thedrifter
07-10-06, 08:03 AM
New USS Green Bay a better fit for all aboard
Navy ship designed with comfort, technology in mind
By Paul Brinkmann
pbrinkma@greenbaypressgazette.com
One of the Navy's priorities for the future USS Green Bay is to make it more livable than previous ships of its kind.
That's important to someone like Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Gay, a Green Bay native who will serve on the ship.
"Just speaking about medical capabilities, we're capable of doing so much more on this new class of ship," Gay said in a telephone interview. "I'm excited about serving on her."
When commissioned in 2008, the USS Green Bay will be one of nine new amphibious ships designed to carry Marines to remote corners of the globe. The ship is known as an LPD, or "landing platform dock." It's a much-improved version of an older generation of LPD for living comfort and technology.
"Lots of things are the same, but the thing that makes the Green Bay stand out are modifications for crew comfort," said Navy Cmdr. Calvin Slocumb, commander of the USS Green Bay. "We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with the Marines in a more robust capability."
A Navy crew of 360 will transport up to 800 troops. Hauling Marines is a long tradition for the Navy. Amphibious ships have carried troops to Beirut, Grenada, Somalia and other hot spots. But troop quarters were more like warehouses on older ships.
On previous LPDs, beds were called racks. There was no room to sit up, and beds were stacked five and six high. On the new ships, the beds are like bunks. Each Marine has enough headroom to sit up and perform simple tasks like working on a laptop computer. Each bunk has a curtain, something lacking on older LPDs.
"We want the troops to arrive in an optimal condition to fight," Slocumb said.
The USS Green Bay will have more space to store landing craft. Medical facilities use an entire deck. The ship also features a 1,100-square-foot gym and kitchens capable of serving the entire crew four meals a day.
The new ship "is going to be an incredible thing for the Marines," Gay said. "Even the mattress technology is much better. The new ones have springs in them, as opposed to just a slab of foam."
Slocumb praised crew members for tackling a new assignment.
"I'm especially proud of the crew. It takes a certain amount of sacrifice, dedication and skill to establish a new ship," Slocumb said.
The ship is designed for the military's "21st Century Expeditionary Warfare" requirements. Other unique features:
A shipwide fiber optic network with 760 access points for computer workstations.
Two medical and two dental operating rooms; a 24-bed ward that includes intensive care facilities.
"Smoother" outside walls, rounded corners and enclosed antennae to evade detection from radar or other sensors.
Revolutionary advances in communications, such as advanced satellite connections, high-speed digital links to exchange tactical information with other ships and videoconferencing.
New environmental protections for the Navy, such as oil pollution control and fire suppression systems that don't release chlorofluorocarbons, which damage the ozone layer.
Ellie
Navy ship designed with comfort, technology in mind
By Paul Brinkmann
pbrinkma@greenbaypressgazette.com
One of the Navy's priorities for the future USS Green Bay is to make it more livable than previous ships of its kind.
That's important to someone like Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Gay, a Green Bay native who will serve on the ship.
"Just speaking about medical capabilities, we're capable of doing so much more on this new class of ship," Gay said in a telephone interview. "I'm excited about serving on her."
When commissioned in 2008, the USS Green Bay will be one of nine new amphibious ships designed to carry Marines to remote corners of the globe. The ship is known as an LPD, or "landing platform dock." It's a much-improved version of an older generation of LPD for living comfort and technology.
"Lots of things are the same, but the thing that makes the Green Bay stand out are modifications for crew comfort," said Navy Cmdr. Calvin Slocumb, commander of the USS Green Bay. "We are looking forward to the opportunity to work with the Marines in a more robust capability."
A Navy crew of 360 will transport up to 800 troops. Hauling Marines is a long tradition for the Navy. Amphibious ships have carried troops to Beirut, Grenada, Somalia and other hot spots. But troop quarters were more like warehouses on older ships.
On previous LPDs, beds were called racks. There was no room to sit up, and beds were stacked five and six high. On the new ships, the beds are like bunks. Each Marine has enough headroom to sit up and perform simple tasks like working on a laptop computer. Each bunk has a curtain, something lacking on older LPDs.
"We want the troops to arrive in an optimal condition to fight," Slocumb said.
The USS Green Bay will have more space to store landing craft. Medical facilities use an entire deck. The ship also features a 1,100-square-foot gym and kitchens capable of serving the entire crew four meals a day.
The new ship "is going to be an incredible thing for the Marines," Gay said. "Even the mattress technology is much better. The new ones have springs in them, as opposed to just a slab of foam."
Slocumb praised crew members for tackling a new assignment.
"I'm especially proud of the crew. It takes a certain amount of sacrifice, dedication and skill to establish a new ship," Slocumb said.
The ship is designed for the military's "21st Century Expeditionary Warfare" requirements. Other unique features:
A shipwide fiber optic network with 760 access points for computer workstations.
Two medical and two dental operating rooms; a 24-bed ward that includes intensive care facilities.
"Smoother" outside walls, rounded corners and enclosed antennae to evade detection from radar or other sensors.
Revolutionary advances in communications, such as advanced satellite connections, high-speed digital links to exchange tactical information with other ships and videoconferencing.
New environmental protections for the Navy, such as oil pollution control and fire suppression systems that don't release chlorofluorocarbons, which damage the ozone layer.
Ellie