Bronstein-class_frigate Knowpia

	USS Bronstein in 1986
Class overview
Name	Bronstein class
Operators	United States Navy; Mexican Navy;
Preceded by	Claud Jones class
Succeeded by	Garcia class
Built	1961-1963
In service	1963-2017
Completed	2
Retired	2
General characteristics
Type	Frigate
Displacement	2,360 tons standard, 2,960 full load
Length	372 ft (113 m)
Beam	41 ft (12 m)
Draught	23 ft (7.0 m) to bottom of sonar dome
Propulsion	2 Foster-Wheeler 600 PSI boilers; 1 Westinghouse turbine coupled to 1 de Laval locked-train double reduction gears; 1 shaft: 22,000 shp (16,000 kW);
Speed	26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range	4,000 mi (6,400 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement	196 (16 officers, 180 men); Accommodation for 20 officers, 200 men;
Sensors and ; processing systems	Air search radar: AN/SPS-40; Surface search radar: AN/SPS-10; Fire control radar: AN/SPG-35; Sonar: AN/SQS-26 AX(R) (bow mounted); TASS (Towed Array Sonar System): installed in the mid-1970s for trials but later removed; MK 6 Fanfare torpedo decoy system;
Armament	MK-16 octuple RUR-5 ASROC launcher without reload capability; 6 torpedo tubes (2, MK 32 triple torpedo mounts); 1 twin 3 in (76 mm)/50 caliber MK 33 guns operated by an MK 56 radar director and MK 114 Mod 7 ASW fire-control system using MK 1 target designation system.; 1 3 in (76 mm) gun was replaced by the AN/SQS-15 TASS towed array sonar on McCloy;

The Bronstein-class frigates were United States Navy warships, originally laid down as ocean escorts (formerly called destroyer escorts), but were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975 in the United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification and their hull designation changed from DE to FF.

The lead ship of the class was Bronstein, laid down 16 May 1961 and commissioned 15 June 1963, at Avondale Shipyards, Louisiana. A second and final ship, USS McCloy, was laid down in parallel with Bronstein.

This class comprised the second generation of post-World War II destroyer escorts. These ships can be considered developmental vessels as many new systems were installed to test for future use, such as a new hull design, larger bow-mounted AN/SQS-26AX sonar system, and ASW weaponry. This class was a new design from the keel up, incorporating the FRAM improvements, and was specifically designed to operate the DASH drone helicopter. The sonar was later upgraded to the AN/SQS-26AX(R).

The top weight of the new ASW equipment and the large bow-mounted sonar made the Bronstein frigates too slow to operate with the ASW task forces for which they had been designed. Thus the US Navy decided against any further procurement of ships of this class. The later Garcia-class frigates were given a larger power plant and greater speed.

Ships edit

Only two ships of this class were built: USS Bronstein (FF-1037) and USS McCloy (FF-1038). Both were later sold to the Mexican Navy.

Bronstein edit

Built by: Avondale Shipyards, Avondale, Louisiana
Laid down: 16 May 1961
Launched: 31 March 1962
Commissioned: 15 June 1963
Reclassified: As frigate (FF) 30 June 1975
Operations: US Pacific Fleet
Decommissioned: 13 December 1990
Stricken: 13 December 1990
Sold: To Mexico, 1 October 1993; renamed Hermenegildo Galeana (E-42); later ARM Hermenegildo Galeana (F202)

McCloy edit

Built by: Avondale Shipyards, Avondale, Louisiana
Laid down: 1 September 1961
Launched: 9 June 1962
Commissioned: 21 October 1963
Reclassified: As frigate (FF) 30 June 1975
Operations: US Atlantic Fleet
Decommissioned: 14 December 1990
Stricken: 17 December 1990
Sold: To Mexico, 1 October 1993; renamed ARM Nicolas Bravo (E-40); later ARM Nicolas Bravo (F201)

At one time USS McCloy held the record for largest military drug bust at 49.5 tons of marijuana (late 1980s). A sea-going tug was forcefully boarded after an overnight chase while the tug's crew tossed bales of cocaine overboard and weapons fire was released the following morning at dawn. One of the tug's crew was wounded by .50 caliber gunfire and was helo'd off. A Coast Guard detachment estimated the amount and an attempt was made to tow the tug to port. The tug had too much damage and sank in the night after several attempts to salvage her.

McCloy made many drug busts late in her life, received several citations and was painted with marijuana leaves for each bust.^{[citation needed]}

Other notables include involvement in the rescue of the crew of the submarine USS Bonefish. One of the last US Navy diesel submarines, it had a battery compartment fire and was abandoned by her crew off the coast of Florida. McCloy ran lifeguard ops and eventually was designated the tow vessel to bring Bonefish to Charleston, South Carolina.

Notes edit

^ Polmar, Norman "The U.S. Navy: Sonars, Part 1" United States Naval Institute Proceedings July 1981 p.119

Sources edit

USS McCloy – navsource.org
Class history – Gyrodyne Helicopter Historical Foundation

External links edit

Bronstein-class frigates at Destroyer History Foundation
Bronstein info and photos
McCloy info and photos

[p3-1] Polmar, Norman "The U.S. Navy: Sonars, Part 1" United States Naval Institute Proceedings July 1981 p.119

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