NAVYPEDIA

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

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.