Difference between revisions of "USS Newport News"

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|code=us_cruiser_des_moines_class_newport_news
 
|code=us_cruiser_des_moines_class_newport_news
 
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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|market=id50208_uss_newport_news_usa
 
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== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' -->
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Apex Predators"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/8021-event-winter-quest-en|2022 Winter Quest]] event.
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The {{PAGENAME}} was the final [[Des Moines (Family)|Des Moines class]] to be completed. Laid down in November 1945 and commissioned in January 1949, she would go on to be the only ship of her class to continue in service past the early '60s. This would notably include serving as the flagship of the Atlantic fleet during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where she would also assist with counting the missiles once the crisis abated. She would go on to serve extensively during the Vietnam War and was eventually decommissioned in 1975.
  
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The Des Moines-class heavy cruiser is the final evolution of the "all-gun" American cruiser. Being largely based on the [[Baltimore (Family)|Baltimore-class]] heavy cruiser, the Des Moines-class retains the same layout with several optimization and improvement, most notably the introduction of an autoloading mechanism for her 8-inch guns, doubling its rate of fire. However, as they were completed during the dawn of the jet and missile age, they were largely reduced to a fleet carrier escort. By the year 1961, two out of three ship of the class were already decommissioned.
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'''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced during [[Update "Apex Predators"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/8021-event-winter-quest-en|2022 Winter Quest]] event. Compared to her sister ship [[USS Des Moines]], she's in her 1962 refit, which stripped out much of her anti-aircraft firepower. While this does mean that she isn't nearly as capable against aircraft with her two double {{Annotation|3-inch|76 mm}} autocannon mounts, she also has the same crew count, so she is much more capable of taking sustained fire from smaller vessels, as there's less crew exposed on deck for small calibre shells to knock out. With her quick fire rate of 6 seconds for the main battery, Newport News is capable of brawling with any ship smaller than a battlecruiser, and can even punch above her weight class provided the range is close enough.
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The {{PAGENAME}}, the third and final Des Moines-class, is the sole active ship of the class during the outbreak of the Vietnam War. After being converted into a flagship cruiser in 1962, she was deployed in a bombardment roles off the coast of Vietnam. In 1972, she suffered a gun breech explosion and deemed too expensive to repair, resulting into her decommission three years later. By that time, she was the last all-gun cruiser to be decommissioned.
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
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{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' -->
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The Newport News is a Des Moines-class heavy cruiser. This heavy cruiser class is a further development of the Baltimore class, and as such, is decently armoured just like its predecessor. The most noticeable difference is that the 6" (152 mm) main belt has been extended to cover the main battery turrets. There are also several 5" (127 mm) bulkheads dividing the citadel into sections, which will help isolating damage in engine and ammunition compartments. While she lacks any anti-fragmentation armour to protect her deck from HE shell, this is compensated by the placement of some of her crew compartments deep into the hull, thus protecting her crew from external damage in the process.
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USS Newport News, as a member of the [[Des Moines (Family)|Des Moines class]], has a broadly similar armour layout to the [[Baltimore (Family)|Baltimore class]] developed earlier in the war. This includes extending the main armour belt to provide protection for the forward magazines, vastly improving the protection underneath the forward turrets from {{Annotation|0.75 inches|19.05 mm}} to {{Annotation|5.8 inches|147.32 mm}} of armour. The belt overall is slightly thinner as the [[Baltimore (Family)|Baltimore class]] has a {{Annotation|6-inch|152 mm}} belt, but the extra coverage provided for the Newport News is a welcome addition. The fore and aft of the citadel are protected by {{Annotation|4.8 inches|121.92 mm}} of bulkhead armour, with thinner {{Annotation|0.75-inch|19.05 mm}} bulkheads interspersed throughout the citadel. The decks above the citadel are protected by {{Annotation|1-inch|25.4 mm}} of anti-fragmentation armour, the same found on earlier destroyers in the US tree. Lower in the ship is a {{Annotation|3.4-inch|86.36 mm}} deck armour plate to deal with  heavier incoming fire from longer ranges as well, this will protect against most cruiser calibre fire.
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Her main battery turrets are armoured similarly to those on Baltimore-class cruisers. Compared to the older turrets, these have slightly thicker armour on the sides and the roof. However, they are significantly larger than the older turrets, and may receive more hits as a result.
 
