AGF 11 Coronado

Function: / Rangefinder: / Fuel Type: / Fuel Cap.: / Fuel Cons.: / Load: / Displacement:
Command ship / +2? / Bunker / 2.839.000 / 8000/2000 / 1000t / 15375t
Crew: / Captain: / Maintenance: / Power plant: / Night vision:
 Complement 30 Officers, 400 Enlisted
 THIRD Fleet Staff 46 Officer, 124 Enlisted
 Joint Task Force Complement 300 Additional Personnel / 10 / two Foster-Wheeler boilers, geared turbines, twin shafts, 24,000 shaft horsepower / yes
Length: / Beam: / Draft:
173.8m / 30.5m / 10m
Max Speed: / Cruise Speed: / Travel Movement: / Combat Movement: / Range:
41km/h / 38km/h / 152 / 19/38/57 / 53941km
Config: / Hull/Flush deck/ Superstructure Armor / Acceleration – turn ratio / Seaworthiness:
super / 5/6/5 / 1%/1 / Good
Armaments: / Ammo: / Location:
Weapon / ROF / Damage / Penetration / Bulk / Magazine / Single Shot / Burst / Range

Equipment: Radio (x ) ; Radar ( x ) ; Sonar (x ) ; Lifeboats ( 4 ) (AvGas on board =1.324.894 l)

Aircraft / two light helicopters

Ultra High Frequency (UHF)

  • CUDIXS (Common User Digital Information Exchange Subsystem) Shipboard messaging
  • TADIXS A (Tactical Data Information Exchange Subsystem)
  • TRE/TRAP (Tactical Receive Equipment) circuits for receiving tactical electronic intelligence information
  • TACINTEL (Tactical Intelligence) Secret Messaging
  • OTCIXS (Officer in Tactical Command Information Exchange Subsystem) Provides a common tactical picture of the battlefield.
  • LINK-11 Real time tactical radar picture.

Super High Frequency (SHF) connectivity routed via TIMPLEX and ATM modems supporting:

  • SIPRNET (Secret Internet Protocol Router Network) Medium from exchange of classified multimedia information
  • NIPRNET (Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Network) Shipboard internet access
  • TESS (theater environmental support system) weather
  • JDISS (Joint Deployable Intelligence Support System)
  • GCCS (Global Command and Control System) National Command Authority is able to communicate with any vertical launch capable ship
  • PCMT (Personal Computer Message Traffic) Navy-wide Shipboard messages
  • POTS (Plain Old Telephone) Conventional Telephone while at sea
  • MMT (Multi-Media Telephone) Secure digital telephone
  • VIXS (Video Information Exchange System) Video Teleconferencing while at sea
  • CTAPS (Contingency Theater Automated Planning System) Generation / Dissemination of Air Tasking Order for air strike missions
  • JWICS (Joint World Wide Intelligence Comm System) Able to communicate with U.S. military intelligence centers around the world

Extremely High Frequency (EHF)

  • Voice Command Nets - Established as required by exercises
  • Mission Display Unit (MDU) - A strike planning aid for Tomohawk Missile launches

History:The AGF 11 USS Coronado command ship serves as the flagships for the Commander, Third Fleet. Command ships provide communications and accommodations for fleet commanders and staff. Ships are equipped air and surface radars, helicopter, chaff launchers, and an electronic warfare suite.

Coronado was converted from an amphibious warfare ship [LPD-11] for employment as a command ship. USS CORONADO was built by Lockheed Shipbuilding and Construction Company in Seattle, Washington. Its keel was laid on 3 May 1965 and the ship was launched on 30 July 1966. USS CORONADO was commissioned 23 May 1970. USS CORONADO was designed as an Amphibious Transport Dock (LPD), built to transport Marines and their equipment to the scene of an amphibious assault, and move them ashore by landing craft and helicopters.

The ship is one of seven fitted with additional superstructure for command ship duties. The USS CORONADO (AGF 11) has undergone numerous modifications since her redesignation from LPD to AGF. Among the more significant changes have been to her Command Control Communications Computers and Intelligence (C4I) capabilities. Other than C4I modifications the ship physically no longer looks like one of the original LPD's. Her 3" 50 caliber guns have been removed, the sterngate has been sealed shut, and the well deck has been replaced with offices to support the staff.

First assigned to the U. S. Atlantic Fleet in the 1970's, CORONADO conducted extensive operations and deployed on numerous occasions to Northern Europe and the Caribbean and MediterraneanSeas. In 1980, CORONADO was redesignated an AGF (Miscellaneous Command Ship). Her first assignment was to relieve the USS LASALLE (AGF 3) as the command ship for Commander, U. S. Middle East Force, stationed in the Persian Gulf. Reassigned in October 1985, CORONADO relieved USS PUGET SOUND (AD 38) as the command ship of Commander, SIXTH Fleet. During her ten month tour with SIXTH Fleet, she operated out of Gaeta, Italy, participating in operations in the Gulf of Sidra and strikes against Libyan terrorist support facilities.

In July 1986, CORONADO was relieved as SIXTH Fleet command ship and ordered to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to become the command ship for Commander, THIRD Fleet. Subsequently, CORONADO was relieved as THIRD Fleet command ship and deployed to the Arabian Gulf to assume duties as command ship for Commander, Middle East Force in January of 1988. Upon her return to Pearl Harbor in November 1988, CORONADO again assumed her duties as command ship for THIRD Fleet.

The ship remained homeported in Hawaii until August 1991, when it and THIRD Fleet changed homeports to NavalAirStationNorthIsland, in her namesake city of Coronado, California. In March 1998 CORONADO shifted homeports from NavalAirStationNorthIsland to Submarine Base, Point Loma, San Diego, California in order to accommodate berthing additional air craft carriers at the Naval Air Station.

CORONADO is a "work in progress". The ship is well on its way to becoming the most technically advanced and finest Joint Task Force (JTF) Command Ship in commission. Although the major construction of the JTF complex in the former Well Deck has been completed, outfitting of the command and control spaces continues. This JTF Complex was designed with the input of people like yourselves and from lessons learned from many recent operations and exercises.

USS CORONADO routinely embarks a helicopter squadron detachment from HC-11 during at-sea periods. Her air department and hangar facilities can support a variety of helicopter missions; her flight deck can launch and recover any Navy helicopter as well as the AV-8 Harrier VSTOL

CORONADO has a civilian system known as Challenge Athena III, which serves as a back up to the military antenna, WSC-6. CAIII and WSC-6 provide the ship access to the SHF bandwidth via a satellite.