Ticonderoga-class cruiser

Last updated

US Navy 254656085 245715574256384 6757387653505098127 n.jpg
USS Lake Champlain
Class overview
NameTiconderoga class
Builders
OperatorsFlag of the United States.svg  United States Navy
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Cost~$1 Billion (1994 for last ship)
Built1980–1994
In commission1983–present
Completed27
Active13
Lost0
Retired14
General characteristics
Type Guided-missile cruiser
DisplacementApprox. 9,600 long tons (9,800 t) full load
Length567 feet (173 m)
Beam55 feet (16.8 meters)
Draft34 feet (10.2 meters)
Propulsion
Speed32.5 knots (60 km/h; 37.4 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km) at 20 kn (37 km/h); 3,300 nmi (6,100 km) at 30 kn (56 km/h).
Complement30 officers and 300 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
ArmorLimited Kevlar splinter protection in critical areas
Aircraft carried2 × MH-60R Seahawk LAMPS Mk III helicopters.

The Ticonderoga class of guided-missile cruisers is a class of warships of the United States Navy, first ordered and authorized in the 1978 fiscal year. It was originally planned as a class of destroyers. However, the increased combat capability offered by the Aegis Combat System and the passive phased array AN/SPY-1 radar, together with the capability of operating as a flagship, were used to justify the change of the classification from DDG (guided-missile destroyer) to CG (guided-missile cruiser) shortly before the keels were laid down for Ticonderoga and Yorktown.

Contents

Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers are multi-role warships. Their Mk 41 VLS can fire Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike land targets or anti-aircraft SM-2MR/ERs for defense against aircraft or anti-ship missiles. Their LAMPS III helicopters, RUM-139 ASROCs, and sonar systems allow them to perform anti-submarine missions. Ticonderoga-class ships are designed to be elements of carrier strike groups or amphibious ready groups, as well as perform missions such as interdiction or escort. [1] With upgrades to their AN/SPY-1 systems and their associated missile payloads as part of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, members of this class have also demonstrated proficiency as mobile anti-ballistic missile and anti-satellite platforms.

Of the 27 completed vessels, nineteen were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding and eight by Bath Iron Works (BIW). All but one (Thomas S. Gates) of the ships in the class were originally named for noteworthy events in U.S. military history, although a second (originally named Chancellorsville) was renamed to USS Robert Smalls (CG-62) in March 2023, and at least twelve share their names with World War II-era aircraft carriers. As of October 2023, 13 ships remain active. Due to the high cost of maintenance and age, the entire class is being progressively retired; the last vessels are scheduled for decommissioning in 2027. Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers will serve as short-term role replacements until the expected commissioning of DDG(X) destroyers in the 2030s. [2] [3]

History

The Ticonderoga class was originally ordered as guided-missile destroyers, with the designation DDG-47. Under Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo Zumwalt's "high-low mix", the Ticonderogas were intended to be lower-cost platforms for the new Aegis Combat System by mounting the system on a hull based on that of the Spruance-class destroyer. They were to complement the much larger and more capable Strike Cruiser (CSGN) comprising the high end, which were expected to act as flagships. However, with the cancelation of the Strike Cruiser as well as the scaled-down CGN-42 (Virginia-class cruiser hull) alternative, requirements were transferred to the DDG-47. Flagship capabilities were added to the class, and it was eventually re-designated as guided-missile cruisers, CG-47, to reflect these additional capabilities. [4] The Ticonderoga-class cruiser went on to form the high end of the fleet, with the later introduction of the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer forming the low end. [5]

CG-52 onwards were equipped with the Mk 41 vertical launch system. As the Aegis Combat System and the additional cruiser roles added substantial weight to the Spruance-derived hull, the design had limited growth potential in terms of weight and power margin. In the 1980s, a design study known as Cruiser Baseline (CGBL) was created to accommodate the capabilities of CG-52 onto a hull with design and construction techniques matching the DDG-51 (Arleigh Burke-class destroyer) for improved survivability and weight allowances. [6]

