NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Virginia 1978

Ships

No	Name	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comm	Fate
CGN38	Virginia	601	Newport News SB	19.8.1972	14.12.1974	11.9.1976	stricken 10.1994
CGN39	Texas	606	Newport News SB	18.8.1973	9.8.1975	10.9.1977	stricken 7.1993
CGN40	Mississippi	607	Newport News SB	22.2.1975	31.7.1976	5.8.1978	stricken 7.1997
CGN41	Arkansas	612	Newport News SB	17.1.1977	21.10.1978	18.10.1980	stricken 7.1998

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	10500
Displacement full, t	11500
Length, m	170.7 wl 178.3 oa
Breadth, m	19.2
Draught, m	6.40
No of shafts	2
Machinery	2 sets geared steam turbines, 2 D2G reactors
Power, h. p.	70000
Max speed, kts	30+
Fuel, t	nuclear
Endurance, nm(kts)	practically unlimited
Armament	CGN38-40: 2 x 2 Standard SM-1MR SAM / ASROC ASuR (52 RIM-66A/B + 16 RUR-5), 2 x 1 - 127/54 Mk 45, 2 x 3 - 324 TT (14), 2 helicopters (SH-2) CGN41: 2 x 4 Harpoon SSM (8 RGM-84), 2 x 2 Standard SM-1MR SAM / ASROC ASuR (68 RIM-66A/B and RUR-5), 2 x 1 - 127/54 Mk 45, 2 x 3 - 324 TT (14), 2 helicopters (SH-2)
Electronic equipment	SPS-40B, SPS-48A/C, SPS-55, 2x SPG-51D, SPG-60D, SPQ-9A, LN-66 radars, SQS-53A sonar, WLR-1, WLR-3 ECM suites, 2x Mk 28 decoy RL, NTDS CCS
Complement	519

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Redesignated cruisers in 1975, these ships were initially intended as nuclear counterparts to the Spruance DDG design (DXGN), although they were completed as slightly improved equivalents of the Californias. Four were built under the FY70-75 budgets (with none in FY73 and FY74), but a fifth, longlead items for which had been approved under the FY75 programme, was stopped in FY76 because, without Aegis, she would be obsolete.

The original design called for a separate ASROC launcher and one Mk 13 missile launcher aft; however, it was argued that a nuclear frigate might well have to operate independently and therefore would need two missile launchers, to overcome limited magazine capacity as well as to assure the availability of at least one launcher. The adoption of the Mk 26 missile launcher eliminated the ASROC requirement, but these ships still have most of their battery aft (Mod 1, 44 weapons), together with both SPG-51D guidance radars; forward they have a single gun fire control system with one SPG-60 tracker-illuminator, providing a possible third missile-control channel. Typically they carry 50 SAM, 16 ASROC and two test rounds. A hangar below the quarterdeck can accommodate LAMPS helicopters, but its elevator reportedly leaked badly in wet weather, and the helicopter was not usually embarked; this arrangement was often criticised.

Hopes that at least some ships of this class would be fitted with Aegis (then called ASMS) did not materialise, although a modified Virginia hull, CGN 42, was for a time a candidate successor to the Strike Cruiser.

Modernizations

late 1970s, Virginia, Texas, Mississippi: + 2 x 4 Harpoon SSM (8 RGM-84)

1984, Virginia; 1985, Arkansas; 1986, Mississippi; 1987, Texas: - 2 x 2 Standard SM-1MR SAM / ASROC ASuR (52 RIM-66A/B + 16 RUR-5), WLR-1, WLR-3 ECM suites, 2x Mk 28 decoy RL; + 2 x 4 Tomahawk CruM (8 RGM-109), 2 x 2 Standard SM-2MR SAM / ASROC ASuR (52 RIM-66C/D + 16 RUR-5), 2 x 6 - 20/76 Mk 15 Phalanx, 4 x 1 - 12.7/90, 2x Mk 90 radars, SLQ-32(v)3 ECM suite, 4x Mk 36 SRBOC decoy RL, T-Mk 6 Fanfare torpedo decoy

1990-1992, Virginia: - SPS-48A/C, SPS-10, LN-66 radars, T-Mk 6 torpedo decoy; + SPS-48E, SPS-64(v)9 radars, SLQ-25 torpedo decoy

1990-1992, Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas: - SPS-40B, SPS-48A/C, SPS-10, LN-66 radars, T-Mk 6 torpedo decoy; + SPS-49(v)5, SPS-48E, SPS-64(v)9 radars, SLQ-25 torpedo decoy

1991, Arkansas: + 2 x 1 - 25/87 Mk 88 Bushmaster

1993, all: - ASROC ASuR capability

Naval service

No significant events.