For the first time in almost four decades, there will not be an Oliver Hazard Perry (OHP) Class Frigate included in the United States Navy’s fleet. The last of its class, the USS Simpson (FFG 56) was decommissioned from Mayport, Florida, on September 29, 2015. This is a dramatic juncture in naval history, with these frigates being part of the Navy since their nearly four-decade-old introduction.
Now-retired Rear Adm. Sam Cox is director of the NHHC and reflected on the legacy of the frigates: “Like today’s Littoral Combat Ship, the Perry-class frigate received a lot of criticism when it was first introduced, yet went on to provide decades of exceptionally versatile and valuable service to our nation,” he said. The Critics mostly belittled the sensor suite and other capabilities of the frigates. However, it was proven through its new generation helicopter capability and resilience in battle that they didn’t fail.
Originally conceived as cost-effective surface combatants with limited anti-air and anti-submarine warfighting capabilities, the OHPs were intended to undertake escort protection missions for other ships. The contributions have ranged from maritime interdiction operations to counter-narcotic operations and engagements with partner navies within the framework of the Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower.
From 1977 to 1989, the US Navy took delivery of 51 FFG-7 class frigates built by Bath Iron Works and Todd Shipyards. Their design brief was to replace the WWII destroyers with very tight constraints on size and cost. While the crews of these ships developed an early reputation for determination and ingenuity, along with their resourcefulness, which they wore as a badge of honor, the ships themselves endured some periods of austere conditions with a shortage of replacement parts.
Initial operational experience for the class stake-ship, USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG 7), got off on the right foot from the very beginning. The launching on September 25, 1976, of the 445-foot 4,100-ton warship didn’t go according to plan; when the ship didn’t slide down the slipway at first, actor John Wayne loaded onto the inaugural trials give the bow a shove, causing many while standing to realize that, by golly, he had just given the ship a shove.
Throughout their service, the OHP frigates continually proved their flexibility and durability in continuous operations. In the Gulf War, they played critical roles during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, which included the United Nations-authorized blockade against Iraq and combat search and rescue. For instance, USS Nicholas reserving Seahawk helicopters, was able to scout Dorrah Oil field and shoot precision-guided missiles into enemy positions.
These ships also had their share of bravery in wartime. In 1988, the USS Samuel B. Roberts hit a mine, wherein the incident after that was the response of the U.S. to crush Iranian oil rigs and naval units during an operation. During both incidents, the USS Stark was hit with only two Exocet cruise missiles, but both ships displayed their kind of resilience.
Their combat skills were also shown in their contribution to counter-narcotic operations, wherein they intercepted narcotics valued at billions of dollars that were to enter the country illegally.
As capable as they have been in practice, the OHP frigates lacked the multi-mission qualities required of today’s modern surface combatants. In addition, their design gave them relatively little free volume for adaptation, meaning they were fated to be replaced in the fleet by other, younger, and easily modified ships, the Littoral Combat Ships of the Freedom and Independence classes that henceforth will be christened under the frigate designation.
The OHP frigates’ legacy rests in the namesake Oliver Hazard Perry-being a person who exhibited determination and effectiveness during the War of 1812. It is with leading-edge technology and capability that the U.S. Navy moves forward, the spirit of the OHP frigates alive in the future generations of sailors.