  
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Compared to those found on Baltimore-class cruisers, her main battery barbettes have less area consisting of shells. However, she has a big weakness - the magazine of her second turret extends above the waterline. A penetrating hit under her second turret can be devastating.
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Her main battery turrets are well protected, with {{Annotation|8 inches|203.2 mm}} of armour on the turret face, angled at degrees to provide extra protection. This renders the turret face essentially impervious to any cruiser or destroyer fire, so long as it is facing within approximately 20 degrees of the enemy. This is not the case for the turret sides, with only {{Annotation|3.75 inches|95.25 mm}} of armour; this can be penetrated by all cruiser calibre and many destroyer calibre guns at close range. The roof is better protected to defeat plunging fire, with {{Annotation|4 inches|101.6 mm}} of armour. The barbettes have less armour, with {{Annotation|6.1 inches|154.94 mm}} of protection. These lead into the magazines, and the second turret magazine in particular. It is placed in an exposed position above the waterline unlike the Baltimores, so every precaution should be taken to avoid taking fire to this section.
  
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Like other American cruisers, she lacks meaningful torpedo defence. Captains should watch out for torpedo attacks at all times. If taking a hit is inevitable, try to manoeuvre the ship so that it takes the hit as close to the bow as possible, since most of the bow is empty space and you can survive with just some flooding. Whatever you do, keep the torpedo from hitting below any main turret.
+
Similar to other American cruisers, she lacks any form of torpedo bulges, instead relying on fuel tanks along the hull. These cover the entirety of the hull between the turrets, and can absorb some smaller torpedoes, though most will easily punch through. Captains should watch out for torpedo attacks at all times. If taking a hit is inevitable, try to manoeuvre the ship so that it takes the hit as close to the bow as possible, as the bow is mostly empty space and Newport News can survive a hit here with just some flooding. Any hits below the turrets, especially the second, should be avoided at all costs.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
 
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' -->
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''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''
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With a flank speed of {{Annotation|33 kn|61 km/h, 38 mph}}, USS Newport News sits firmly in the middle of the pack for American cruisers; this speed allowed the [[Des Moines (Family)|Des Moines class]] to keep up with the existing cruisers, along with the carriers and Iowa-class battleships. This speed places her slightly ahead of the [[Brooklyn (Family)|Brooklyn class]], and captains shouldn't have any issues making it to capture zones and other key locations. This speed falls to {{Annotation|23 kn|43 km/h, 27 mph}} in a turn, which although leaving her as an easier target, is still faster than the Standard-type battleships' flank speeds.
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The rudder takes around 2 seconds to induce movement to the ship, and while USS Newport News is relatively responsive, at 20,950 tons there is a lot of momentum behind her movements. Newport News is relatively manoeuvrable for a heavy cruiser, but captains should still be wary when traversing narrow passages as she is unable to make many of the turns that a destroyer or light cruiser could make.
  
 
{{NavalMobility}}
 
{{NavalMobility}}
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{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm)}}
 
{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm)}}
  
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USS Newport News has [[8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm)]] main guns. These are fundamentally the same gun barrels as those on the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, but now boast a much higher rate of fire (10 rpm vs 4 rpm of its predecessors), thanks to an automatic loading mechanism. This provides USS Newport News formidable firepower and makes her a serious threat to enemy cruisers and even some capital ships at close range.
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USS Newport News has [[8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm)]] main guns. These are fundamentally the same gun barrels as those on the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, but now boast a much higher rate of fire (10 rpm with max level crew vs 4 rpm of its predecessors), thanks to an automatic loading mechanism. This provides USS Newport News formidable firepower and makes her a serious threat to enemy cruisers and even some capital ships at close range, though don't get cocky because they can still blast you out of the water as easily as any other cruiser when they turn their guns on you.
  
 
Being the same armaments as the Baltimore-class, the guns also have similar shell choices:
 
Being the same armaments as the Baltimore-class, the guns also have similar shell choices:
  
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* The stock common SAP shells have very poor penetration statistics and explosive filler for their calibre. Featuring an even worse penetration than some 5-inch guns. The shell still have some niche use against destroyers and can certainly threaten other cruisers at close range. But they are completely useless against capital ships and anything smaller beyond 8 km range.
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* The stock common SAP shells have very poor penetration statistics and explosive filler for their calibre. Featuring even worse penetration than some {{Annotation|6-inch|152 mm}} or even {{Annotation|5-inch|127 mm}} guns. The shell still have some niche use against destroyers and can certainly threaten other cruisers at close range. But they are completely useless against capital ships and anything smaller beyond 8 km range.
  
