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CGN-38 Virginia Class

The four Virginia class guided missile cruisers were equipped to fulfill multiple tasks in all warfare mission areas. The ships were equiped with two twin-rail missile launchers for AAW with ASROC capability; two 5" .54 caliber gun mounts for AAW and ASUW; two three-barrel torpedo launchers for ASW; and a LAMPS helicopter for ASW. Two pressurized nuclear reactors were capable of propelling the ship at speeds in excess of 30 knots, providing the endurance and capability to operate with other conventional and nuclear ships over extended periods of time and great distances. During the 1980s the ships were was outfitted with the Tomahawk Cruise Missile System, the Standard SM2(MR) Missile System, and the AN/SPS-49 Air Search Radar. Planned Refueling Complex Overhauls were canceled in the early 1990s due to the expense of maintaining the nuclear propulsion components, and the ships were all decommissioned after a relatively brief period of service averageing somewhat less than two decades. Thus the CGN-41 was commissioned in 1980 with a life expectancy of 38 years, though it was retired in 1997 after only half that period in service.

Specifications

Power Plant 2 D2G General Electric nuclear reactors,
two shafts, 60,000 shp
Length Overall Length: 586 ft
Waterline Length: 560 ft
Beam Extreme Beam: 63 ft
Waterline Beam: 62 ft
Draft Maximum Navigational Draft: 32 ft
Draft Limit: 23 ft
Displacement Light Displacement: 10663 tons
Full Displacement: 11666 tons
Speed 30 plus knots
Aircraft None
Helicopter Landing Capability None
Armament Standard Missiles (MR)
ASROC
8 - Tomahawk ASM/LAM (from 2 armored box launchers
8 - Harpoon (from two Mk141 quad launchers)
4 - MK 46 torpedoes (from fixed single tubes)
2 - Mk45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight gun
2 - 20mm Phalanx CIWS
Combat Systems SPS-40 Air Search Radar
SPS-48 3D Air Search Radar
SPS-67 Surface Search Radar

SQQ-26 Sonar [bow mounted]

1 Mk14 Weapon Direction System
2 Mk74 Missile Fire Control System
1 Mk86 Gun Fire Control System
1 Mk114 ASW Fire Control System
4 SPG-51 Radars

SLQ-25 NIXIE
SLQ-32 EW system
Crew 39 Officers, 539 Enlisted
Unit Operating Cost
Annual Average 		~$40,000,000 [source: [FY1996 VAMOSC]
Unit Cost $675 million [1990 prices]

Ships

Name Number Builder Homeport Ordered Commissioned Decommissioned
Virginia CGN 38Newport News Norfolk21 Dec 197111 Sep 197610 Nov 1994
Texas CGN 39Newport News Alameda21 Dec 197110 Sep 197716 Jul 1993
MississippiCGN 40Newport News Norfolk21 Jan 197205 Aug 197828 Jul 1997
ArkansasCGN 41Newport News Bremerton31 Jan 197518 Oct 198007 Jul 1997

Sources and Resources


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http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ship/cgn-38.htm
Maintained by Robert Sherman
Originally created by John Pike
Updated Sunday, January 24, 1999 10:26:24 AM