Virginia class nuclear powered guided missile cruiser - The last of the US nuclear powered cruisers
- Yes, I would like to see them added to the game
- I think they are probably worth adding to the game
- Maybe they are worth adding to the game
- They probably aren’t worth adding (not fully opposed)
- No, I do not think they are worth adding to the game.
Note - The following suggestion is only slightly edited compared to the original which I wrote on the old forums, mainly just cutting some of the text and breaking up some sentences compared to before, but most of this suggestion is more less the same as before.
Background & History
The Virginia class was a class of 4 nuclear powered guided missile cruisers which were built by the United States between 1970’s to 1980’s, consisting of USS Virginia (CGN-38), USS Texas (CGN-39), USS Mississippi (CGN-40), and USS Arkansas (CGN-41). These ships represent the last class of US built nuclear powered cruisers to be built and were the largest class of Nuclear-powered cruisers, and like their predecessors they were built around the idea of carrier escort. The class itself were the nuclear counterparts to the Spruance class destroyers, but unlike their predecessors where they were based on their conventional powered counterparts, the Virginias were based off the preceding California class nuclear powered cruisers.
The class itself was originally to consist of up to 11 vessels however most would end up canceled, and the class itself was not the last planned nuclear powered cruisers ever conceived as they were planned to be succeeded by the strike cruiser program which would have also been nuclear powered and would have used the origin nuclear powered cruiser Long Beach as the prototype however the program itself ran into issues seeing it’s cancelation. Since the strike cruiser program only 1 class had been proposed to have nuclear propulsion for the CG(X) program however the idea never went further beyond studies into the idea. Following the Virginia class, they would be succeeded in the 1980’s by the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruisers which were the first Aegis warships and were based of the Spruance class destroyers, however the first 5 ships shared the armament of the Virginia class for the most part, with the remaining Ticonderoga’s seeing the use of VLS cells rather than missile launcher mounts.
In terms of gun armament the ships had 2 5-inch/54 Mark 45 guns mounts placed forward and aft of the superstructure of the ship, in terms of missile armament they came with 2 Mark 26 twin arm GMLS placed ahead of both 5 inch guns (when facing to the bow and stern respectively), these launchers used the RIM-66 SM which made up its primary missile complement however the ships also carried RUR-5 anti-submarine rockets. The normal amount of missiles carried was 52 RIM-66 missiles and 16 RUR-5 rockets, however it should be noted that due to Arkansas finishing last she completed with also 2 Mark 141 anti-ship missile launcher mounts with each being able to mount 4 for a total of 8 RGM-84 harpoon anti-ship missiles, with the other earlier ships being refitted with these missiles in the late 1970’s. Finally, the ships had a torpedo armament of 6 12.75-inch (324mm) Mark 32 torpedo tubes in triple mounts with the ships having 8 for reloads. The ships also came with a helicopter landing pad at the rear which also served as the elevator to the hanger for storing them with the ships carrying 2 helicopters however in practice these were ever rarely carried and the elevators to the hanger elevator themselves were problematic as they were prone to leaking. Over time the ships would revise various refits and modernizations which included newer versions of the RIM-66, the installation of 20mm Phalanx CIWS, installation of 12.7mm machine guns, as well as installation of 2 armored boxes for a total of 8 Tomahawk cruise missiles by which point the helicopters were not carried anymore however helicopters trying to land on the ships would be more problematic as a result, additionally Arkansas also later in her career had 25mm bushmaster cannons installed as well (according to sources).
In terms of construction the first 3 ships were ordered as guided missile frigates however by 1975 the US navy changed its classification system which redesigned all there nuclear powered frigates to nuclear powered cruisers since between the end of the Second World War and 1975 the US navy classified frigates as vessels larger than destroyers and were more or less destroyer leaders in role with the only on Long Beach not be reclassified since it was always considered a nuclear powered cruiser in service though ironically was originally would have been a frigate but as a result Arkansas was the only nuclear powered cruiser to be order under the new classification. The ships in its design and role were to act as fast escorts for the nuclear-powered Nimitz class aircraft carriers with their primary role being air defense as shown by their missile systems being used mainly for dealing with aircraft. The first 2 ships were laid down in 1971 however Virginia entered service in 1976 and Texas in 1977 while Mississippi was laid down in 1972 and entered service in 1978, Arkansas was last to be laid down in 1975 and would enter service in 1980.
