Shipbucket

I'm wondering if it could use a command bridge, maybe even under the SPY-1 faces (this would also give it the advantage of placing it in the widest part of the superstructure).

I'm not sure where I'd move the aft Phalanx, but a single one forward ala DDG-51 would look rather nice on this ship and would use up that space between the forward superstructure and the VLS. You'd also free up the current forward Phalanx positions for M2s (later 25mm chainguns) to deal with port security and small boats.

Yeah, one fore, one aft and two abeam would provide better coverage against non-missile threats (though that's up to you to decide how critical that is).

To decide your Phalanx positions, look the fire angles at top view. The best Phalanx is that with the FLIR (Block II I think).

It helps that SPG-60 isn't actually needed. As I recall, SPQ-9 was always considered rather superior for surface fire, and in any case the Burkes do just fine without having any dedicated gunlaying radar whatsoever.

It's not as if 8"/55 is a terribly useful DP mount.

well, the burke has an optical sight coupled with the Mk 45 and an gunlaying computer.
IIRC that computer was connected with the surface search, and the Mk 86 GFCS had an optical sight as well (although it seems to have been fitted on the SPG-60 on the spruance) might be that the tico had that too?

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I think you are correct, although I can't recall where I might have seen a statement to that effect. I'll check Friedman tonight, if I remember.

Certainly many (all?) SPG-60 dishes have a characteristic cutout for an optical sight.

ok, how does this look? personally I like it. Got the aft directors about how I wanted them and changed CIWS position. dropped the MK 86, and this ship has cameras on both masts. that combined with the SPS-9B should have gun fire control taken care of. comments and suggestions always welcome and thank you all for them

Why do you have such a blocky, awkward-looking structure fore for the forward Phalanx? Like Ace said, you can use the structure that's on the Burkes.

Also you can have the directors on the hangar straddle the hangar instead of having to be perfectly in-line (like the fore directors on the Ticos) so the Phalanx won't block the line-of-sight.

Move the aft pair of directors back almost flush with the aft SPY deckhouse. There is no reason for that space and will get them off of your hanger.