California class cruiser
Encyclopedia
The California class cruisers were a set of two of nuclear-powered
guided missile cruisers operated by the United States Navy
between 1974 and 1998. Other than their nuclear power supply and lack of helicopter hangars, ships of the California class were comparable to other guided missile cruisers of their era, such as the Belknap class
. The class was built as a follow-up to the nuclear-powered Long Beach
, Bainbridge
, and Truxtun
classes. Like all of the nuclear cruisers which could steam for years between refuelings, the California class was designed in part to provide high endurance escort for the navy's nuclear aircraft carrier
s, which were often limited in range due to their conventionally powered escorts continuously needing to be refueled.
The second California class cruiser, , was the fifth nuclear-powered cruiser in the United States Navy. Other than the four ships of the Soviet Navy
's Kirov
class (which were actually built with a combination of nuclear and fossil-fuel propulsion), no other country has launched nuclear-powered cruisers.
Only two ships of the class were built, the California and the South Carolina, and both were decommissioned in the autumn of 1999. These ships were followed on by the four nuclear-powered cruisers of the Virginia class
. These cruisers were named for states because they were seen as quite large, powerful, capable, and survivable ships. Also, in the meantime, the names of cities had been given to the nuclear submarines in the very large Los Angeles class
, which eventually expanded to 62 boats, all (but one) named for American cities.
The USS California and her sister ship the USS South Carolina were equipped with two Mk-13 launchers
, fore and aft, capable of firing the Standard
SM-1MR or SM-2MR surface-to-air missiles, one Mk-112 launcher for ASROC
missiles, and eight Mk-141 launch tubes for Harpoon missiles
. They were equipped with two Mk-45 5" rapid-fire guns, fore and aft. Four 12.75" torpedo launchers (two on each side, protruding from their magazine space on the main deck) were fitted for light weight anti-submarine torpedoes. Two Mk-15 Phalanx
20 mm gun systems were fitted in the 1980s.
The ships were originally designed to carry and launch the Mark 48 torpedo
from a large space beneath the flight deck aft. Although a surface-launched version of the Mk 48 was never produced, the ships retained this large magazine space until their retirement.
Both ships underwent a mid-life refueling overhaul in the early 1990s. This modernization upgraded their two 150 MW D2G reactor
plants with new 165 MW D2W reactor cores, installed the New Threat Upgrade (NTU)
to improve their AAW
capability, and removed their ASW
capability, which involved disabling their SQS-26 sonar
and removing their anti-submarine weapons. External differences resulting from this modernization included the removal of the ASROC launcher and the large deckhouse forward of it that served as the ASROC magazine, replacement of the SPS-40 radar antenna with the SPS-49 antenna, and replacement of the SPS-48C with the larger SPS-48E antenna. Both ships retained the bulbous sonar domes at the forefoot (beneath the waterline) until retirement, even after their sonar systems were disabled.
Nuclear marine propulsion
Nuclear marine propulsion is propulsion of a ship by a nuclear reactor. Naval nuclear propulsion is propulsion that specifically refers to naval warships...
guided missile cruisers operated by the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
between 1974 and 1998. Other than their nuclear power supply and lack of helicopter hangars, ships of the California class were comparable to other guided missile cruisers of their era, such as the Belknap class
Belknap class cruiser
The Belknap class cruiser was a class of single-ended guided missile cruisers built for the United States Navy during the 1960s...
. The class was built as a follow-up to the nuclear-powered Long Beach
Long Beach class cruiser
The Long Beach class cruiser is a single-ship class of the United States Navy. The class is noted as the world's first nuclear-powered surface combatant, and the last cruiser built in the US Navy to a cruiser design; all subsequent cruiser classes were built on scaled-up destroyer hulls, or, in...
, Bainbridge
Bainbridge class cruiser
' was a nuclear-powered version of the double-ended guided missile frigate. Originally a guided missile destroyer leader, the class was re-designated guided missile cruiser in 1975...
, and Truxtun
Truxtun class cruiser
The Truxtun class cruiser was a nuclear-powered class of single-ended guided missile cruisers based on a heavily modified version of the Belknap class...
classes. Like all of the nuclear cruisers which could steam for years between refuelings, the California class was designed in part to provide high endurance escort for the navy's nuclear aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
s, which were often limited in range due to their conventionally powered escorts continuously needing to be refueled.
Overview
The was the fourth nuclear powered cruiser in the U.S. Navy; the previous three were the , and .The second California class cruiser, , was the fifth nuclear-powered cruiser in the United States Navy. Other than the four ships of the Soviet Navy
Soviet Navy
The Soviet Navy was the naval arm of the Soviet Armed Forces. Often referred to as the Red Fleet, the Soviet Navy would have played an instrumental role in a Warsaw Pact war with NATO, where it would have attempted to prevent naval convoys from bringing reinforcements across the Atlantic Ocean...
's Kirov
Kirov class battlecruiser
The Kirov-class battlecruiser is a class of nuclear-powered military ships of the Russian Navy, the largest and heaviest surface combatant warships currently in active operation in the world. The Russian designation is heavy nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser...
class (which were actually built with a combination of nuclear and fossil-fuel propulsion), no other country has launched nuclear-powered cruisers.