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* The HE shell is reasonably effective, the 9.5 kg of filler capable of harassing deck mounts, setting fires and poking holes in enemy hulls, but it won't do well against ships with capable armouring and anti-fragmentation protection.  
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* The HE shell is reasonably effective, the 9.5 kg of filler capable of harassing deck mounts, setting fires and poking holes in enemy hulls, but it won't do well against ships with capable armouring and anti-fragmentation protection.
  
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* The "super-heavy" APCBC shell features an average penetration and filler for an 8-inch guns. Though it is noticably heavier than an average 8-inch shell, being slower but dealing higher post-penetration damage due to the sheer weight. The shell can easily tear the cruiser apart even at longer ranges, and is capable of dealing damage against some capital ship at longer range.
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* The "super-heavy" APCBC shell features an average penetration and filler for {{Annotation|8-inch|203 mm}} guns. It is noticeably heavier than an average {{Annotation|8-inch|203 mm}} shell and has a slower muzzle velocity, intended to make it able to punch through relatively thin deck armour with its high ballistic trajectory, though this doesn't really work in practice. That being said, it's not a bad shell for using on major warships and the fast fire rate makes it fearsome in that regard.
  
 
The USS Newport News still carries the same amount of main battery ammunition as the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, which have substantially lower rates of fire. Captains will need to allocate their ammo types carefully and keep an eye out on the ammo count during battle, or they might find themselves out of shells in the middle of a firefight.
 
The USS Newport News still carries the same amount of main battery ammunition as the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, which have substantially lower rates of fire. Captains will need to allocate their ammo types carefully and keep an eye out on the ammo count during battle, or they might find themselves out of shells in the middle of a firefight.
  
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm)/Ammunition|8 inch Mk.14 Common, 8 inch Mk.21 APCBC, 8 inch Mk.25 HC, 8 inch Mk.17 SP Common}}
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
−
|-
 
−
! 1,000 m !! 2,500 m !! 5,000 m !! 7,500 m !! 10,000 m !! 15,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.14 Common || Common || 110 || 98 || 80 || 66 || 56 || 43
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.21 APCBC || APCBC || 390 || 348 || 289 || 243 || 207 || 165
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.25 HC || HE || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.17 SP Common || SP Common || 131 || 116 || 95 || 79 || 66 || 50
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (kg)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.14 Common || Common || 823 || 117.9 || 0.035 || 9 || 4.84 || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.21 APCBC || APCBC || 762 || 151.9 || 0.035 || 9 || 2.21 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.25 HC || HE || 823 || 117.9 || 0 || 0.1 || 9.5 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
| 8 inch Mk.17 SP Common || SP Common || 823 || 117.9 || 0.035 || 9 || 4.61 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
=== Secondary armament ===
 
=== Secondary armament ===
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{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}
 
{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}
  
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USS Newport News has 6 dual-purpose, double-barrel 127 mm turrets, a common layout found on late-war US light and heavy cruisers. They have an excellent SP Common shell for use against lightly armoured destroyers, and a VT-fused HE shell for use against aircraft.
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USS Newport News comes equipped with 6 dual {{Annotation|5-inch|127 mm}}/38 calibre guns. These are arranged with 4 in the wings and 2 mounted amidships, giving a broadside of 8 {{Annotation|5-inchers|127 mm}}. This gives the firepower of a destroyer strapped to the side of the Newport News, in addition to the main battery. The {{Annotation|5-inch|127 mm}}/38 calibre is a dual purpose gun, with both competent common shells for use against lightly armoured ships and {{Annotation|HE-VT|High-Explosive Variable-Timed}} shells with a proximity fuse; these are extremely effective against enemy aircraft. When combined with the radar lead indicator, planes flying in a predicable course can very easily be destroyed well outside their minimum engagement range. Manual control of the secondary battery is recommended but not required, as the anti-aircraft battery for USS Newport News is rather light in the 1972 refit. In most cases the gunners are still capable of protecting the ship, but captains should take appropriate caution.
  
