В этой истории много неясных моментов.The American side does not want to disclose details. The command of Russian naval aviation also modestly remains silent after a brief information message transmitted on Cosmonautics Day 2014. However, the scant data was enough for the American destroyer Donald Cook to become famous all over the world. This ship is rather new, equipped with everything necessary, and despite the fact that its dimensions were not record-breaking, it could symbolize the naval power of the United States, for which it was sent to the Black Sea. As they say in such cases, employees of the circus, the number failed.
Exciting plot
In April, near the Russian borders beganthe drama unfolds, called the anti-terrorist operation, but in reality it has become a real civil war. After the successful coup d’état against the rebel eastern regions, the new Ukrainian authorities sent regular troops with artillery, tanks, tactical ballistic missiles and all other weapons, originally made to fight a strong and dangerous external aggressor. Crimea managed to avoid the sad fate of the victim, the population of the peninsula voted for independence and accession to Russia.
In the midst of this boiling confusion,accompanied by bloodshed, the US destroyer Donald Cook entered the Black Sea. One can only guess about the true purpose of this visit, but one can come to certain conclusions by understanding the combat capabilities of this ship.
Series “Arly Burke” and its 25th copy
Americans have their own national heroes, and theynamed after them this or that cruiser, frigate or destroyer. Donald Cook, captain of the United States Marine Corps, fought in Vietnam and died of a disease (malaria) while in captivity. Even in the homeland of this hero there is no consensus about how fair this war was. The exploits, if any, committed by Cook before his capture were also unknown. However, is it really important? The captain fought for his country where he was sent, and died in 1967. The 25th unit of the most massive post-war series of American warships was named in his honor. In total, it is assumed that the number of twins of this destroyer will exceed 60.
The project "Arly Burke" seemed leadershipThe Pentagon is so successful that he had high hopes. In 1983, when the lead ship of the series was laid, he was impressed with his contours, technologies used in the construction and even the appearance.
Destroyer class "surface-shore"
Any naval series consists of ships similarexternally, differing from each other, the more strongly, than later this or that unit descended from the stocks. The destroyer "Donald Cook" was launched in 1997, adopted in the fleet combat in 15 months. This ship can not be called obsolete, it has powerful rocket armament, is equipped with the most advanced electronic means, is protected from a variety of possible damaging factors and is almost not visible on the radar. However, the destroyer has some features due to the nature of specific fire capabilities. The fact is that its airborne anti-ship systems are represented very modestly. Four cruise missiles such as "Harpoon" (subsonic and small) are not enough to conduct a serious naval battle against a strong enemy. In other words, the destroyer of the US Navy "Donald Cook" is designed to strike at coastal targets in conditions of complete domination and lack of resistance from the enemy fleet. For this, it has “Tomahawks” (according to the number of cells under the deck of the CD, there can be up to 90 pieces).
About the Aegis system
But not only for shooting at cities and coastalpositions created this ship, costing the military budget a billion (at prices of the second half of the 90s). The main share of this astronomical sum falls on the newest electronics integrated into the design of the hull and superstructures. The multifaceted angular cabin not just serves as a room covering, on its inclined planes the antennas of radiators and receivers of radar signals are mounted. They are keenly following hundreds of possible targets, and transferring information to the computing control complex, ensure the safe execution of the combat mission. The Aegis system obey fifty anti-aircraft missiles capable of hitting ICBMs in near space. The American destroyer "Donald Cook", according to the plan, is a mobile element of the global missile defense system, conducting reconnaissance and in automatic mode, like a robot, developing strategic-level solutions.
In addition to fixed antennas relative to the hull, there is another AN / SPY-1 radar on the ship that performs many functions, from detecting low-flying objects to observing spy satellites.
Destroyer as a ship
It makes sense to dwell on the question thatis in the shipping sense, the destroyer of the US Navy "Donald Cook". The characteristics of the ship are not unique, but they are good. With a total displacement of 8.9 thousand tons, it has a length of 153 meters, a width of 20 meters and a draft of 9.4 meters. Non-magnetic high-strength magnesium-aluminum alloys are used to manufacture the underwater part of the hull, which increases the anti-torpedo resistance and reduces visibility for enemy systems detection. The power unit, loaded on two screws, consists of two gas turbines LM2500-30 manufactured by General Electric with a total capacity of 108 thousand liters. with. Maximum speed - 32 knots, autonomy 4,400 miles (with a cruising course of 20 knots). The crew consists of 337 crew members, of which 23 are officers. Kubrick and combat posts are protected by strong and light Kevlar panels, which was also a revolutionary decision.
Of particular admiration are the screws.These propellers, as a rule, give out the ship with their noise resulting from cavitation processes, and the acoustic stations of submarines can easily determine the type of a moving object, its speed and distance to it. Each blade of screws "Cook" is equipped with a special tubular system that forces air to the end of the edges. As a result, a bubble cloud is formed, distorting the sound "portrait" of the ship and absorbing noises. It is not known how justified the funds spent on the development and manufacture of this complex system, because the destroyer can be detected by many other means of notification.