Only two ships of the class were built, the California and the South Carolina, and both were decommissioned in the autumn of 1999. These ships were followed on by the four nuclear-powered cruisers of the Virginia class
Virginia class cruiser
The Virginia-class nuclear guided-missile cruisers were a series of four double-ended guided-missile cruisers commissioned in the late 1970s, which served in the US Navy until the mid- to late-1990s...
. These cruisers were named for states because they were seen as quite large, powerful, capable, and survivable ships. Also, in the meantime, the names of cities had been given to the nuclear submarines in the very large Los Angeles class
Los Angeles class submarine
The Los Angeles class, sometimes called the LA class or the 688 class, is a class of nuclear-powered fast attack submarines that forms the backbone of the United States submarine fleet. With 43 submarines on active duty and 19 retired, the Los Angeles class is the most numerous nuclear powered...
, which eventually expanded to 62 boats, all (but one) named for American cities.
The USS California and her sister ship the USS South Carolina were equipped with two Mk-13 launchers
Mk 13 Missile Launcher
The Mk-13 guided missile launching system is a single-arm missile launcher designed for use on frigates and other military vessels.The Mark 13 is equipped to fire the RIM-66 Standard, RGM-84 Harpoon, and RIM-24 Tartar missiles for anti-air and anti-ship defense, and is capable of firing the...
, fore and aft, capable of firing the Standard
RIM-66 Standard
The RIM-66 Standard MR is a medium range surface-to-air missile originally developed for the United States Navy . 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...
SM-1MR or SM-2MR surface-to-air missiles, one Mk-112 launcher for ASROC
ASROC
ASROC is an all-weather, all sea-conditions anti-submarine missile system. Developed by the United States Navy in the 1950s, it was deployed in the 1960s, updated in the 1990s, and eventually installed on over 200 USN surface ships, specifically cruisers, destroyers, and frigates...
missiles, and eight Mk-141 launch tubes for Harpoon missiles
Boeing Harpoon
The Harpoon is an all-weather, over-the-horizon, anti-ship missile system, developed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas . In 2004, Boeing delivered the 7,000th Harpoon unit since the weapon's introduction in 1977...
. They were equipped with two Mk-45 5" rapid-fire guns, fore and aft. Four 12.75" torpedo launchers (two on each side, protruding from their magazine space on the main deck) were fitted for light weight anti-submarine torpedoes. Two Mk-15 Phalanx
Phalanx CIWS
The Phalanx CIWS is an anti-ship missile defense system. It is a close-in weapon system and was designed and manufactured by the General Dynamics Corporation, Pomona Division...
20 mm gun systems were fitted in the 1980s.
The ships were originally designed to carry and launch the Mark 48 torpedo
Mark 48 torpedo
The Mark 48 and its improved ADCAP variant are heavyweight submarine-launched torpedoes. They were designed to sink fast, deep-diving nuclear-powered submarines and high-performance surface ships.-History:...
from a large space beneath the flight deck aft. Although a surface-launched version of the Mk 48 was never produced, the ships retained this large magazine space until their retirement.
Both ships underwent a mid-life refueling overhaul in the early 1990s. This modernization upgraded their two 150 MW D2G reactor
D2G reactor
The D2G reactor was a naval reactor used by the United States Navy to provide electricity generation and propulsion on warships. The D2G designation stands for:* D = Destroyer platform* 2 = Second generation core designed by the contractor...
plants with new 165 MW D2W reactor cores, installed the New Threat Upgrade (NTU)
New Threat Upgrade
-The Program:New Threat Upgrade was a program to improve the anti-aircraft capability of Terrier and Tartar ships. It allowed the full use of newer Standard missiles and improved the interoperability of the radar and computer systems aboard the ships...
to improve their AAW
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
capability, and removed their ASW
Anti-submarine warfare
Anti-submarine warfare is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines....
capability, which involved disabling their SQS-26 sonar
AN/SQS-26
AN/SQS-26 was a United States Navy surface ship, bow mounted, low frequency, active/passive sonar. At one point it was installed on over 60 US Navy warships from the 1960s to the 1990s and may still be in use on ships transferred to other navies.-Capabilities:...
and removing their anti-submarine weapons. External differences resulting from this modernization included the removal of the ASROC launcher and the large deckhouse forward of it that served as the ASROC magazine, replacement of the SPS-40 radar antenna with the SPS-49 antenna, and replacement of the SPS-48C with the larger SPS-48E antenna. Both ships retained the bulbous sonar domes at the forefoot (beneath the waterline) until retirement, even after their sonar systems were disabled.
Ships in class
| Keel laid | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | |
| California (CGN-36) USS California (CGN-36) USS California , the lead ship of the California-class of nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers, was the seventh warship of the United States Navy to be named for the State of California.... |
23 January 1970 | 22 September 1971 | 16 February 1974 | 9 July 1999 |
| South Carolina (CGN-37) USS South Carolina (CGN-37) USS South Carolina was the second ship of the California-class of nuclear powered guided missile cruisers in the United States Navy.... |
1 December 1970 | 1 July 1972 | 25 January 1975 | 30 July 1999 |