thumb|[[USS George K. MacKenzie, after her FRAM I conversion.]]

The Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM) program of the United States Navy extended the lives of World War II-era destroyers by shifting their mission from a surface attack role to that of a submarine hunter. The FRAM program also covered cruisers, aircraft carriers, submarines, amphibious ships, and auxiliaries. The United States Coast Guard also used this term in the 1980s for the modernization of its s.

Background

The program was started by Admiral Arleigh Burke as a response to estimates that the Soviet Navy would have a force of about 300 modern fast-attack submarines by 1957. The U.S. Navy was unable to produce quickly enough the destroyer escorts (redesignated as frigates after 1975) and other antisubmarine warfare ships to counter this threat, given its other priorities in new antiaircraft warfare frigates (redesignated as cruisers after 1975) and aircraft carriers, so Admiral Burke instead looked for ways to modify the existing World War II destroyer, which were rapidly becoming outdated anyway.

Burke oversaw preparation of a report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees entitled "The Aging Fleet." The idea that became FRAM was only one of six recommendations of a special committee to address the poor material conditions of ships built during World War II. Those recommendations were, in order of preference:

  1. Build new ships,
  2. Give more time to maintenance,
  3. Accomplish more extensive overhauls,
  4. Provide more money for maintenance,
  5. Institute better training for maintenance personnel, or
  6. Create a large-scale modernization and rehabilitation program to fill the gap until new ships can be built.

United States Secretary of the Navy Thomas S. Gates embraced the last recommendation in a meeting with United States Secretary of Defense Neil Hosler McElroy on 11 November 1958. and the removal of the 3 in guns for the DASH hangar and flight deck. The only Fletcher-class destroyers to receive the FRAM II upgrade were , and .

thumb|, a Fletcher-class destroyer, after her FRAM II upgrade.

Ships from the Gearing class were completely torn down and rebuilt from the hull up, including new engines, a much larger combat information center, and new sonar and radar systems. The 21-inch torpedo tubes between the funnels were removed, and the 8-round ASROC launcher (FRAM I only) placed there instead. All 3-inch/50 cal gun mounts were removed, and the after superstructure was used for the DASH's hangar and flight deck, with two new triple Mark 32 torpedo tubes for the 12.75-inch Mk.44 torpedo Lacking ASROC, the Allen M. Sumners were left without a standoff ASW capability, and were decommissioned 1970–1973, with most being transferred to foreign navies. The Gearings lasted somewhat longer in US service, with most decommissioned and transferred to foreign navies 1973–1980. The FRAM destroyers were replaced as ASW ships by the s (destroyer escorts prior to 1975), which were commissioned 1969–1974, and the s, which were commissioned 1975–1983. Both of the replacement classes had the same ASW armament as a Gearing FRAM I destroyer, with the addition of more and faster ASROC reloads, improved sonar, and a piloted helicopter, typically the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite.

Some ships of the Allen M. Sumner (from 1965) and Gearing classes (from 1973) served in the Naval Reserve Force (NRF), remaining in commission with a partial active crew to provide training for Naval reservists. The last FRAM destroyer in US naval service was , a Gearing FRAM I, decommissioned and stricken 1 October 1983 and expended as a target 14 July 1999.

FRAM II Carriers

The s modified for ASW service received the SCB 144 upgrade in 1960–1964 as part of the FRAM II program. They received a bow-mounted AN/SQS-23 sonar, as well as improved displays in the Combat Information Center.

References

Bibliography

  • FRAM-Fleet Rehabilitation And Modernization Photos circa 1960's
  • NavSource Destroyer photo gallery index