AO3 Smitty's USS Enterprise Logbook

[jkrob]

All,

Altho I did not serve on the Enterprise, I was in the Navy from 81-87 as an Electronic Warfare Technitian. I am doing some research on unique naval electronic systems during the Cold War & I am trying to figure out what the 'beehive' antenna array on the origional Enterprise island was. I know it was associated with an Electronic Warfare system (ESM/ECM) but I have found no documentation saying what it's actual military nomenclature was.

If there are any EW/ET or even OS types on this forum who served back before the 1980s retrofit & have any info on that system, I would be very greatful.

Thanks in advance,
Jeff Krob (EW2)
1981-1987
USS Coontz DDG-40

[airdale]

Along with the 'beehive' (we called it the 'Pagoda') on top; the island also had white 'slabs' on mounted on the sides back then. Together; this was a 'passive' radar system that recieved incomming radar signals; analized them; and 'bounced' the reflection back to the transmission source (along with a little somethin' extra).

Nuttin' stealthy here...

The transmitter ( if hostile) would follow this bogus signal to the percieved origin; only to find empty ocean; and a reception comittee of fighter aircraft from the carrier air wing.

The guided missle cruiser Long Beach (CGN-9; decomissioned in 1995) had a simmilar set up.

I believe this was a version of the SLQ-32 systems; made by Raytheon.

Can't tell you anything more specific.

It may also be of interest that the Big "E" had no defensive armament (missles; guns; etc.) mounted in the sponsons untill her first retrofit. Her speed; ships of her task force and CAG were her defense.

She did, however. have a small batery of 35mm 'saluting' canon mounted in the catwalk by the island; firing 'blanks'; used for 'saluting' visiting foriegn dignitaries; heads of state; and such.

[xelflex]

Hi there, I saw your post re the beehive. I am and have been for some time researching Big E for a comprehensive book I will complete on her retirement. As part of my work , I am tying together all of big E's various systems and how they evolved in the face of tech evolution and changing requirements. Big E was the only ship ever to have this ECM system. As she was designed to be fast and was not initially armed with any defensive armament, the ECM/ESM/ECCM ( EW system these days) was supposed to be her major defence against attack from soviet air attack. In the early 70's with advent of high speed guided missiles ( and cruise missiles from ships) this system became more redundant and was supplemented with the fleet standard AN/SLQ-17. I have probably held you in suspense for long enough now. The beehive atop enterprise Island '61-79 housed 6 rings of Dipole aerials each row oriented 90 degrees out of phase with each other. The gradual decreasing size of antennae moving up the beehive I presume reflects differing frequency ranges in application , but I have not found valid reference on this. The system was AA 8200 ( slightly separate from the ususal AN/SLQ series associated with shipboard ECM). The AA stands for Andrew Alford who was a pioneer of the T shaped Dipole transmitters. Interestingly T dipole antennae oriented similarly were seen on the Empire State building for simultaneous transmission of FM stations. I hope this helps. I too would love more information about this system , but is is one thing the navy kept pretty quiet about, and that is amazing considering the unique and prominent place the Big E beehive had.
Cheers Dave
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xelflex

[jkrob]

Dave (and airdale),

Thanks for the reply. I have found the reference to the AA 8200 antenna from the captains logs during the overhaul period it was removed. However, there should be more to it. An antenna does nothing if it is not connected to equipment either receive, process & display a signal from it or generate amplify & send a signal to it. I'm pretty sure it was a passive (receive only...ESM) system. The popular ESM systems of the day were the AN/WLR-1 and AN/WLR-8. They had their own domed (spinning direction finding) and omni antennas. Was the AA 8200 interfaced into those systems or did it have it's own processing & display gear and if it had it's own gear, what was it?? BTW, the popular ECM (jammer) gear was the AN/ULQ-6 but it had it's own antenna array for port/starboard so I seriously doubt the AA 8200 was for a jamming system.

I *know* the AA 8200 was not part of the SLQ-17 or the SLQ-32 systems. I was a SLQ-32 tech & those systems were around in the 80's & 90's not the 60's & 70's. The flat panel antennas on the island were with the SCANFAR system which was the SPS-32/SPS-33 radars. These were separate from the ESM/ECM systems.

I'll keep digging.

[xelflex]

Hi thereJKrob, good to hear from you. I am completing the chapter on Big Es electronics at present. I understand that the AA-8200 system was ESM, and I beleive stand alone. When AN/WLR-1 was added , and later AN/WLR -8, these were additional to the AA-8200, as I guess with their antennae type they were much more sensitive for recieving signals, which was considered essential for the new soviet threat from the "styx" antiship missile. I can still find no reference in books to AA-8200 therefore all my understanding is supposition. The AN/ULQ-6 antennae "jammers" in the 1970's were replaced by AN/SLQ-17 (V) prototype in 1975 which was a deceptive jammer (ECM), and interlinked with the AN/WLR-1 and 8(v)4 which were ESM. In 1980 the AN/SLQ-17 and AN/WLR-8 suites were formally cdombined as the AN/SLQ-29 EW suite. My thoughts would be that actually the 1960's EW suite on Enterprise became redundant with the advent of the fleet standard ESM/ECM systems.
Please let me know what you think, and appreciate your reply, Cheers Dave
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xelflex