Proposed early retirement

Due to Budget Control Act of 2011 requirements to cut the Defense Budget for FY2013 and subsequent years, plans were being considered to decommission some of the Ticonderoga-class cruisers. [7] For the U.S. Defense 2013 Budget Proposal, the U.S. Navy was to decommission seven cruisers early in fiscal years 2013 and 2014. [8]

By October 2012, the U.S. Navy had decided not to retire four of the cruisers early in order to maintain the size of the fleet. Four Ticonderoga-class cruisers, plus 21 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, are scheduled to be equipped for anti-ballistic missile and anti-satellite operations. [9]

In March 2019, the Navy proposed decommissioning the six oldest ships, Bunker Hill, Mobile Bay, Antietam, Leyte Gulf, San Jacinto, and Lake Champlain, in 2021 and 2022, instead of dry-docking them for life-extension maintenance updates as a cost-saving measure. This would not technically be an "early retirement", as the ships would be at their originally planned 35-year life dates, but they would be able to serve longer with the upgrades. The proposal still needs the approval of Congress, which is usually hesitant to approve any actions that would reduce the size of the active combat fleet. [10]

In December 2021, the House approved a bill that would allow the Navy to retire only five Ticonderoga-class cruisers versus the Navy's request to retire seven. [11]

Proposed and Scheduled Retirements

In December 2020, the U.S. Navy's Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels stated that the following ships were planned to be placed Out of Commission in Reserve: [12] At this time, the proposed dates were:

Proposed Inactivation Schedule
Fiscal YearTotalAffected Vessels
20226 San Jacinto (CG-56), Monterey (CG-61), Hué City  (CG-66), Anzio (CG-68), Vella Gulf  (CG-72), Port Royal (CG-73)
20232 Bunker Hill (CG-52), Mobile Bay  (CG-53)
20242 Antietam (CG-54), Shiloh  (CG-67)
20250None
20261 Robert Smalls  (CG-62)

In July 2021, the Navy requested to retire seven cruisers in the Fiscal Year 2022, adding Lake Champlain (CG-57) to the six listed above. [13] This request only included the Fiscal Year 2022 inactivations rather than the more common list for the next five years:

Proposed Inactivation Schedule
Fiscal YearTotalAffected Vessels
20227 San Jacinto (CG-56), Lake Champlain (CG-57), Monterey (CG-61), Hué City  (CG-66), Anzio (CG-68), Vella Gulf  (CG-72), Port Royal (CG-73)

The final budget passed in December 2021 prohibited the Navy from using any funds "to retire, prepare to retire, inactivate, or place in storage more than 5 guided missile cruisers." [14] The budget did not specify which cruisers could be retired, and the Navy ultimately chose to retire Monterey (CG-61), Hué City (CG-66), Anzio (CG-68), Vella Gulf (CG-72), and Port Royal (CG-73).

In April 2022, the Navy requested to retire all 17 remaining cruisers by the end of Fiscal Year 2027. [15] The schedule was as follows:

Proposed Inactivation Schedule
Fiscal YearTotalAffected Vessels
20235 Bunker Hill (CG-52), Mobile Bay  (CG-53), San Jacinto (CG-56), Lake Champlain (CG-57), Vicksburg (CG-69)
20243 Antietam (CG-54), Leyte Gulf (CG-55), Shiloh  (CG-67)
20253 Philippine Sea (CG-58), Normandy (CG-60), Lake Erie (CG-70)
20264 Princeton (CG-59), Robert Smalls  (CG-62), Cowpens (CG-63), Gettysburg (CG-64)
20272 Chosin (CG-65) Cape St. George (CG-71)

Both the House and Senate draft budgets explicitly forbid retiring Vicksburg by name, as the ship is nearing the end of a modernization as part of the Phased Modernization Program (also known as the 2-4-6 Program). [16] The House budget prohibits the Navy from using any funds "to retire, prepare to retire, inactivate, or place in storage more than four guided missile cruisers." Until the final budget is passed, all retirement requests are pending.

