The USS San A ntonio amphibious transport
dock excels in its ability to effi ciently carry and
covertly deliver militar y vehicles and ground
troops. This would not be so impressive if it
wasn’t for the size of the San A ntonio, which
weighs in at 25,000 tons – more than the Type 26
and USS Zumwalt combined!
So how is such a gargantuan vessel cloaked?
Well, aside from the basics, it comes down to
ship-wide attention to detail. Major antennas
are mounted on platforms inside two advanced
enclosed mast/sensor (AEM/S) systems rather
than on yardarms. Deck edges are bounded by
shaped bulwarks rather than lifeline
stanchions; all exterior equipment is recessed
or fl ush-mounted; bulky things like boat-
handling cranes fold down when not in use;
while the anchor and anchor hold are designed
to minimise radar backscatter.
This strict adherence to stealth principles
transforms the radar cross-section of what is
essentially a small aircraft carrier into one
under half its size. This allows it to sneakily
approach target coastlines and launch air-
cushioned landing crafts, amphibious assault
vehicles, attack helicopters, military jeeps and
even armoured personnel carriers onto land
along with a maximum 699 soldiers.
Capable of delivering cruise
missiles, combat helicopters,
unmanned hunter-killer drones
and a barracks load of Royal
Marines into coastal warzones,
the new T ype 26 Global Combat
Ship being built by BAE Systems
is set to deliver a platform for
unprecedented covert
operations while at sea.
Despite weighing about 5,400
tons and measuring a whopping
148 metres (486 feet) long (that’s
one and a half times the size of
Manchester United’s football
pitch), the T ype 26 appears
merely as a small fi shing boat on
radar systems. This means that
when it becomes operational in
2021, it will be able to traverse
the globe without detection and
infi ltrate the most hostile areas.
The fi shing boat-sized radar
cross-section comes courtesy of
the sleek, low-profi le hull,
specially angled deck panels,
multi-installation radomes and
advanced anti-radar/sonar
damping equipment. This tech
will cloak on-board vertical
missile silos, an array of
medium-calibre guns and a huge
hangar containing both Merlin
and Wildcat helicopters.
USS San Antonio
The
Infi ltrator
Type 26 Global
Combat Ship
Take a look at some of this
warship’s most advanced,
stealth-orientated features
The USS San Antonio in focus
The
Crusader
Flight deck
The Antonio’s exposed
fl ight deck has a low profi le
compared to those on full-blown
aircraft carriers, enabling planes
to be stationed on it without
giving away its position.
Missile systems
A series of RIM-116 rolling airframe missile
launchers, as well as a pair of Mk 41 vertical
launch missile systems are installed.
Well deck
As the San Antonio’s main
role is to stealthily deliver
combat troops and
vehicles onto coastal
regions, an internal well
deck is equipped with two
LCAC landing crafts.
MILITARY