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{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
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{{:5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)/Ammunition|5 inch AAC Mk.34, 5 inch AAVT Mk.31, 5 inch SP Common Mk.46}}
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! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
−
|-
 
−
! 1,000 m !! 2,500 m !! 5,000 m !! 7,500 m !! 10,000 m !! 15,000 m
 
−
|-
 
−
| 5 inch AAC Mk.34 || HE || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36
 
−
|-
 
−
| 5 inch AAVT Mk.31 || HE-VT || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36
 
−
|-
 
−
| 5 inch SP Common Mk.46 || SP Common || 150 || 125 || 93 || 71 || 56 || 45
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| 5 inch AAC Mk.34 || HE || 792 || 25 || 0 || 0.1 || 3,220 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
| 5 inch SP Common Mk.46 || SP Common || 792 || 25 || 0.01 || 6 || 906.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
−
! colspan="12" | Proximity-fused shell details
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
−
|-
 
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
−
|-
 
−
| 5 inch AAVT Mk.31 || HE-VT || 792 || 25 || 0 || 0.1 || 457 || 23 || 3,220 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
  
 
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
 
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
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{{main|3 inch Mk.33 (76 mm)}}
 
{{main|3 inch Mk.33 (76 mm)}}
  
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USS Newport News is in her 1962 state, after modifications to be a fleet flagship. The installation of flagship facilities required removal of most of her 3 inch AA guns, leaving only one dual mount on each side of the bridge. As a result, USS Newport News relies mostly on her secondary 5" guns for air defense. That said, these 3" guns, firing VT-fused HE shells by default, are powerful in their own right, and can be a last resort defense against aircraft and small boats.
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USS Newport News is in her 1962 state, after modifications to be a fleet flagship. The installation of flagship facilities required removal of most of her 3-inch AA guns, leaving only one dual mount on each side of the bridge. As a result, USS Newport News relies mostly on her secondary 5" guns for air defense. That said, these 3" guns, firing VT-fused HE shells by default, are powerful in their own right, and can be a last resort defense against aircraft and small boats.
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
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* Well-armoured and resistant against small-to-medium caliber fire
+
* Well-armoured and resistant against small-to-medium calibre fire
 
* Excellent crew distribution, At least 30% crew is allocated among citadel machineries
 
* Excellent crew distribution, At least 30% crew is allocated among citadel machineries
−
* Formidable firepower, The 8 inch/55 Mark 16 guns can fire at a rate of 10 rounds per minute
+
* Formidable firepower, The {{Annotation|8 inch|203 mm}}/55 Mark 16 guns can fire 10 rounds per minute
 
* Has air search and tracking radars
 
* Has air search and tracking radars
 +
* Strong long-medium range AA with the numerous 127 mm secondaries
 
* Has two fire control rooms and 10 fire directors for both main battery group and auxiliary battery group
 
* Has two fire control rooms and 10 fire directors for both main battery group and auxiliary battery group
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Extremely fragile against battleships and battlecruisers. 305 mm and above caliber guns can overmatch the bulkhead and pierce the athwartship armor fairly easily
+
* Very large and heavy, hampering the overall mobility and makes the ship easily spotted and targeted by any enemies
 +
* Extremely fragile against battleships and battlecruisers. 305 mm and above calibre guns can overmatch the bulkhead and pierce the athwartship armour fairly easily
 
* The magazine of her second turret is above waterline
 
* The magazine of her second turret is above waterline
 
* Terrible stock SAP shell, forcing the ship to get close to the enemy to deal damage
 
* Terrible stock SAP shell, forcing the ship to get close to the enemy to deal damage
−
* Limited AA capability. Only two dual-mount 3" guns for AA; one for each side of the ship
+
* Limited light AA capability. Only two dual-mount 76 mm guns for AA; one for each side of the ship
−
* Relatively low ammo capacity. 1350 rounds only support 15 mins of non-stop fighting
+
* Relatively low ammo capacity. 1,350 rounds only support 15 mins of non-stop fighting with maximum crew
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
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== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
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''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
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;Skins
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* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_cruiser_des_moines_class_newport_news Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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 +
;Videos
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 +
{{Youtube-gallery|9ktYK1n93L4|'''USS Newport News (CA-148) - Des Moines-class Heavy Cruiser - History & Guide''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
−
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
  
