Donald Cook. The destroyer "Su" noticed (even determined the type of aircraft, and that it was not armed), and a training alert was announced on the ship. Further events remained a mystery for some time.

Escape

Pentagon officials expressed extreme outrage at the actions Russian pilots... They characterized them as unprofessional and hostile. The statement was emotional and harsh, but there was confusion between the lines. The suddenly famous destroyer Donald Cook, whose photo was published with mocking comments by many media around the world, moored in the Romanian port of Constanta, and 27 demoralized members of her crew expressed their desire to resign. The blame is the Russian plane, which allegedly violated all conceivable norms of international law.

Montreux Convention

According to it, warships of countries that do not have their own water area can stay in the Black Sea for no more than 21 days, and their total tonnage cannot exceed 30 thousand tons for each country. The destroyer "Donald Cook" really did not violate this convention, however, shortly before the events described, another US Navy ship, "Taylor" was delayed somewhat, ostensibly repairing the propellers. The purpose of the last visit of "Cook" was clearly "demonstration of the flag", but besides this, another, secret task was most likely put before the crew.

What if there is a war?

The connection between the presence of an international squadron near the Russian coast and the Ukrainian events, in general, was not disputed or denied by anyone. As the conflict developed, the danger of its transition to the military stage increased. Without creating illusions about the capabilities, the American side could consider the likelihood of providing them with intelligence assistance without involving its army in a possible full-scale war. The US Navy destroyer Donald Cook was probably going to collect such information. Parameters of defensive systems, deployment of air defense systems, communication centers and other important elements of the military structure Black Sea Fleet could be of interest to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to which this information would be immediately transferred in case of war.

So what happened?

In fact, nothing terrible happened to the American destroyer. He safely left the inhospitable area of ​​the Black Sea water area. The planned visit to Odessa did not take place due to the deep moral trauma experienced by the crew. The reason for this annoyance is the Khibiny compact electronic warfare system, mounted on the console of an unarmed Su-24 bomber, which passed over the ship a dozen times at extremely low altitude. Apparently, her so much of his belly with oil streaks upset the Cook team so much as the realization of their vulnerability and even helplessness. It would seem that here it is - probable adversary, and it operates in training mode. So learn, practice the techniques of using your air defense! But the system was out of order. Temporarily. The Russians didn't even spoil anything, although they could. The plane took off and the Aegis started up again.

Results and conclusions

The essence of the Pentagon's claims to the Russian aviation, in general, boiled down to the fact that our pilots showed some kind of disrespect. Well, perhaps a certain intolerance did take place. Equally impolite in 1988, Soviet sailors rammed the US Navy destroyer Caron, which was trying to enter the territorial waters of the USSR. Crimea, indeed, has long attracted foreign squadrons, striving to visit the peninsula, not always with friendly intentions.

As for the destroyer Donald Cook, you shouldn't underestimate its combat capabilities anyway. This is a modern and seriously armed ship, which underwent modernization in 2012. It is quite possible that he now has another one.

The new ritual of meeting uninvited guests is the repeated overflights of the Russian Air Force by a combat aircraft. A polite reminder of who is the boss of the Black Sea. Next time, another polite plane with polite missiles will arrive. The Black Sea is the Russian Sea. For centuries!

"The Su-24 bomber several times flew in close proximity to the USS Donald Cook, which entered the Black Sea on April 12, reports Reuters, citing Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren. According to him, the plane is at low altitude made 12 calls over "Donald Cook" while he was in the northern part of the Black Sea. "

In connection with the keen public interest in the topic of the Navy and, in particular, in the incident with the overflight of the American destroyer, I suggest detailed review the current situation with a description of the capabilities of both parties. What threat could the bomber and destroyer pose to each other? What is this "Cook" capable of, and what is the danger of its appearance on the very shores of Russia?

USS Donald Cook (DDG-75)

The Aegis Guided Missile Destroyer is the 25th Orly Burke-class ship. Belongs to the outdated "sub-series II". Date of laying - 1996, launching - 1997, acceptance into the fleet - 1998. At the moment it is assigned to the Rota naval base (Mediterranean coast of Spain).

The ship is small - 154 meters long, with a total displacement of about 9000 tons. The regular crew is 280 people. The cost of the destroyer is one billion dollars in 1996 prices.


Cook is famous for being the first to launch a missile at Iraq on the night of March 2003.


He really has a lot of missiles. 90 underdeck cells of the Mk.41 UVP, each of which can contain a tactical missile launcher "Tomahawk", an ASROC-VL anti-submarine missile torpedo, a long-range anti-aircraft missile system "Stenderd-2", a short-range missile defense system ESSM (4 in one cell) or an airborne interceptor SM-3 American missile defense system. It is possible to use outdated SeaSperrow self-defense missiles. By the end of this decade, LRASM anti-ship munitions promise to appear in the launch cells.