VET and air defense system
Кораблю в море грозят многие неприятности.In the event of war, the enemy expresses an insistent desire to put him on the bottom, and does everything he can for this. He places mines, sometimes equipped with multiplicity devices (if it is known which one will follow the most important enemy ship), they are equipped with fuses of various types. In addition, torpedoes, rockets, and, of course, aircraft are used. In the shipyards of the Bath Iron Works, they took care to protect the US Navy destroyer Donald Cook from all these misfortunes. Its armament includes ASROC-VL anti-submarine missile-torpedoes, Stender-2 anti-aircraft missiles for intercepting targets at large distances, ESSM anti-aircraft missiles, beating at the enemy that has crept in, and even the atmospheric interceptors SM-3.
Eliminating the gap in the anti-ship class,designers are planning to equip the ship with a promising complex LRASM. In general, a lot of weapons. But it turned out to be useless even during the training raid of a not very modern Su-24 bomber. The destroyer Donald Cook went blind.
Combat way and experience
С момента спуска на воду корабль без дела не stood by At first it was based in Norfolk, since 2012 it was assigned to the Spanish port of Rota, where the US Navy base is stationed. In 2000, during the events in Aden, the destroyer Donald Cook assisted another ship, the Cole, rammed by a boat with suicide bombers. The first salvo from Tomahawks in Iraq in 2003 was produced by the very same “Cook”. He has been to many long hikes, plowed the seas around the world, participated in exercises, including international ones. The crew of the ship showed good training and coordination, high qualifications and a certain courage shown during the execution of tasks.
Chronicle of events
Mean facts describe the chronology of the entire period.finding the destroyer in the Black Sea in 2014. The Bosphorus passed the ship on April 10, on the Day of the liberation of Odessa from the German-Romanian invaders. For about two days, the compound, which, in addition to “Cook”, included the marine intelligence officer “Dupuis de Lom”, the rescuer “Alize” and the destroyer “Duplex” of the French Navy, performed various maneuvers at a relatively short distance from Sevastopol. On April 12, an approaching aircraft appeared on the radar screens, heading straight for Donald Cook. The destroyer "Su" noticed (even determined the type of aircraft, and the fact that he was not armed), and the combat alert was announced on the ship. Further events for some time remained a mystery.
Escape
Pentagon officials expressed extreme indignationactions of the Russian pilots. They characterized them as unprofessional and hostile. The statement was emotional and tough, but between his lines there was confusion. Suddenly the famous destroyer “Donald Cook”, whose photos were published with mocking commentaries to many media around the world, was moored in the Romanian port of Constanta, and 27 demoralized members of his team expressed their desire to resign. The blame for all - the Russian plane, allegedly violated all conceivable norms of international law.
Montreux Convention
One of the international maritime treaties onwhich referred to the American side, called the Montreux Convention. According to it, in the Black Sea, warships of countries that do not have their own water area can be no more than 21 days, and their total tonnage can not exceed 30 thousand tons for each country. The destroyer Donald Cook really did not violate this convention, but shortly before the described events another ship of the US Navy, the Taylor, was somewhat delayed, allegedly repairing the propellers. The purpose of the last visit of the Cook was clearly a “demonstration of the flag,” but besides this, the crew was likely to have another secret task.
What if the war?
Communication presence of the international squadron nearRussian shores and Ukrainian events, in general, no one disputed and not denied. As the conflict developed, the danger of its transition to the military stage increased. Not building illusions about the capabilities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the American side could consider the likelihood of assisting them in the form of intelligence information without involving their army in a possible full-scale war. It was probably the US Navy destroyer Donald Cook who was about to gather such information. The parameters of defense systems, the deployment of air defense systems, communications centers and other important elements of the military structure of the Black Sea Fleet could be of interest to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, to which this information would be immediately transmitted in the event of war.
So what happened?
В сущности, с американским эсминцем ничего terrible did not happen. He safely left the inhospitable region of the Black Sea. The planned visit to Odessa did not take place because of the deep moral trauma experienced by the crew. The reason for this annoyance is the compact complex of the Khibiny electronic warfare, mounted on the console by the no-more-armed Su-24 bomber, which passed a dozen times over the ship at an extremely low altitude. Apparently, her so much his belly with oil drips upset the Cook team as much as the awareness of its vulnerability and even helplessness. It would seem that here he is a probable opponent, and he acts in training mode. So learn well, work out the tricks of using your air defense! But the system is out of order. Temporarily. The Russians didn't even spoil anything, although they could. The plane flew away, and Aegis was launched again.
Results and conclusions
The essence of the claims of the Pentagon to Russian aviation, inBy and large, it was reduced to the fact that our pilots showed a certain incongruity. Well, maybe a certain intolerance really happened. Equally impolite in 1988, Soviet sailors rammed the US Navy destroyer Caron, who tried to enter the territorial waters of the USSR. Crimea, indeed, has long attracted foreign squadrons, who seek to visit the peninsula, not always with friendly intentions.
As for the destroyer "Donald Cook",to underestimate his combat capabilities is still not worth it. This is a modern and seriously armed ship, which was upgraded in 2012. Quite possibly, he now has one more.