Replacement

From left to right: Thomas S. Gates, Ticonderoga, and Yorktown laid up in Philadelphia, May 2016 USS Yorktown (CG-48), USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) and USS Thomas S. Gates (CG-51) laid up at the Philadelphia Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility, Pennsylvania (USA), on 4 May 2016.jpg
From left to right: Thomas S. Gates, Ticonderoga, and Yorktown laid up in Philadelphia, May 2016

In their 2015 budget request, the Navy outlined a plan to operate eleven cruisers, while the other eleven were upgraded to a new standard. The upgraded cruisers would then start replacing the older ships, which would be retired starting in 2019. [17] This would retain one cruiser per aircraft carrier group to host the group's air warfare commander, a role for which the destroyers do not have sufficient facilities. Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with the Air and Missile Defense Radar provide enhanced coverage, but putting the radar on standard destroyer hulls does not allow enough room for extra staff and command and control facilities for the air warfare commander. Destroyers can be used tactically for air defense, but they augment cruisers that provide command and control in a carrier group and are primarily used for other missions like defending other fleet units and keeping sea lanes open. Congress opposed the plan on the grounds that it makes it easier for Navy officials to completely retire the ships once out of service. The Navy would have to retire all cruisers from the fleet by 2028 if all are kept in service, while deactivating half and gradually returning them into service could make 11 cruisers last from 2035 to 2045. Replacement of the cruisers was repeatedly delayed by funding due to commitment to the Columbia-class submarine, so work on a new cruiser was expected to begin in the mid-2020s and begin fielding by the mid-2030s. [18]

Due to the large overlap in size and capabilities of its guided missile cruisers and destroyers, the Navy eventually coalesced them into a single class of large multi-mission ships with an emphasis on air and missile defense called Large Surface Combatants (LSC); in 2018, the Navy stated that a future LSC would have capabilities of the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers as a starting baseline while having future growth margins and air defense command and control of the Ticonderoga class. [19] Consequently, the short-term replacement for the first decommissioned cruisers is the Flight III Arleigh Burke class starting in the mid-2020s, while the last of the Ticonderoga-class cruisers and Flights I and II of the Arleigh Burke class will be replaced by the DDG(X) program in the early 2030s. The program office was established in June 2021, and design work was contracted starting in February 2022. Despite the designation, the DDG(X) is expected to be considerably larger and at least as capable as the Ticonderoga class. [20] [21]

Design

Bunker Hill (rear) with Lekir of the Royal Malaysian Navy during a passing exercise in the Strait of Malacca US Navy 110126-N-7981E-422 The Royal Malaysian Navy frigate KD Lekir (FF 26) leads the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG.jpg
Bunker Hill (rear) with Lekir of the Royal Malaysian Navy during a passing exercise in the Strait of Malacca

The Ticonderoga-class cruiser's design was based on that of the Spruance-class destroyer. [1] The Ticonderoga class introduced a new generation of guided missile warships based on the Aegis phased array radar that is capable of simultaneously scanning for threats, tracking targets, and guiding missiles to interception. When they were designed, they had the most powerful electronic warfare equipment and the most advanced underwater surveillance system in the U.S. Navy. These ships were one of the first classes of warships to be built in modules, rather than being assembled from the bottom up. [1]

The greater size and equipment on the CG-47-class cruisers increased displacement from 6,900 tons of the DD-963-class destroyers to 9,600 tons of displacement for the heavier cruisers. Aegis cruisers can steam in any ocean and conduct multi-warfare operations anywhere. Some cruisers reported some structural problems in early service after extended periods in extremely heavy seas; they were generally corrected from the late 1980s to the mid-1990s. Several ships had superstructure cracks, which were repaired. [22]

These ships' superstructures were a modification of that on the Spruance-class destroyers and were required to support two deck-houses (one forward for antennas forward and starboard), and the aft deck-house housed the aft and port antenna arrays. The later Arleigh Burke-class Aegis destroyers are designed from the keel up to carry the SPY-1D radars and have them all clustered together on the forward deckhouse, saving space and weight and simplifying cooling requirements. The radar support equipment is closer together, minimizing cable runs and concentrating support equipment.[ citation needed ]

Ticonderoga-class cruisers (right) were built on the same hull as the Spruance-class destroyer (left). Bow view of USS Spruance (DD-963) and USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) at Naval Station Norfolk on 8 October 1983 (6397938).jpg
Ticonderoga–class cruisers (right) were built on the same hull as the Spruance-class destroyer (left).