The Virginia itself would be the first to take part in combat in 1983 when she did shelling off Lebanon to protect positions in the area, but the main deployment action they would take part in was during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm by Virginia, Texas, Mississippi as well as Operation Desert Strike with Arkansas with their roles during them varying, during which the Virginia acted as a part of a force in the Mediterranean with a destroyer and 2 submarine during which she fired Tomahawk cruise missiles into Iraq which at that point was the longest range use of the Tomahawk, Texas and Mississippi would both operate as covering carrier groups though Mississippi would alter on fire multiple cruise missiles, Arkansas in her later operation would only be present in a secondary role but did not fire any missile at land targets. Despite by the class being the most modern of US nuclear powered cruisers the would only last in service into the 1990’s, with the collapse of the Soviet Union the various US military branches were reducing their military budgets seeing a downsize in their size, being nuclear powered the US navy saw that the class would be targeted in the cuts in spending as one Virginia class ship cost 40 million USD while a Ticonderoga cost 28 million USD, and the more modern Burke class destroyers costing 20 million USD in comparison yet the other 2 classes were more advance as they had the Aegis combat system, plus the ships lacked the ability to the more advance RIM-67 missiles the class began to be decommissioned in the 1990’s with Texas being first to be decommissioned as the class was nearing their scheduled date for refueling their reactors, with Texas already being in the process to do so, the following year saw Virginia decommissioned, Mississippi was decommissioned in 1997, and Arkansas being the last to leave service in 1998, these ships actually would be the only US nuclear powered cruisers not to go through refueling and their predecessors of the California class would actually last in service for another year since they did go through refueling, the class then went through the recycling process between 1998 to 1999 with the exception of Mississippi which was recycled in 2004.
Specifications
Displacement:
standard displacement: 10,663 tons
full displacement: 11,666 tons
Length: 586 ft (179 m) oa.
Beam: 63 ft (19 m) max.
Draft: 32 ft (9.8 m) max.
Propulsion: 2 General Electric D2G nuclear reactors, two shafts, 60,000 shp (45,000 kW)
Speed: +30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement: 537 (Based off USS Mississippi commissioning pamphlet)
Sensors and processing systems
As built
1 x AN/SPS-10 radar
1 x AN/SPS-40B radar
1 x AN/SPS-48A/C radar
1 x AN/SPS-55 radar
1 x AN/SPQ-9A gun fire control radar
1 x AN/SPG-60D fire control radar
2 x AN/SPG-51 missile fire control radar
1 x LN-66 radar
1 x AN/SQS-26 bow mounted sonar
1980’s refit
1 x AN/SPS-10 radar
1 x AN/SPS-40B radar
1 x AN/SPS-48A/C radar
1 x AN/SPS-55 radar
1 x AN/SPQ-9A gun fire control radar
1 x AN/SPG-60D fire control radar
2 x AN/SPG-51 missile fire control radar
2 x Mark 90 radars
1 x LN-66 radar
1 x AN/SQS-26 bow mounted sonar
1990’s Refit (Virginia)
1 x AN/SPS-40B radar
1 x AN/SPS-48E radar
1 x AN/SPS-55 radar
1 x AN/SPS-64(v)9 radar
1 x AN/SPQ-9A gun fire control radar
1 x AN/SPG-60D fire control radar
2 x AN/SPG-51 missile fire control radar
2 x Mark 90 radars
1 x LN-66 radar
1 x AN/SQS-26 bow mounted sonar
1990’s Refit (All except Virginia)
1 x AN/SPS-48E radar
1 x AN/ SPS-49(v)5 radar
1 x AN/SPS-55 radar
1 x AN/SPS-64(v)9 radar
