The ship is considered the "brain" of the US Navy's operations.
Blue Ridge-class command ships are the brains of the US military's offshore operations, equipped with many state-of-the-art systems.
The USS Blue Ridge (LLC-19) has just completed maintenance and upgrades at Yokosuka Port, Japan. After 19 months of overhaul, this ship has become the warship with the most modern computers and communication systems in the US Navy, according toDrive.
Washington decided to equip the USS Blue Ridge with the Sea Unified Networking System (CANES), to improve its tactical capabilities, security, interoperability and future adaptability. The installation of the CANES complex ensures that the ship is capable of operating for at least the next two decades, extending the life of the USS Blue Ridge to 70 years.
The USS Blue Ridge is one of two Blue Ridge-class command ships, the other being the USS Mount Whitney. They are the oldest class of ships in the US Navy, but they are also the most advanced. The hulls are 50-year-old technology, but the computers and communications systems are among the most modern in the world.
The Blue Ridge class was originally tasked with commanding large-scale amphibious operations, relying on sophisticated communications and computer systems. Over the years, as joint operations doctrine evolved, they took on additional missions, increasing in importance.
Today, the two ships are deployed in the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. USS Blue Ridge is based in Japan as flagship of the 7th Fleet. Meanwhile, USS Mount Whitney is permanently deployed in Italy as flagship of the 6th Fleet and also serves as a NATO command ship.
The Blue Ridge class are arguably the most sophisticated command, control, communications, computers and intelligence (C4I) ships ever built, but the public only sees their exteriors. Each is 620 feet long, displacing 18,400 tons, and is outfitted with a series of antennas on top.
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USS Blue Ridge after a patrol in the Pacific. Photo:US Navy. |
The ship has a crew of 1,450, but only half of these are deployed in peacetime. In an emergency, each Blue Ridge can carry up to 3,000 people.
The two ships serve a similar role to the Combined Air Operations Command (CAOC), which manages air and ground operations over large geographic areas. The Blue Ridge class is tailored to support joint operations, with representatives from member nations deployed on board during combat. The major differences are that the CAOC is based on land rather than naval vessels, and is not optimized for combat in a maritime and amphibious environment.
The Blue Ridge class was developed on the hull of the Iwo Jima class landing ship, capable of following closely behind the Amphibious Assault Squadron. The space inside the ship is relatively spacious, with enough accommodation and work space for the commanding officer and staff. The commanding officer's compartment is also equipped with a private heater.
These are ships that are constantly in combat formation. That is why the Blue Ridge class is equipped with two Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS), Bushmaster 25mm remotely controlled turrets and several 12.7mm machine gun mounts. The ship is also equipped with decoy launchers and electronic warfare systems to deal with anti-ship missiles.
An MH-60S helicopter is usually carried on board to perform logistics and transport officers between ships, although the Blue Ridge class does not have a dedicated hangar. Each command ship can carry a series of small landing craft. Some areas of the ship are lined with Kevlar to reduce damage in combat.
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USS Mount Whitney deployed near Italy. Photo:US Navy. |
Above all, the Blue Ridge class is considered the giant "operational brain" of the US Navy at sea, their main mission is to command and control forces, as well as provide data so that commanders can make life-or-death decisions in combat. These two ships can also collect important information from satellites and coordinate it for the entire fleet.
The Blue Ridge class's powerful C4I systems make them particularly important in future cyberwarfare. The two ships could become the spearheads in launching attacks on enemy C4I systems.
However, their power and importance will make the USS Blue Ridge and USS Mount Whitney prime targets for electronic warfare and cyberattacks, forcing Washington to add defensive measures while commanders adapt to changes in the reality of combat.
The Navy has yet to find a replacement for the Blue Ridge class. Developing a new command ship would be prohibitively expensive, even if it used an existing hull like the San Antonio-class amphibious assault ship or the future LX(R) project. The USS Blue Ridge and USS Mount Whitney are built to last, but their steam turbine engines are too old to be useful in the future.