Operations research was used to study manpower requirements for the Ticonderoga class. It was found that four officers and 44 enlisted sailors could be removed from the ship's complement by removing traditional posts that had been made obsolete. [1] However, manpower savings achieved by eliminating the very manpower-intensive Mk 26 guided missile system and replacing it with the far more capable and versatile Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) were harder to emulate with the Mk 45 127 mm (5") gun systems. The Aegis Cruisers are "double-enders", and along with the Zumwalt class, are the only surface combatants in the fleet that employ two large-caliber guns.

Vertical Launching System

An overhead view of the Ticonderoga class Lake Champlain, with VLS visible fore and aft as the gray boxes near the bow and stern of the ship. US Navy 031109-N-9769P-076 Guided missile cruiser USS Lake Champlain (CG 57) steams in the Southern California operating area.jpg
An overhead view of the Ticonderoga class Lake Champlain, with VLS visible fore and aft as the gray boxes near the bow and stern of the ship.
The older Ticonderoga with the pre-VLS twin-arm launchers visible fore and aft. USS Ticonderoga (CG-47) underway off Puerto Rico on 9 April 1983 (6379851).jpg
The older Ticonderoga with the pre-VLS twin-arm launchers visible fore and aft.

In addition to the added radar capability, the Ticonderoga-class ships built after USS Thomas S. Gates (CG-51) included two Mark 41 Vertical Launching Systems (VLS). The two VLS allow the ship to have 122 missile storage and launching tubes that can carry a wide variety of missiles, including Tomahawk cruise missiles, Standard Missile -2MR/ER and -6 surface-to-air missiles, Evolved SeaSparrow Missiles surface-to-air missiles, and RUM-139 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ASROCs. More importantly, the VLS enables all missiles to be on full standby at any given time, shortening the warship's response time before firing. The original five ships (Ticonderoga, Yorktown, Vincennes, Valley Forge, and Thomas S. Gates) had Mark 26 twin-arm launchers that limited their missile capacity to a total of 88 missiles and could only fire the SM-2MR and RUM-139. After the end of the Cold War, the less capable original five warships were limited to duties close to the home waters of the United States.

A standard VLS loadout for a Ticonderoga cruiser as of 2018 is 12 SM-6s, 3 SM-2ERs, 56 SM-2MRs, 12 RIM-162 ESSMs, 10 SM-3s, 32 Tomahawks, and 6 RUM-139s. In addition, Ticonderogas carry 8 Harpoon anti-ship missiles in standalone launchers at the fantail of the ships. [23]

Upgrades

Originally, the U.S. Navy had intended to replace its fleet of Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruisers with cruisers produced as part of the CG(X) missile cruiser program; however, severe budget cuts from the 21st-century surface combatant program coupled with the increasing cost of the Zumwalt-class destroyer program resulted in the CG(X) program being canceled. The Ticonderoga-class cruisers were instead to be replaced by Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. [24]

All five of the twin-arm (Mk-26) cruisers have been decommissioned. In 2003, the newer 22 of the 27 ships (CG-52 to CG-73) in the class were upgraded to keep them combat-relevant, giving the ships a service life of 35 years. In the years leading up to their decommissioning, the five twin-arm ships had been assigned primarily home-waters duties, acting as command ships for destroyer squadrons assigned to the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic areas.

As of July 2013, two cruisers have completed hull, mechanical, and electrical (HM&E) upgrades, and eight cruisers have had combat systems upgrades. These include an upgrade of the Aegis computational system with new computers and equipment cabinets, the SPQ-9B radar system upgrade introducing an increased capability over only gunfire control, optical fiber data communications and software upgrades, and modifications to the vertical launching system allowing two 8-cell modules to fire the RIM-162 ESSM. The most recent upgrade packages include SM-6 and Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air (NIFC-CA) capability. Another upgrade is improving the SQQ-89A(V)15 sonar with a multi-function towed array. Hull, sonar, radar, electrical, computer, and weapons systems upgrades can cost up to $250 million per ship. [25] [26]

