Frigates fulfill a Protection of Shipping (POS) mission as anti-submarine warfare (ASW) combatants for amphibious expeditionary forces, underway replenishment groups and merchant convoys.
The Garcia class was a larger version of the Bronstein class.
The Bronstein ocean escort was a response to the development of high speed nuclear submarines in the late 1950s. They were powered by steam engines instead of diesel engines and incorporated a first class anti-submarine warfare (ASW) weapon system: the SQS-26BX sonar, MK 112 ASROC rocket launcher, and MK 32 torpedo tubes. Gun (naval artillery) armament (MK 33 3 inch/50 caliber) was changed in the Garcia class to two MK 30 5 inch/38 caliber guns.
There were two distinct breeds of ships bearing the DE hull classification, the World War II destroyer escorts (some of which were converted to DERs) and the postwar DE/DEG classes, which were known as ocean escorts despite carrying the same type symbol as the WWII destroyer escorts. All DEs, DEGs, and DERs were reclassified as FFs, FFGs, or FFRs on June 30, 1975 by the United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification.
After decommissioning, USS Bradley (FF-1041), USS Davidson (FF-1045), USS Sample (FF-1048), and USS Albert David (FF-1050) were transferred to the Brazilian Navy, as the Pernambuco (D 30), Paraíba (D 28), Paraná (D 29), and Pará (D 27), respectively. Only Pará (D 27) remains in active reserve as of 2009.
USS Glover (FF-1098) was a Garcia class modified for research use, commissioned as AGDE-1 in 1965, redesignated AGFF-1 in 1975, and redesignated FF-1098 in 1979.
| General characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Type: | Frigate |
| Displacement: | 2,624 tons (light) |
| Length: | 414 ft 6 in (126.34 m) |
| Beam: | 44 ft 1 in (13.44 m) |
| Draft: | 24 ft 6 in (7.47 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 Foster-Wheeler boilers, 1 steam turbine, 35,000 shp, single screw |
| Speed: | 27 knots |
| Range: | 4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 20 knots (40 km/h) |
| Complement: | 16 officers 231 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems: | AN/SPS-40 air search radar AN/SPS-10 surface search radar AN/SQS-26 bow mounted sonar |
| Armament: | 2 x 5"/38 Mk 30 (127mm)(2x1) 1 8-tube ASROC Mk16 launcher (16 missiles) 6 x 12.75 in (324mm) Mk 32 (2x3) torpedo tubes, Mk 46 torpedoes 2 x MK 37 torpedo tubes (fixed, stern) (removed later) |
| Aircraft carried: | Gyrodyne QH-50 (planned) / SH-2 LAMPS |
