Saratoga CV-3 1978
mods required!!!!
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Lore: (fictional)
After being decommisioned in 1945, she remained in storage for 5 years, being mothballed along with smaller Essex class CVs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (see image), originally intended to be expended as a target ship, it was argued that the Saratoga was still a very capable ship, having sufficient deck space for modern planes, in 1950, The Saratoga was rapidly recommisioned and refit along with most of the Essex class CVs for the Korean war, recieving new dual 5-inch/54-caliber Mark 16 turrets originally intended for the Montana-class BBs, it was completed in 1951, The ship provided close air support and provided shore bombardment with her newly installed gun turrets, however, there was a miscalculation, Saratoga engaged far too close to shore, it recieved numerous hits and she had to return home for repairs, on her way back she struck a mine, this disabled her engines, she was towed by the CL Manchester and successfully made it back to port, she was repaired and removed from service for a planned rebuild that could take up to 7-9 years, intended to make her operate early jet aircraft, recieving new aircraft catapults, a new main tower, more powerful engines and new anti aircraft guns, the ship would not commision again until 1961 due to cost overruns, on sea trials she managed to hit an impressive 35 knots, she did training sorties for the next couple of years with new A-4s and F-4s, being sent to vietnam in 1963, providing air cover for the rest of the conflict, later, she participated in training exercises along with the Essex class carrier Lexington, managing to sink her in a simulated battle, in 1973 she was reequiped, she was given experimental CIWS mounts, aircraft catapults that could accommodate F-14s, and modern computing systems, but her airgroup decreased to roughly 40 aircraft due to limited hanger space, in spite of that, she served another half a decade and was decommisioned in 1978.