Service

Downing of Iran Air Flight 655

USS Vincennes (CG-49) achieved notoriety in 1988 when, amid a running gun battle with Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats, she shot down Iran Air Flight 655, resulting in 290 civilian deaths. [27] [28] The commanding officer of USS Vincennes, William C. Rogers III, believed the airliner to be an Iranian Air Force F-14 Tomcat fighter jet on an attack vector, based on misreported radar returns. The investigation report recommended that the Aegis large screen display be changed to allow the display of altitude information on plots and that stress factors on personnel using Aegis be studied. [29]

Interception of United States satellite USA-193

On 14 February 2008, the United States Department of Defense announced that USS Lake Erie (CG-70) would attempt to hit the dead satellite USA-193 over the North Pacific Ocean just before it would burn up on reentry. [30] [31] On 20 February 2008, at approximately 22:30 EST (21 February, 03:30 UTC), an SM-3 was fired from Lake Erie, which struck the satellite. The military intended that the missile's kinetic energy would rupture the hydrazine fuel tank allowing the toxic fuel to be consumed during re-entry. [32] The Department of Defense confirmed that the missile had directly hit the fuel tank. [33]

Ships in class

As part of the federal budget, the Navy had originally requested to decommission seven cruisers in the fiscal year 2022 (FY 2022), releasing a schedule of when these ships would be retired, (note that as opposed to calendar years, fiscal years run from 1 October to 30 September). When Congress passed the final budget, they limited that number of retired cruisers to five. Concerns of lawmakers included the number of ships available in the battle force, how fast retired ships could be replaced with new ones, and overall costs. The budget did not specify which ships were to be retired but did specify certain ships that could not be retired due to factors such as expenditures on recent modernization programs. [34] [35]

The table below includes the proposed retirements from the latest budget request for FY 2023. [34] The retirements for the next fiscal year are proposed by the Navy, and they are not official until approved by Congress. Those for the next four years are proposed only and must be requested in that year's budget request. Until the final budget is passed, all retirement requests are pending. [36] [37]