1 x AN/SPQ-9A gun fire control radar
1 x AN/SPG-60D fire control radar
2 x AN/SPG-51 missile fire control radar
2 x Mark 90 radars
1 x AN/SQS-26 bow mounted sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys
As built
WLR-1 ECM suite
WLR-3 ECM suite
2 x Mark 28 decoy RL
NTDS CCS
1980’s refit
SLQ-32(v)3 ECM suite
4 x Mark 36 SRBOC decoy RL
T-Mk 6 Fanfare torpedo decoy
NTDS CCS
1990’s Refit
SLQ-32(v)3 ECM suite
4 x Mark 36 SRBOC decoy RL
AN/SLQ-25 torpedo decoy
NTDS CCS
Armament
As built (All expect Arkansas)
Main gun armament:
2 x 5 inch/54 Mark 45 Mod 0 lightweight gun mount (2 x 1)
GMLS mounts:
2 × twin arm Mark 26 GMLS
68 missiles total (52 RIM-66A/B & 16 RUR-5)
Torpedo tubes:
6 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 Torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
(14 carried total)
Late 1970’s Refit / Arkansas as built
Main gun armament:
2 x 5 inch/54 Mark 45 Mod 1 lightweight gun mount (2 x 1)
GMLS mounts:
2 × twin arm Mark 26 GMLS (2 x 2)
68 missiles total (52 RIM-66A/B & 16 RUR-5)
Anti ship missiles:
2 x Mark 141 anti ship missile launchers; 8 RGM-84 harpoon anti ship missiles (2 x 4)
Torpedo tubes:
6 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 Torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
(14 carried total)
1980’s refit
Main gun armament:
2 x 5 inch/54 Mark 45 Mod 1 lightweight gun mount (2 x 1)
GMLS mounts:
2 × twin arm Mark 26 GMLS (2 x 2)
68 missiles total (52 RIM-66C/D & 16 RUR-5)
Cruise missiles:
2 x Mark 143 armored box launchers; 8 RGM-109 tomahawk cruise missiles (2 x 4)
Anti ship missiles:
2 x Mark 141 anti ship missile launchers; 8 RGM-84 harpoon anti ship missiles (2 x 4)
CIWS mounts:
2 x 20mm Mark 15 Block 1 Phalanx CIWS mountings (2 x 1)
Torpedo tubes:
6 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 Torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
(14 carried total)
Additional weaponry:
4 x 12.7mm M2 browning machine guns (1 x 4) (other source says 6)
USS Arkansas (1991)
Main gun armament:
2 x 5 inch/54 Mark 45 Mod 1 lightweight gun mount (2 x 1)
GMLS mounts:
2 × twin arm Mark 26 GMLS (2 x 2)
68 missiles total (52 RIM-66C/D & 16 RUR-5)
Cruise missiles:
2 x Mark 143 armored box launchers; 8 RGM-109 tomahawk cruise missiles (2 x 4)
Anti ship missiles:
2 x Mark 141 anti ship missile launchers; 8 RGM-84 harpoon anti ship missiles (2 x 4)
CIWS mounts:
2 x 20mm Mark 15 Block 1 Phalanx CIWS mountings (2 x 1)
Torpedo tubes:
6 x 12.75 inch (324mm) Mark 32 Torpedo tubes (2 x 3)
(14 carried total)
Additional weaponry:
2 x 25mm Mark 38 machine gun system (Mark 88 mount) (2 x 1)
4 x 12.7mm M2 browning machine guns (1 x 4) (other source says 6)
1993 Refit (refit sees the ships no long carry ASROC)
Armor: 1 in (25 mm) Kevlar plastic armor installed around combat information center, magazines, and machinery spaces
More Images
USS Virginia (CGN-38)
Spoiler
USS Texas (CGN-39)
Spoiler
USS Mississippi (CGN-40)
Spoiler
Welcome aboard pamphlet
USS Arkansas (CGN-41)
Spoiler
Sources
Spoiler
Virginia-class cruiser - Wikipedia
https://www.navypedia.org/ships/usa/us_cr_virginia.htm
Virginia class guided missile cruiser DLGN CGN 38 US Navy
USS Virginia (CGN-38) - Wikipedia
USS Texas (CGN-39) - Wikipedia
Image Sources
Spoiler
Cruiser Photo Index DLGN/CGN-38 USS VIRGINIA - Navsource - Photographic History of the U.S. Navy
Cruiser Photo Index DLGN/CGN-39 USS TEXAS - Navsource - Photographic History of the U.S. Navy
Cruiser Photo Index DLGN/CGN-40 USS MISSISSIPPI - Navsource - Photographic History of the U.S. Navy
Cruiser Photo Index CGN-41 USS ARKANSAS - Navsource - Photographic History of the U.S. Navy
