Virginia class cruiser
From Free net encyclopedia
| Virginia-class guided missile cruiser | |
|---|---|
| Image:USS Arkansas CGN41.jpg | |
| Class Overview | |
| Class type: | Guided missile cruiser |
| Class name: | Virginia |
| Preceded by: | California-class cruiser |
| Succeded by: | Ticonderoga-class cruiser |
| Ships of the line: | Virginia (CGN-38), Texas (CGN-39), Mississippi (CGN-40), Arkansas (CGN-41) |
The Virginia-class nuclear guided missile cruisers (CGN-38 class) were a series of four guided missile cruisers commissioned in the late 1970s, which served in the US Navy through early to mid 1990s. The ships were derived from the earlier California-class nuclear cruiser (CGN-36 class). They were decommissioned as part of the early 1990s "peace dividend" from winning the Cold War. A fifth ship, CGN-42, was canceled before being named or laid down. It was found that while it was possible to mass-produce nuclear-powered warships, the ships were less cost-efficient than conventionally powered vessels, and the new gas-turbine powered ships then entering the fleet (the Spruance class destroyers) required much less manpower.
The elimination of the Virginia-class (CGN 38-41) cruisers has been criticized. They were new, modern ships; given a New Threat Upgrade overhaul they would have been well suited to modern threats (they had rapid-fire Mk 26 launchers which could fire the powerful Standard SM-2MR medium range surface to air missile; earlier decommissioned cruisers used slow-firing Mk. 10 launchers which required manual finning of the missiles prior to launch). Their major weakness was a lack of helicopters. Economics doomed the ships, though. They were coming due for nuclear refuellings, mid-life overhauls and NTUs, all expensive projects. Further, they had relatively large crews, straining USN personnel resources. Given less need for cruisers, it was decided to eliminate these ships as a money saving measure.
Ships:
(This entry includes information from the news:sci.military.naval newsgroup FAQ)
| Virginia-class guided missile cruiser |
| Virginia | Texas | Mississippi | Arkansas |
| List of cruisers of the United States Navy |