The four ship Markham class was almost forced on the Antarctican Navy. They would have been quite happy building more small cruisers for the Fleet and Patrol duties. But the Japanese and Germans were building big cruisers and the Allied Navies had to respond. The Antarctican Navy went back to its favourite Armoured Cruiser gun, the 9.5". Four triple turrets would be fitted to give the ships a decent margin of firepower over their Axis cruiser equivalents. To mount this armament required a large ship. Allied to the gunpower requirement was a 33 knot top speed so that they could catch their enemies.



These ships would end up serving over 50 years in the Antarctican Navy. They would go from refit to refit gaining better and better equipment. Through the 1960's the  ships would go for missile conversions, which their large size made them eminently suitable for. The forward half of the ship would remain a gun cruiser while the aft half would be converted for missiles. Until the ship was fitted with a 32 pod Mk 158 mod 0 launcher, in the bow.



The four ships never fired their guns at another enemy vessel. Bits of enemy dirt  - yes, enemy aircraft - yes, enemy ships - no. As can be seen from the Scorpion below deck drawing, it needed a big ship to be able to mount these launchers. The radar equipment gave the ships a very good spatial awareness of the threat box in the surrounding area. Multiple bogeys could be targeted and fired at, with the missiles being tracked to target. The ships were fitted with a sonar dome forward which was to be linked to an 8 cell launcher that was, in the end, never fitted. However the fitting of the VLS pod system forward allowed for anti-submarine missiles to be loaded.

 

Displacement	19,500 tons standard, 24,500 tons full load
Length	723 ft
Breadth	80 ft
Draught	27 ft
Machinery	4 shaft, steam turbines, 130,000shp
Speed	33 knots
Range	10,000 miles at 12 knots
Armour	6" side, 4" deck, 6" turrets
Armament	As completed 12 x 9.5" (4x3) 12 x 5" (6x2) 16 x 2pd AA (4x4) 24 x 20mm (24x1)	1966/80 6 x 9.5" (2x3) 8 x 5" (4x2) 4 x 40mm Mk5 (2x2) 1 x Twin Scorpion Launcher 4 x quad SuperCat Launchers 32 pod Mk 158 launchers
Aircraft	2 (removed 1943)	provision for landing helicopters
Complement	850-880 as Flagship
Notes	General Markham - deleted and scrapped 1993 General Jarreau - deleted and scrapped 1993 Senator Adiemus - deleted and scrapped 1994 Grand Admiral Myles - Museum ship 1995

Rocket Assisted Projectile: is an artillery or cannon round incorporating a rocket motor for independent propulsion. This grants the projectile both greater speed and range than an ordinary shell, which is propelled only by the ballistic force of the gun's exploding charge. Some forms of Rocket Assisted Projectiles can be outfitted with a laser-guide for greater accuracy. Projectiles for both the 5" and 9.5" guns are available. The good thing about R.A.P.'s is that they take very little time from acquiring target to firing. Missiles take a bit longer.



Mk 158 mod 0 VLS launcher



Four eight pod launchers were fitted in the bow of the Markham class. Which could have a variety of weapons loaded in them.