ORP GENERAL TADEUSZ KOSCIUSZKO 273 (POLAND)

[john sefton]

ORP GENERAL TADEUSZ KOSCIUSZKO 273 (POLAND)

Built by Todd Shipyards, San Pedro, Calif. as USS WADSWORTH - FFG 9

Laid down: 13-7-77
Launched 29-7-78
In Service with USN: 28-2-80

One of two Oliver Hazard Perry class acquired by Poland the other being ORP General Kazimierz Pulaski 272.

D: 2,769 tons light (3,658 fl) S: 29 kts (30.6 on trials)
Dim: 135.64 (125.9 wl) × 13.72 × 5.8 (6.7 max.)
A: 1 Mk 13 Mod. 4 launcher (4 Harpoon and 36 Standard SM-1 MR Block VIB missiles); 1 76-mm 62-cal. Mk 75 DP; 1 20-mm Mk 15 Phalanx gatling CIWS; 2 triple 324-mm Mk 32 Mod. 5 (273: Mod 17) ASW TT (6 A-244 Mod. 3 torpedoes); 1 or 2 SH-2G Super SeaSprite ASW helicopters (A-244Z and/or MU-90 Impact torpedoes)
Electronics:
Radar: 1 Cardion SPS-55 surf. search; 1 Raytheon SPS-49(V)4 air search; 1 Lockheed-Martin Mk 92 Mod. 2 missile/gun f.c.; 1 Lockheed-Martin STIR missile/gun f.c.
Sonar: SQQ-89(V)2 (273: SQQ-89(V)9) suite: Raytheon SQS-56 hull-mounted LF
TACAN: URN-25
EW: Raytheon SLQ-32(V)2 intercept; Mk 36 SRBOC decoy syst. (2 6-round Raytheon Mk 137 launchers); SLQ-25 Nixie towed acoustic torpedo decoy
M: 2 G.E. LM-2500 gas turbines; 1 5.5-m-dia. CP, 5-bladed prop; 41,000 shp (40,000 sust.)—2 drop-down electric propulsors; 720 shp
Electric: 3,000 kw tot. (3 × 1,000 kw, diesels driving)
Range: 4,200/20; 5,000/18 Fuel: 587 tons + 64 tons helicopter fuel
Crew: 16 officers, 198 enlisted
Remarks: 273 was transferred on 28-6-02 and recommissioned on 25-10-02. Named for a Polish officer who assisted in the U.S. Revolution.
Hull systems: Has 19-mm aluminum-alloy armor over the magazine spaces, 16-mm steel over the main engine-control room, and 19-mm Kevlar plastic armor over vital electronics and command spaces. Because of a hull twisting problem, doubler plates have been added over the hull sides amidships just below the main deck. Speed on one turbine alone is 25 knots. The auxiliary power system uses two retractable pods located well forward and can drive the ships at up to 6 knots. Have fin stabilizers. No helicopter haul-down and deck traversal system is fitted.
Combat systems: The ships have the Mk 13 weapons-direction system. The Mk 92 Mod. 4 fire-control system controls missile and 76-mm gun fire; it uses a STIR (modified SPG-60) antenna amidships and a U.S.-built version of the WM-28 radar forward and can track four separate targets, while there are two missile illumination channels.
Delivered with 272 were 18 Standard SM-1 MR Block VI missiles (one a dummy training round), two RGM-84 Harpoon Block IG antiship missiles, and six ASW torpedoes. The Mk 75 gun is a license-built version of the OTO Melara Compact. Two Mk 24 optical missile and gun target designators are mounted in tubs atop the pilothouse. A total of 24 ASW torpedoes can be carried for helicopters and the shipboard tubes. The SQQ-89(V) sonar suite incorporates a UYQ-25A sonobuoy processor.


Details supplied by PETER CRICHTON