Thus, a modest destroyer is capable of carrying the entire range of missile weapons in service with the US Navy (with the exception of submarine-launched ballistic missiles). The number and type of missiles can vary in any proportion, increasing the number of strike or defensive weapons. The composition of the ammunition is determined by the current task.

This is an extremely powerful and versatile ship, whose strike capabilities exceed those of any cruisers and destroyers of other countries. Even those who are much larger than "Cook". There are no analogues to this ship in the Russian Navy yet.

However, don't overestimate the American destroyer too much. Its strike capabilities are great, but limited by the only "fleet against coast" format of warfare. High-precision SLCM "Tomahawk" are good for striking the most important objects of military and civil infrastructure deep in enemy territory, but they cannot help the destroyer in naval combat (the anti-ship version of the "Tomahawk" BGM-109B TASM was removed from service 10 years ago). Until the appearance of promising LRASM, the only anti-ship weapon of the destroyer "Cook" to date are 4 small-sized subsonic anti-ship missiles "Harpoon", located in the aft of the ship.


Donald Cook and the British integrated supply ship RFA Wave Ruler

And yet Orly Burke-class super destroyers were not created to launch Tomahawks against White House policies. The main "feature" of these ships has always been "Aegis" ("Aegis") - a combat information and control system that linked into a single information space all means of detection, communication, fire control and damage control of the ship. In fact, the destroyer "Donald Cook" is a naval combat robot capable of making decisions and exchanging information with other ships like it without any participation of living people.

Such an intelligent and fast-acting system was created to solve one, the most important and responsible task - to ensure effective air defense of formations. Powerful air defense platforms to guard aircraft carriers and escort convoys on the high seas.

The set with the "Aegis" certainly comes with a multifunctional radar AN / SPY-1. A masterpiece of the US electronics industry, capable of detecting rockets flying over the water itself and observing satellites in near-earth orbits. This is the SPY-1 problem - it turned out to be impossible to effectively solve such different problems with the help of one radar. And if there are no problems with the detection of spacecraft, then the capabilities of the Aegis destroyers to repel attacks by anti-ship missiles look frankly dubious.

Aegis + SPY-1 looked like a very innovative solution for 1983, but by now this system is completely outdated. There are at least five modern naval systems that are superior to the Aegis in the field of air defense missions.

As a result, the super destroyer Cook (like any of its 62 twins) was unable to perform its primary mission.

And the only terrible trophy of the Aegis system in all 30 years of its operation was the IranAir passenger airliner, which BIUS mistakenly identified as an F-14 fighter.

With such an "outstanding" air defense system, American Aegis destroyers should hardly enter the Black Sea at all. Where the entire water area is shot by coastal missile systems and coastal aviation capable of "slamming" an American tin can with one blow. A lonely American ship is not serious.


A major drawback of the destroyer "Cook", like all representatives of sub-series I-II, is the lack of the ability to permanently base a helicopter. The ship has only a stern landing site and a limited supply of aviation fuel. The absence of a helicopter reduces the destroyer's anti-submarine capabilities and limits its functionality.


Is there an explosion on board the destroyer?
Alas, just a missile launch from the stern UVP


Motorists


"Cook" passes the Bosphorus

Surely many regretted that the overflight of the destroyer was carried out not by the snow-white Tu-22M missile carrier or the newest Su-34 bomber, but only by the modest 24th Suharik. Front-line bomber with a variable sweep wing, adopted for service in the distant 70s. However, even this was enough in abundance. The Pentagon's press service erupted with angry accusations of provocation and "unprofessional actions" by Russian pilots. The Russian public also reacted with a flurry of derisive and humorous comments in the style of "Yankee, go home!"

On Saturday, the fighter flew up to the destroyer a thousand yards (about a kilometer) at an altitude of about 500 feet (150 meters). The fighter had no weapons. The ship's commander made several radio communications warnings. The maneuvers ended without incident.

In general, it should be admitted that this episode does not make sense from a military point of view. The Su-24 is not a German Stuka dive bomber. He doesn't need to get close to a target a thousand yards away. Outside the window is the XXI century. Epoch precision weapons... The main method of warfare has become remote, in which the weapons operator does not see the enemy in the face.

Approaching an opponent's warship in Peaceful time also does not provide any reason to discuss the current situation. The incident took place in neutral waters, where everyone is free to be where he pleases. Another thing is that the American destroyer arrived in the Black Sea - the sphere of Russia's primordial interests, where the appearance of outsiders is not welcomed and even specifically limited by the Montreux Convention.

