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USS Sides leaves tomorrow

by Malini Govinnage

A US guided missile frigate, the USS Sides (FFG-14) arrived here on Saturday May 11 for a four-day port visit and leaves the Colombo port to day, May 14.

Welcoming the media people on board the USS Sides Commanding Officer 48-year-old Commander Octavio E Manduley said the ship is currently in the midst of a regularly scheduled deployment that includes operations in support of combating terrorism in the region. Terrorism is the No. 1 problem facing the world today - very small groups of people killing a large numbers, he said.

He said this visit is a "great opportunity for our sailors to learn about Colombo and Sri Lanka to meet the local people and have some time for rest and recreation.

"In my 18 years of sea life this is the most beautiful country I have visited", he said.

Named after Admiral John H. Sides who has served the US Navy for nearly four decades and who is a proponent of modern naval missilery the ship is manned by 19 officers, 15 chief petty officers and 155 enlisted. No women serve in the ship.

Built by Todd Pacific Shipyard in California, this is the seventh of 51 fleet of Oliver Hazard Perry class, the largest single class warships built by a western navy since world war two. Australia, Spain and several other countries use ships of this class today.

The Sides missile gun and anti-submarine warfare systems with its ability to accelerate and decelerate rapidly has made it a most sophisticated asset in any war threat environment.

Among many other armaments the ship carries guided anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles, rapid firing guns and torpedo tubes.

Combat systems consist of air search radars, surface search radars, fire control systems, electronic warfare systems and sonar and decoy systems.

The USS Sides left the homeport San Diego, California in February this year. The ship can stay in the deep without replenishment as long as 90 days, the limiting factor being fuel" explained Geoff Sheppard, Assistant Public Affairs of the ship, who took the media group on a guided tour in the ship.

The USS Sides is the second US navel ship to visit Colombo port during the last two weeks. The first was the USS Hopper, a guided missile destroyer and the first US navel visit in eight years.

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