1965 USS BIDDLE. Last of the nine ships of the Belknap class, originally categorised as destroyer leaders - big, fast ships intended primarily to defend the fleet carriers from air attack.
THE BELKNAP CLASS
he Belknaps were intended, originally, to be cheaper alternatives to the Charles F Adams class, but with improved ASW performance and endurance. It soon became evident that they would have to be very much bigger, and the hull form of the Leahy class, somewhat stretched and widened, was adopted. This permitted a much more powerful weapons suite, but sent costs spiralling. USS Biddle (DLG, later CG 34) was the last of them. Constructed by Bath Iron Works, she was laid down on 9 December 1 963, launched on 2 July 1965 and completed on 21 January 1967. She was stricken on 30 November 1994.
EQUIPMENT
Not surprisingly, given their vital role, the Belknaps were very well equipped indeed with radar and sonar, and had state-of-the-art computerised combat control systems it was the requirement for this which pushed their size up to that of a small cruiser, and with the arrival of the microprocessor-based new technology, they were immediately and very obviously obsolete, even though no effort had been spared to keep them current. They were replaced by the Aegis ships of the Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke classes with their fully integrated sensor and weapons systems.
TECHNICAL DATA
Type: Guided-missile cruiser
Machinery: 2-shaft geared turbines producing 85,000shp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 166.8m (547ft); beam, 16.7m (54.7ft)
Displacement: 541 Ot standard; 7890t deep load
Draught: 5.5m (l8ft) full load
Complement: 388
Speed: 32 knots (59km/h)