The Russian bomber "passed" the American ship at low level 12 times. And this is also a sign.

The only countermeasure that the Aegis destroyer could use was to shoot down the plane. Like the mentioned Iranian airliner in 1988. Of course, it was absolutely impossible to do this in this situation - I had to endure the ridicule and, as if nothing had happened, take refuge in the territorial waters of Romania.

It is useless to look for any sense in the actions of the Su-24 crew from a military point of view. "Combat sortie", "rehearsal of the attack", "Su-24 revealed the position of the enemy ship" - this is not about him. Combat missions are carried out according to a different scheme - detection from the greatest range, missile launch and immediate departure to a low altitude, beyond the radio horizon of the ship. Where the SPY-1 radar cannot see it. In combat conditions, "breastfeeding" on Aegis missiles is a beautiful, but not the most prudent act.

The twelve-fold flyby of the Donald Cook had a purely demonstrative meaning. To temper the warlike fervor of the Pentagon, which has sent its fifth warship to the region in a year, apparently believing that the Black Sea has the right to be called African American. The Russian side needed to demonstrate its determination. Show the whole world that we are closely following the development of the situation in the Black Sea and, if necessary ... However, our "partners" understood everything and retreated.


If necessary, even the Su-24, which is not too adapted for striking ships, has a lot of worthy "answers" for an adversary. Special interest present the Kh-59 remote-controlled air-to-surface missiles and the Kh-58A missiles, guided by the radiation of shipborne radars (flight speed - Mach 3.6).

The new ritual of meeting uninvited guests is the repeated overflights of the Russian Air Force by a combat aircraft. A polite reminder of who is the boss of the Black Sea. Next time, another polite plane with polite missiles will arrive. The Black Sea is the Russian Sea. For centuries!

"The Su-24 bomber several times flew in close proximity to the USS Donald Cook, which entered the Black Sea on April 12, reports Reuters, citing Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren. According to him, the plane is at low altitude made 12 calls over "Donald Cook" while he was in the northern part of the Black Sea. "

In connection with the keen public interest in the topic of the Navy and, in particular, in the incident with the overflight of the American destroyer, I propose a detailed overview of the current situation with a description of the capabilities of both sides. What threat could the bomber and destroyer pose to each other? What is this "Cook" capable of, and what is the danger of its appearance on the very shores of Russia?

USS Donald Cook (DDG-75)

The Aegis Guided Missile Destroyer is the 25th Orly Burke-class ship. Belongs to the outdated "sub-series II". Date of laying - 1996, launching - 1997, acceptance into the fleet - 1998. At the moment it is assigned to the Rota naval base (Mediterranean coast of Spain).

The ship is small - 154 meters long, with a total displacement of about 9000 tons. The regular crew is 280 people. The cost of the destroyer is one billion dollars in 1996 prices.


Cook is famous for being the first to launch a missile at Iraq on the night of March 2003.


He really has a lot of missiles. 90 underdeck cells of the Mk.41 UVP, each of which can contain a tactical missile launcher "Tomahawk", an ASROC-VL anti-submarine missile torpedo, a long-range anti-aircraft missile system "Stenderd-2", a short-range missile defense system ESSM (4 in one cell) or an airborne interceptor SM-3 American missile defense system. It is possible to use outdated SeaSperrow self-defense missiles. By the end of this decade, LRASM anti-ship munitions promise to appear in the launch cells.

Thus, a modest destroyer is capable of carrying the entire range of missile weapons in service with the US Navy (with the exception of submarine-launched ballistic missiles). The number and type of missiles can vary in any proportion, increasing the number of strike or defensive weapons. The composition of the ammunition is determined by the current task.

This is an extremely powerful and versatile ship, whose strike capabilities exceed those of any cruisers and destroyers of other countries. Even those who are much larger than "Cook". There are no analogues to this ship in the Russian Navy yet.

However, don't overestimate the American destroyer too much. Its strike capabilities are great, but limited by the only "fleet against coast" format of warfare. High-precision SLCM "Tomahawk" are good for striking the most important objects of military and civil infrastructure deep in enemy territory, but they cannot help the destroyer in naval combat (the anti-ship version of the "Tomahawk" BGM-109B TASM was removed from service 10 years ago). Until the appearance of promising LRASM, the only anti-ship weapon of the destroyer "Cook" to date are 4 small-sized subsonic anti-ship missiles "Harpoon", located in the aft of the ship.


Donald Cook and the British integrated supply ship RFA Wave Ruler

And yet Orly Burke-class super destroyers were not created to launch Tomahawks against White House policies. The main "feature" of these ships has always been "Aegis" ("Aegis") - a combat information and control system that linked into a single information space all means of detection, communication, fire control and damage control of the ship. In fact, the destroyer "Donald Cook" is a naval combat robot capable of making decisions and exchanging information with other ships like it without any participation of living people.