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* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
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;Related development
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
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* [[USS Des Moines]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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* [[wt:en/news/7991-development-winter-event-uss-newport-news-ca-148-en|[Devblog] Winter Event: USS Newport News (CA-148)]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/7991-development-winter-event-uss-newport-news-ca-148-en|[Devblog] Winter Event: USS Newport News (CA-148)]]
  
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{{ShipManufacturer Newport News}}
 
{{USA heavy cruisers}}
 
{{USA heavy cruisers}}

Latest revision as of 05:58, 28 April 2024

Introducing Wiki 3.0
USS Newport News
us_cruiser_des_moines_class_newport_news.png
GarageImage USS Newport News.jpg
USS Newport News
USA flag.png USA
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.3 6.3 6.3
Class:
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
MARKET

Description

The USS Newport News was the final Des Moines class to be completed. Laid down in November 1945 and commissioned in January 1949, she would go on to be the only ship of her class to continue in service past the early '60s. This would notably include serving as the flagship of the Atlantic fleet during the Cuban Missile Crisis, where she would also assist with counting the missiles once the crisis abated. She would go on to serve extensively during the Vietnam War and was eventually decommissioned in 1975.

Des Moines-class, USS Newport News (CA-148), 1972 was introduced during Update "Apex Predators" as a reward for the 2022 Winter Quest event. Compared to her sister ship USS Des Moines, she's in her 1962 refit, which stripped out much of her anti-aircraft firepower. While this does mean that she isn't nearly as capable against aircraft with her two double 3-inch autocannon mounts, she also has the same crew count, so she is much more capable of taking sustained fire from smaller vessels, as there's less crew exposed on deck for small calibre shells to knock out. With her quick fire rate of 6 seconds for the main battery, Newport News is capable of brawling with any ship smaller than a battlecruiser, and can even punch above her weight class provided the range is close enough.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Citadel122 / 147 / 86 mm
Main fire tower203 / 90 / 38 mm
Hull19 mm (steel)
Superstructure17 mm (steel)
Number of section8
Displacement20 950 t
Crew1 799 people

USS Newport News, as a member of the Des Moines class, has a broadly similar armour layout to the Baltimore class developed earlier in the war. This includes extending the main armour belt to provide protection for the forward magazines, vastly improving the protection underneath the forward turrets from 0.75 inches to 5.8 inches of armour. The belt overall is slightly thinner as the Baltimore class has a 6-inch belt, but the extra coverage provided for the Newport News is a welcome addition. The fore and aft of the citadel are protected by 4.8 inches of bulkhead armour, with thinner 0.75-inch bulkheads interspersed throughout the citadel. The decks above the citadel are protected by 1-inch of anti-fragmentation armour, the same found on earlier destroyers in the US tree. Lower in the ship is a 3.4-inch deck armour plate to deal with heavier incoming fire from longer ranges as well, this will protect against most cruiser calibre fire.

Her main battery turrets are well protected, with 8 inches of armour on the turret face, angled at degrees to provide extra protection. This renders the turret face essentially impervious to any cruiser or destroyer fire, so long as it is facing within approximately 20 degrees of the enemy. This is not the case for the turret sides, with only 3.75 inches of armour; this can be penetrated by all cruiser calibre and many destroyer calibre guns at close range. The roof is better protected to defeat plunging fire, with 4 inches of armour. The barbettes have less armour, with 6.1 inches of protection. These lead into the magazines, and the second turret magazine in particular. It is placed in an exposed position above the waterline unlike the Baltimores, so every precaution should be taken to avoid taking fire to this section.

Similar to other American cruisers, she lacks any form of torpedo bulges, instead relying on fuel tanks along the hull. These cover the entirety of the hull between the turrets, and can absorb some smaller torpedoes, though most will easily punch through. Captains should watch out for torpedo attacks at all times. If taking a hit is inevitable, try to manoeuvre the ship so that it takes the hit as close to the bow as possible, as the bow is mostly empty space and Newport News can survive a hit here with just some flooding. Any hits below the turrets, especially the second, should be avoided at all costs.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB71 / 29 km/h
RB61 / 25 km/h

With a flank speed of 33 kn, USS Newport News sits firmly in the middle of the pack for American cruisers; this speed allowed the Des Moines class to keep up with the existing cruisers, along with the carriers and Iowa-class battleships. This speed places her slightly ahead of the Brooklyn class, and captains shouldn't have any issues making it to capture zones and other key locations. This speed falls to 23 kn in a turn, which although leaving her as an easier target, is still faster than the Standard-type battleships' flank speeds.