NameHull no.BuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedService lifeHomeportStatus
Mark 26 twin-arm missile launcher variant
Ticonderoga CG-47 Ingalls Shipbuilding 21 January 198025 April 198122 January 198330 September 200421 years, 252 days
n/a
Scrapped 2022
Yorktown CG-48Ingalls Shipbuilding19 October 198117 January 19834 July 198410 December 200420 years, 159 days
n/a
Arrived in Brownsville, Texas for scrapping, November 2022 [38]
Vincennes CG-49Ingalls Shipbuilding19 October 198214 January 19846 July 198529 June 200519 years, 358 days
n/a
Scrapped 2011
Valley Forge CG-50Ingalls Shipbuilding14 April 198323 June 198418 January 198630 August 200418 years, 225 days
n/a
Sunk as target 2006
Thomas S. Gates CG-51 Bath Iron Works 31 August 198414 December 198522 August 198716 December 200518 years, 116 days
n/a
Scrapped 2017
Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) Variant
Bunker Hill CG-52Ingalls Shipbuilding11 January 198411 March 198520 September 198622 September 2023 [39] 37 years, 2 days Bremerton, WA (formerly San Diego) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Mobile Bay CG-53Ingalls Shipbuilding6 June 198422 August 198521 February 198710 August 2023 [40] 36 years, 179 days Bremerton, WA (formerly San Diego) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Antietam CG-54Ingalls Shipbuilding15 November 198414 February 19866 June 1987Requested 2024 [34] Pearl Harbor, HI In active service
Leyte Gulf CG-55Ingalls Shipbuilding18 March 198520 June 198626 September 1987Requested 2024 [34] Norfolk, VA In active service
San Jacinto CG-56Ingalls Shipbuilding24 July 198514 November 198623 January 198815 September 2023 [41] 35 years, 235 days Philadelphia, PA (formerly Norfolk) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Lake Champlain CG-57Ingalls Shipbuilding3 March 19863 April 198712 August 19881 September 2023 [42] 35 years, 20 days Bremerton, WA (formerly San Diego) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Philippine Sea CG-58Bath Iron Works8 April 198612 July 198718 March 1989Proposed 2025 [34] Norfolk, VA In active service
Princeton CG-59Ingalls Shipbuilding15 October 19862 October 198711 February 1989Proposed 2026 [34] San Diego, CA In active service
Normandy CG-60Bath Iron Works7 April 198719 March 19889 December 1989Proposed 2025 [34] Norfolk, VA In active service
Monterey CG-61Bath Iron Works19 August 198723 October 198816 June 199016 September 2022 [43] 32 years, 92 days Philadelphia, PA (formerly Norfolk) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Robert Smalls CG-62Ingalls Shipbuilding24 June 198715 July 19884 November 1989Proposed 2026 [34] Yokosuka, Japan In active service, former USS Chancellorsville [44]
Cowpens CG-63Bath Iron Works23 December 198711 March 19899 March 1991Requested 2024 [34] San Diego, CA In active service
Gettysburg CG-64Bath Iron Works17 August 198822 July 198922 June 1991Proposed 2026 [34] Norfolk, VA In active service
Chosin CG-65Ingalls Shipbuilding22 July 19881 September 198912 January 1991Proposed 2027 [34] San Diego, CA In active service
Hué City CG-66Ingalls Shipbuilding20 February 19891 June 199014 September 199123 September 2022 [45] 31 years, 9 days Philadelphia, PA (formerly Norfolk) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Shiloh CG-67Bath Iron Works1 August 19898 September 199018 July 1992Requested 2024 [34] Pearl Harbor, HI In active service
Anzio CG-68Ingalls Shipbuilding21 August 19892 November 19902 May 199222 September 2022 [46] 30 years, 143 days Philadelphia, PA (formerly Norfolk) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Vicksburg CG-69Ingalls Shipbuilding30 May 19902 August 199114 November 1992Requested 2024 [34] Norfolk, VA In active service
Lake Erie CG-70Bath Iron Works6 March 199013 July 199110 May 1993Proposed 2025 [34] San Diego, CA In active service
Cape St. George CG-71Ingalls Shipbuilding19 November 199010 January 199212 June 1993Proposed 2027 [34] San Diego, CA In active service
Vella Gulf CG-72Ingalls Shipbuilding22 April 199113 June 199218 September 19934 August 2022 [47] 28 years, 320 days Philadelphia, PA (formerly Norfolk) Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
Port Royal CG-73Ingalls Shipbuilding18 October 199120 November 19929 July 199429 September 2022 [48] 28 years, 82 days Pearl Harbor, HI Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet
NameHull no.BuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedService lifeHomeportStatus

Status summary

StatusCount
Active, in commission13
Decommissioned, sent to Reserve Fleet9
Decommissioned, to be disposed1
Disposed of by scrapping or sunk4
Total27

See also

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The CG(X) program, also known as the Next Generation Cruiser program, was a United States Navy research program to develop a replacement vessel for its 22 Ticonderoga-class cruisers. Original plans were for 18–19 ships, based on the 14,500 ton Zumwalt-class destroyer with additional ballistic missile defense and area air defense for a carrier group. These vessels were to enter service beginning in 2017. The program was ended in 2010 with its mission to be fulfilled by the successor to the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.

<i>Sejong the Great</i>-class destroyer Class of South Korean destroyers

The Sejong the Great-class destroyers, also known as KDX-III, are three guided-missile destroyers of the Republic of Korea Navy (ROKN).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Threat Upgrade</span>

New Threat Upgrade (NTU) was a United States Navy program to improve and modernize the capability of existing cruisers and destroyers equipped with Terrier and Tartar anti-aircraft systems, keeping them in service longer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RIM-66 Standard</span> US medium range surface-to-air missile

The RIM-66 Standard MR (SM-1MR/SM-2MR) is a medium-range surface-to-air missile (SAM), with a secondary role as an anti-ship missile, developed for the United States Navy (USN). A member of the Standard Missile family of weapons, the SM-1 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-24 Tartar that were deployed in the 1950s on a variety of USN ships. The RIM-67 Standard (SM-1ER/SM-2ER) is an extended range version of this missile with a solid rocket booster stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RIM-67 Standard</span> Extended range surface-to-air missile with anti-ship capability

