Command ship

Monge,amissile range instrumentation shipof theFrench Navy.

Command shipsserve as theflagshipsof the commander of afleet.They provide communications, office space, and accommodations for a fleet commander and their staff, and serve to coordinate fleet activities.

An auxiliary command ship features thecommand and controlcomponents prevalent on landing ships (command) and also features the capability to land troops and equipment. These forces will be slightly less than those on a pure landing ship due to the nature of the ship as a command vessel and hence will also house the assault commander, the flotilla commander or someone of similar status (generally ofNATOOF-7orOF-8rank—such as amajor generalorvice admiral).

Currently, theUnited States Navyoperates two command ships,USSBlue RidgeandUSSMount Whitney,both of the purpose-builtBlue Ridgeclass.Two command ships,USSLa SalleandUSSCoronadowere converted fromLanding Platform Docks (LPD);these ships weredecommissionedin March 2005 and December 2006 and sunk as targets in support of a fleettraining exerciseon 11 April 2007 and as part of live-fire exerciseValiant Shield 2012,respectively.

TheSoviet Unionoperated several space programme command ships,Akademik Sergey Korolev,Kosmonavt Vladimir Komarov,Kosmonavt Yuri Gagarin,and theSoviet communications ship SSV-33Ural.These ships greatly extended the tracking range when the orbits ofcosmonautsand uncrewed missions were not within range of Soviet land-basedtracking stations.Similar U.S. vessels were classified as Missile Range Instrumentation Ships (T-AGM).

See also

• Amphibious command ships
  • List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships § Amphibious Force Flagship (AGC)
  • List of United States Navy amphibious warfare ships § Amphibious Command Ship (LCC)
• Auxiliary command ships
  • List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy § Command Ships (AGF)
• Command cruisers
  • List of cruisers of the United States Navy § Command cruisers (CLC, CC)
  • National Emergency Command Post Afloat
  • Radar Picket § Northampton Command Cruiser
• Space tracking or command ships
  • List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy § Missile Range Instrumentation Ships (T-AGM)
• WW2 construction battalion (Seebee) andService Squadroncommand ships
  • USSArgonne(AG-31)- Service Squadron mobile base command ship, ex-fleet flagship
  • USSCascade(AD-16)- Service Squadron mobile base command ship
  • USSCity of Dalhart(IX-156)- Seebee command ship
  • USSOcelot(IX-110)- Service Squadron mobile base command ship
  • USSWright(AG-79) / USSSan Clemente(AG-79)- Service Squadron mobile base command ship

• Absalon-class support ship
• De Zeven Provinciën-class frigate

External links

• US Naval Registry on USSCoronado
• U. S. Navy Factfile Entry onCoronado