The rudder takes around 2 seconds to induce movement to the ship, and while USS Newport News is relatively responsive, at 20,950 tons there is a lot of momentum behind her movements. Newport News is relatively manoeuvrable for a heavy cruiser, but captains should still be wary when traversing narrow passages as she is unable to make many of the turns that a destroyer or light cruiser could make.

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 71 29
RB/SB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 61 25

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB12 778 → 16 573 Sl icon.png
RB12 596 → 16 337 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications219 800 Rp icon.png
342 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 100 Ge icon.png
Crew training185 000 Sl icon.png
Experts640 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 700 Ge icon.png
Research Aces720 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
450 / 600 / 100 % Sl icon.png
196 / 196 / 196 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
8 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
8 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
8 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods ship anti fragmentation protection.png
Shrapnel Protection
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods ship venting.png
Ventilation
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png
Mods ship ammo wetting.png
Ammo Wetting
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png
Mods new aa caliber turrets.png
Anti-Air Armament Targeting
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
203mm_us_mk21_navy_ap_ammo_pack
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
330 Ge icon.png
Mods new aux caliber turrets.png
Auxiliary Armament Targeting
Research:
8 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
203mm_us_mk25_navy_hc_ammo_pack
Research:
8 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
127mm_usa_mk46_special_common_sap_ammo_pack
Research:
8 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
250 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods ship rangefinder.png
Improved Rangefinder
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods he frag proxi fuze ship.png
127mm_usa_mk31_aavt_radio_fuse_ammo_pack
Research:
9 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods he frag base fuse tank.png
203mm_us_mk17_navy_special_common_ammo_pack
Research:
18 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
28 000 Sl icon.png
540 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

3 х Turret3 x 8 inch/55 Mark 16 cannon
Ammunition450 rounds
Vertical guidance-5° / 41°
Main article: 8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm)

USS Newport News has 8 inch/55 Mark 16 (203 mm) main guns. These are fundamentally the same gun barrels as those on the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, but now boast a much higher rate of fire (10 rpm with max level crew vs 4 rpm of its predecessors), thanks to an automatic loading mechanism. This provides USS Newport News formidable firepower and makes her a serious threat to enemy cruisers and even some capital ships at close range, though don't get cocky because they can still blast you out of the water as easily as any other cruiser when they turn their guns on you.

Being the same armaments as the Baltimore-class, the guns also have similar shell choices:

  • The stock common SAP shells have very poor penetration statistics and explosive filler for their calibre. Featuring even worse penetration than some 6-inch or even 5-inch guns. The shell still have some niche use against destroyers and can certainly threaten other cruisers at close range. But they are completely useless against capital ships and anything smaller beyond 8 km range.
  • The HE shell is reasonably effective, the 9.5 kg of filler capable of harassing deck mounts, setting fires and poking holes in enemy hulls, but it won't do well against ships with capable armouring and anti-fragmentation protection.
  • The "super-heavy" APCBC shell features an average penetration and filler for 8-inch guns. It is noticeably heavier than an average 8-inch shell and has a slower muzzle velocity, intended to make it able to punch through relatively thin deck armour with its high ballistic trajectory, though this doesn't really work in practice. That being said, it's not a bad shell for using on major warships and the fast fire rate makes it fearsome in that regard.

The USS Newport News still carries the same amount of main battery ammunition as the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, which have substantially lower rates of fire. Captains will need to allocate their ammo types carefully and keep an eye out on the ammo count during battle, or they might find themselves out of shells in the middle of a firefight.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
1,000 m 2,500 m 5,000 m 7,500 m 10,000 m 15,000 m
Mk.14 Common Common 110 98 80 66 56 43
Mk.21 APCBC APCBC 390 348 289 243 207 165
Mk.25 HC HE 61 61 61 61 61 61
Mk.17 SP Common SP Common 131 116 95 79 66 50
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(s) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Mk.14 Common Common 823 117.9 0.035 9 4.84 47° 60° 65°
Mk.21 APCBC APCBC 762 151.9 0.035 9 2.21 48° 63° 71°
Mk.25 HC HE 823 117.9 0 0.1 9.49 79° 80° 81°
Mk.17 SP Common SP Common 823 117.9 0.035 9 4.61 48° 63° 71°