Such an intelligent and fast-acting system was created to solve one, the most important and responsible task - to ensure effective air defense of formations. Powerful air defense platforms to guard aircraft carriers and escort convoys on the high seas.

The set with the "Aegis" certainly comes with a multifunctional radar AN / SPY-1. A masterpiece of the US electronics industry, capable of detecting rockets flying over the water itself and observing satellites in near-earth orbits. This is the SPY-1 problem - it turned out to be impossible to effectively solve such different problems with the help of one radar. And if there are no problems with the detection of spacecraft, then the capabilities of the Aegis destroyers to repel attacks by anti-ship missiles look frankly dubious.

Aegis + SPY-1 looked like a very innovative solution for 1983, but by now this system is completely outdated. There are at least five modern naval systems that are superior to the Aegis in the field of air defense missions.

As a result, the super destroyer Cook (like any of its 62 twins) was unable to perform its primary mission.

And the only terrible trophy of the Aegis system in all 30 years of its operation was the IranAir passenger airliner, which BIUS mistakenly identified as an F-14 fighter.

With such an "outstanding" air defense system, American Aegis destroyers should hardly enter the Black Sea at all. Where the entire water area is fired upon by coastal missile systems and coastal aircraft capable of "slamming" an American tin can with one blow. A lonely American ship is not serious.


A major drawback of the destroyer "Cook", like all representatives of sub-series I-II, is the lack of the ability to permanently base a helicopter. The ship has only a stern landing pad and a limited supply of aviation fuel. The absence of a helicopter reduces the destroyer's anti-submarine capabilities and limits its functionality.


Is there an explosion on board the destroyer?
Alas, just a missile launch from the stern UVP


Motorists


"Cook" passes the Bosphorus

Surely many regretted that the overflight of the destroyer was carried out not by the snow-white Tu-22M missile carrier or the newest Su-34 bomber, but only by the modest 24th Suharik. Front-line bomber with a variable sweep wing, adopted for service in the distant 70s. However, even this was enough in abundance. The Pentagon's press service erupted with angry accusations of provocation and "unprofessional actions" by Russian pilots. The Russian public also reacted with a flurry of derisive and humorous comments in the style of "Yankee, go home!"

On Saturday, the fighter flew up to the destroyer a thousand yards (about a kilometer) at an altitude of about 500 feet (150 meters). The fighter had no weapons. The ship's commander made several radio communications warnings. The maneuvers ended without incident.

In general, it should be admitted that this episode does not make sense from a military point of view. The Su-24 is not a German Stuka dive bomber. He doesn't need to get close to a target a thousand yards away. Outside the window is the XXI century. The era of precision weapons. The main method of warfare has become remote, in which the weapons operator does not see the enemy in the face.

The rapprochement with the enemy's warship in peacetime also does not provide any reason for discussing the current situation. The incident took place in neutral waters, where everyone is free to be where he pleases. Another thing is that the American destroyer arrived in the Black Sea - the sphere of Russia's primordial interests, where the appearance of outsiders is not welcomed and even specifically limited by the Montreux Convention.

The Russian bomber "passed" the American ship at low level 12 times. And this is also a sign.

The only countermeasure that the Aegis destroyer could use was to shoot down the plane. Like the mentioned Iranian airliner in 1988. Of course, it was absolutely impossible to do this in this situation - I had to endure the ridicule and, as if nothing had happened, take refuge in the territorial waters of Romania.

It is useless to look for any sense in the actions of the Su-24 crew from a military point of view. "Combat sortie", "rehearsal of the attack", "Su-24 revealed the position of the enemy ship" - this is not about him. Combat missions are carried out according to a different scheme - detection from the greatest range, missile launch and immediate departure to a low altitude, beyond the radio horizon of the ship. Where the SPY-1 radar cannot see it. In combat conditions, "breastfeeding" on Aegis missiles is a beautiful, but not the most prudent act.

The twelve-fold flyby of the Donald Cook had a purely demonstrative meaning. To temper the warlike fervor of the Pentagon, which has sent its fifth warship to the region in a year, apparently believing that the Black Sea has the right to be called African American. The Russian side needed to demonstrate its determination. Show the whole world that we are closely following the development of the situation in the Black Sea and, if necessary ... However, our "partners" understood everything and retreated.


If necessary, even the Su-24, which is not too adapted for striking ships, has a lot of worthy "answers" for an adversary. Of particular interest are the Kh-59 remote-controlled air-to-surface missiles and Kh-58A missiles, which are guided by the radiation of shipborne radars (flight speed - Mach 3.6).