The RIM-67 Standard ER (SM-1ER/SM-2ER) is an extended range surface-to-air missile (SAM) with a secondary anti-ship capability, originally developed for the United States Navy (USN). The RIM-67 was developed as a replacement for the RIM-8 Talos, a 1950s system deployed on a variety of USN ships, and eventually replaced the RIM-2 Terrier as well, since it was of a similar size and fitted existing Terrier launchers and magazines. The RIM-66 Standard MR was essentially the same missile without the booster stage, designed to replace the RIM-24 Tartar. The RIM-66/67 series thus became the US Navy's universal SAM system, hence the designation "Standard Missile".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AN/SPY-1</span> Passive electronically scanned radar system

The AN/SPY-1 is a United States Navy 3D radar system manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The array is a passive electronically scanned system and a key component of the Aegis Combat System. The system is computer controlled and uses four complementary antennas to provide 360-degree coverage. The system was first installed in 1973 on USS Norton Sound and entered active service in 1983 as the SPY-1A on USS Ticonderoga. The -1A was installed on ships up to CG-58, with the -1B upgrade first installed on USS Princeton in 1986. The upgraded -1B(V) was retrofitted to existing ships from CG-59 up to the last, USS Port Royal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark 41 Vertical Launching System</span> Missile launching system

The Mark 41 Vertical Launching System is a shipborne missile canister launching system which provides a rapid-fire launch capability against hostile threats. The Vertical Launch System (VLS) concept was derived from work on the Aegis Combat System.