Secondary armament

6 х Turret2 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 cannon, mount Mk.32
Ammunition720 rounds
Main article: 5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)

USS Newport News comes equipped with 6 dual 5-inch/38 calibre guns. These are arranged with 4 in the wings and 2 mounted amidships, giving a broadside of 8 5-inchers. This gives the firepower of a destroyer strapped to the side of the Newport News, in addition to the main battery. The 5-inch/38 calibre is a dual purpose gun, with both competent common shells for use against lightly armoured ships and HE-VT shells with a proximity fuse; these are extremely effective against enemy aircraft. When combined with the radar lead indicator, planes flying in a predicable course can very easily be destroyed well outside their minimum engagement range. Manual control of the secondary battery is recommended but not required, as the anti-aircraft battery for USS Newport News is rather light in the 1972 refit. In most cases the gunners are still capable of protecting the ship, but captains should take appropriate caution.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
1,000 m 2,500 m 5,000 m 7,500 m 10,000 m 15,000 m
AAC Mk.34 HE 36 36 36 36 36 36
AAVT Mk.31 HE-VT 36 36 36 36 36 36
SP Common Mk.46 SP Common 150 125 93 71 56 45
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(s) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
AAC Mk.34 HE 792 25 0 0.1 3,220 79° 80° 81°
SP Common Mk.46 SP Common 792 25 0.01 6 906.5 48° 63° 71°
Proximity-fused shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(s) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Arming
distance (m) 		Trigger
radius (m) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
AAVT Mk.31 HE-VT 792 25 0 0.1 457 23 3,220 79° 80° 81°

Anti-aircraft armament

2 х Turret2 x 3 inch/50 Mk.33 cannon
Ammunition3000 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Fire rate50 shots/min
Main article: 3 inch Mk.33 (76 mm)

USS Newport News is in her 1962 state, after modifications to be a fleet flagship. The installation of flagship facilities required removal of most of her 3-inch AA guns, leaving only one dual mount on each side of the bridge. As a result, USS Newport News relies mostly on her secondary 5" guns for air defense. That said, these 3" guns, firing VT-fused HE shells by default, are powerful in their own right, and can be a last resort defense against aircraft and small boats.

Usage in battles

Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Well-armoured and resistant against small-to-medium calibre fire
  • Excellent crew distribution, At least 30% crew is allocated among citadel machineries
  • Formidable firepower, The 8 inch/55 Mark 16 guns can fire 10 rounds per minute
  • Has air search and tracking radars
  • Strong long-medium range AA with the numerous 127 mm secondaries
  • Has two fire control rooms and 10 fire directors for both main battery group and auxiliary battery group

Cons:

  • Very large and heavy, hampering the overall mobility and makes the ship easily spotted and targeted by any enemies
  • Extremely fragile against battleships and battlecruisers. 305 mm and above calibre guns can overmatch the bulkhead and pierce the athwartship armour fairly easily
  • The magazine of her second turret is above waterline
  • Terrible stock SAP shell, forcing the ship to get close to the enemy to deal damage
  • Limited light AA capability. Only two dual-mount 76 mm guns for AA; one for each side of the ship
  • Relatively low ammo capacity. 1,350 rounds only support 15 mins of non-stop fighting with maximum crew

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins
Videos
USS Newport News (CA-148) - Des Moines-class Heavy Cruiser - History & Guide - Cmdr. Tyrael

See also

Related development

External links


Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co.
Gun Destroyers (DD) 
Clemson-class  USS Welborn C. Wood · HMS Churchill*
Heavy Cruisers (CA) 
Des Moines-class  USS Newport News
Battleships (BB) 
New York-class  USS Texas
New Mexico-class  USS Mississippi
  *USS Herndon in UK service

USA heavy cruisers
Pensacola-class  USS Pensacola
Northampton-class  USS Northampton
Portland-class  USS Portland
New Orleans-class  USS New Orleans
Baltimore-class  USS Baltimore · USS Pittsburgh
Des Moines-class  USS Des Moines · USS Newport News

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