USS W. S. Sims (FF-1059)

USS W. S. Sims (FF-1059)
History
United States
Name:	USS W. S. Sims
Ordered:	22 July 1964
Builder:	Avondale Shipyard, Westwego, Louisiana
Laid down:	10 April 1967
Launched:	4 January 1969
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Robert H. Hopkins
Commissioned:	3 January 1970
Decommissioned:	6 September 1991
Struck:	11 January 1995
Fate:	Transferred to Turkey for spare parts 21 December 1999
General characteristics
Class and type:	Knox-class frigate
Displacement:	3,215 tons (4,196 full load)
Length:	438 ft (133.5 m)
Beam:	46 ft 9 in (14.25 m)
Draught:	24 ft 9 in (7.6 m)
Propulsion:	2 × CE 1200psi boilers 1 Westinghouse geared turbine 1 shaft, 35,000 SHP (26 MW)
Speed:	over 27 knots (50 km/h)
Range:	4,500 nautical miles (8,330 km) @ 20 knots (37 km/h)
Complement:	18 officers, 267 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems:	AN/SPS-40 Air Search Radar AN/SPS-67 Surface Search Radar AN/SQS-26 Sonar AN/SQR-18 Towed array sonar system Mk68 Gun Fire Control System
Electronic warfare & decoys:	AN/SLQ-32 Electronics Warfare System
Armament:	one Mk-16 8 cell missile launcher for ASROC and Harpoon missiles one Mk-42 5-inch/54 caliber gun Mark 46 torpedoes from four single tube launchers) one Mk-25 BPDMS launcher for Sea Sparrow missiles, later replaced by Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft carried:	one SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS I) helicopter

USS W. S. Sims (FF-1059) was a Knox-class frigate of the United States Navy named for William Sims. She was in commission from 1970 to 1991.

W. S. Sims was laid down on 10 April 1967, by Avondale Shipyards, Inc., Westwego, Louisiana. She was launched on 5 January 1969, sponsored by Mrs. Robert H. Hopkins (daughter of Admiral Sims), and commissioned on 3 January 1970, with C. M. Plumly in command.

Following an extended fitting-out period at the Charleston Naval Shipyard and a restricted availability at Jacksonville Shipyard for correction of minor construction faults, W. S. Sims became fully operational in June 1970, and proceeded to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for shakedown training. After a two and one-half month post-shakedown availability at the Charleston Naval Shipyard to correct deficiencies uncovered during shakedown and to install additional equipment, W. S. Sims was put to sea in November to evaluate the feasibility of installing the light airborne multi-purpose system (LAMPS). She was the first ship of her class to have a manned helicopter land on her deck and, during the next four days, she successfully demonstrated the capability of these new ships to operate manned helicopters. Upon completion of the testing, the escort proceeded to her home port, Mayport, Florida, for the holiday season.

On 11 January 1971, W. S. Sims left Mayport with personnel from the Key West Testing and Evaluation Detachment embarked. The project consisted of six cruises, numbered 0 to 5, where W. S. Sims operated with various types of submarines in order to determine the capabilities and limitations of the installed long range underwater sound detection equipment. The tests continued throughout the year and took the escort to such ports as New Orleans; Fredriksted, St. Croix; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Nassau, Bahamas.

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