DDG(X) U.S. Navy program to develop a class of principle surface combattants

The DDG(X) or Next-Generation Guided-Missile Destroyer program of the United States Navy aims to develop a class of surface combatants to succeed 22 Flight II Ticonderoga-class cruisers and 28 Flight I/II Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The program is the culmination of the Large Surface Combatant (LSC) initiative that followed the cancellation of CG(X) and curtailing of the procurement of the Zumwalt-class destroyers. The ships will become the principal large surface combatants of the U.S. Navy. Compared to their predecessors, they will incorporate more powerful sensors and have more room and weight margin for growth.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "CG-47 Ticonderoga (class)". Federation of American Scientists. Archived from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  2. ↑ "After a Decade of Debate, Cruisers Set to Exit Fleet in 5 Years". usni.org. 21 April 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  3. ↑ "As the US Navy scrambles to field more missiles in Asia, a tough decision looms for aging cruisers". defensenews.com. 12 April 2022. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  4. ↑ Friedman, Norman (1984). U.S. CRUISERS An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 419–422.
  5. ↑ Stillwell, Paul (1 August 2010). "Designing the Arleigh Burke's Hull". U.S. Naval Institute. Archived from the original on 26 January 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  6. ↑ Friedman, Norman (1984). U.S. CRUISERS An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
  7. ↑ Cavas, Christopher P. (26 January 2012). "Navy avoids most of Pentagon's latest cuts". Navy Times. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Fellman, Sam (13 February 2012). "Navy budget request avoids deep cuts". Navy Times. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  9. ↑ "American Cruisers Not Allowed To Retire". Strategypage.com. 2 October 2012. Archived from the original on 8 January 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  10. ↑ "Once again, the US Navy looks to scrap its largest combatants to save money". defensenews.com. 18 March 2019. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
  11. ↑ "New Defense Bill Saves 2 Cruisers, Approves 13 Battle Force Ships; Adds 12 Super Hornets". defensenews.com. 7 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  12. ↑ "Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels" (PDF). Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. 9 December 2020. p. 16. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
  13. ↑ FY22 PROJECTED SHIP INACTIVATION SCHEDULE, CNO message 021303Z JUL 21, 2021-07-02
  14. ↑ Shelbourne, Mallory (7 December 2021). "New Defense Bill Saves 2 Cruisers, Approves 13 Battle Force Ships; Adds 12 Super Hornets". USNI News. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2023" (PDF). April 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  16. ↑ "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress" (PDF). Every CRS Report. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  17. ↑ Axe, David (13 March 2014). "The Navy's New Cruiser Is … the Navy's Old Cruiser". medium.com. War is Boring. Archived from the original on 13 March 2014. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  18. ↑ Cavas, Christopher P. (6 July 2014). "US Navy's Cruiser Problem". www.defensenews.com. Gannett Government Media. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  19. ↑ "The Navy Is Going To Need A Bigger Boat And It's Getting Ready To Buy One". Defense News. 17 September 2018.
  20. ↑ Eckstein, Megan (4 June 2021). "US Navy creates DDG(X) program office after years of delays for large combatant replacement". DefenseNews.
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  22. ↑ Hart, Daniel. "Fatigue Performance of Composite Patch Repaired Cracked Aluminum Plates" (PDF). Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division.
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  24. ↑ "Navy DDG-51 and DDG-1000 Destroyer Programs: Background and Issues for Congress". Open CRS. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  25. ↑ Osborn, Kris (9 July 2013). "Navy Upgrades More Than a Third of Cruisers". DoDBuzz.com. Archived from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  26. ↑ NAVEDTRA 14324A, Gunner's Mate, Chapter 7.
  27. ↑ David, Crist (2013). The twilight war : the secret history of America's thirty-year conflict with Iran. New York. ISBN   9780143123675. OCLC   852699041.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ↑ McCarthy, Julian Daniel (1991). U.S.S. Vincennes (CG 49) shootdown of Iran Air Flight. Dudley Knox Library Naval Postgraduate School. Springfield, Va. : Available from the National Technical Information Service. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  29. ↑ Fogarty, William M. (28 July 1988). Formal Investigation into the Circumstances Surrounding the Downing of Iran Air Flight 655 on July 3, 1988 (PDF) (Report). CM-1485-88 / 93-FOI-0184. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2012.
  30. ↑ Mount, Mike (14 February 2008). "Officials: U.S. to try to shoot down errant satellite". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  31. ↑ Roberts, Kristin (14 February 2008). "Pentagon plans to shoot down disabled satellite". Reuters. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  32. ↑ Shanker, Thom (21 February 2008). "Missile Strikes a Spy Satellite Falling From Its Orbit". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  33. ↑ "Navy Succeeds In Intercepting Non-Functioning Satellite". NNS. 20 February 2008. Archived from the original on 25 February 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 "Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2023" (PDF). April 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  35. ↑ Shelbourne, Mallory (7 December 2021). "New Defense Bill Saves 2 Cruisers, Approves 13 Battle Force Ships; Adds 12 Super Hornets". US Naval Institute. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  36. ↑ "Report to Congress on the Annual Long-Range Plan for Construction of Naval Vessels for Fiscal Year 2022" (PDF). June 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  37. ↑ "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress" (PDF). Every CRS Report. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2022.
  38. ↑ "Decommissioned USS Yorktown arrives for recycling in Rio Grande Valley". KVEO-TV. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  39. ↑ Ripley, Julie Ann (22 September 2023). "USS Bunker Hill Decommissions". Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  40. ↑ "USS Mobile Bay Decommissions, Honors 36 Years of Service" (Press release). United States Navy. 11 August 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  41. ↑ "USS San Jacinto (CG-56) Decommissions, Honoring 35 Years of Service" (Press release). United States Navy. 16 September 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  42. ↑ "USS Lake Champlain Decommissions After 35 Years of Distinguished Service" (Press release). United States Navy. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
  43. ↑ "USS Monterey Decommissioned" (Press release). United States Navy. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  44. ↑ "UPDATED: Commission Recommends Renaming Two Navy Ships with Confederate Ties". USNI News . 13 September 2022. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  45. ↑ "USS Hué City Decommissioned After 31 Years of Service" (Press release). United States Navy. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
  46. ↑ "USS Anzio Decommissioned After 30 Years of Service" (Press release). United States Navy. 22 September 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  47. ↑ "USS Vella Gulf (CG 72) Decommissioned" (Press release). United States Navy. 4 August 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  48. ↑ "USS Port Royal Decommissions during Pearl Harbor Ceremony" (Press release). United States Navy. 29 September 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
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