Jeanne d’Arc (1961)

Helicopter Carrier (R97), ex-La Résolue. Service 1964-2010 14 of July/Bastille Day update: “Jeanne d’Arc” (Joan of Arc) was a helicopter cruiser of the French Navy, 6th of the name. She was designed as a hybrid helicopter cruiser for peacetime as a training vessel, and in emergency or crisis as a fully capable ASW helicopter cruiser … Read more

Tango class submarines (1972)

Project 641B Som (NATO “TANGO”) conventional attack submarines 18 submarines (1972-2016), B-series (random numbers). The B-443 class or Project 541B Som (“Catfish”), NATO “Tango” were a serie of diesel-electric attack submarines built in Krasnoye Sormovo, Gorkiy, Soviet Union, to replace the Foxtrot-class submarines of the Black Sea Northern Fleets. The first was completed in 1972, … Read more

Udaloy class destroyers (1980)

13 destroyers (15 planned) 1980-today: Udaloy, Vice-Admiral Kulakov, Marshal Vasilyevsky, Admiral Zakharov, Admiral Spiridonov, Admiral Tributs, Marshal Shaposhnikov, Admiral Levchenko, Admiral Vinogradov, Admiral Kharlamov, Admiral Panteleyev, Admiral Chabanenko (Udaloy II) The Udaloy class missile destroyers (Project 1155 Fregat) were designed as substitutes for the Kotlin class, and despite cruiser dimensions and construction in the same … Read more

ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (1969)

Argentinian Aircraft Carrier 1969-1997 ex-HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81), HMS Venerable (R63) The ARA Veinticinco de Mayo (V-2), no. 1 of the Argentine Navy, was a light aircraft carrier of the Colossus class that served between 1970 and 2000. It previously joined the Royal Netherlands Navy between 1949 and 1970 as HNLMS Karel Doorman (R81) and … Read more

Georges Washington class SSBN (1959)

Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (1958-61), service 1959-1985: USS George Washington, Patrick Henry, Theodore Roosevelt, Robert E. Lee, Abraham Lincoln (SSBN-598 to 602) The George Washington class were the first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines deployed by the United States Navy, a class derived frolm the Skipjack class SSN to gain time (essentially stretched to fit missile … Read more

Principe Amedeo class ironclad (1872)

Italian Regia Marina, 1874-1900 Too late for the war with Austria: The Principe Amedeo class the last ironclad warships built for the Italian Regia Marina and the culmination of and the major naval construction program created in the wake of Italian unification. Principe Amedeo and Palestro however were ordered in August 1965, prior to the … Read more

Vought VE-7 (1917)

Vought VE-7 (1917) Naval Fighter – 128 built The Vought VE-7 “Bluebird” was an early biplane of the United States. First flying in 1917, it was designed as a two-seat trainer for the United States Army, then adopted by the United States Navy as its first fighter aircraft. In 1922, a VE-7 became the first … Read more

Essex class (Cold War)

Fleet aircraft carriers – SBC-27, 125 and 144 Programs 17 ships 1943-1990 USS Hornet in 1954 in the Carribean 4 of July special ! The Essex class were a major asset as part of TF 38/58 in order to win the battle of the Pacific. However on 32 ships ordered, at V-Day, only 17 saw … Read more

Delta III class submarines

Project 667BDR ‘Kalmar’ nuclear missile attack submarines 14 ballistic submarines (Delta III). The Delta III class SSBNs of the ex-Soviet, now Russian Navy are originally known as the Project 667BDR Kaľmar (Squid): Fourteen large ballistic missile submarine, double hulled design, within low magnetic steel outer hull and designed around their sixteen new RSM-50 R-29R “Vysota” … Read more