Leahy class cruiser
Encyclopedia
Leahy class cruisers were a class of guided missile cruisers built for the United States Navy
. They were originally designated as DLG destroyers, but in the 1975 cruiser realignment
, they were reclassified as guided missile cruisers (CG).
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The first three ships were constructed at Bath Iron Works
, the next two at New York Shipbulding Corp, and the rest at Puget Sound Bridge and Dry Dock Company
, Todd Shipyards
, San Pedro, CA, San Francisco Naval Shipyard
and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
.
Modernizations were accomplished between 1967 and 1972 upgrading air warfare capabilities. Nearly all modernizations were completed at Bath Iron Works
, but Leahy received the modernization at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
at a cost of $36.1 million.
All Leahy class ships were modernized again in the late 1980s New Threat Upgrade
program. This program added advanced air search and track radars (AN/SPS-49
and AN/SPS-48
E), updated targeting radars (AN/SPG-55
), and combat direction systems. The upgrade included massive remodeling of the ship from food service space rehabilitation to a main propulsion system overhaul. Entire systems were removed and replaced, for example the AN/SPS-40
air-search radar was replaced with the AN/SPS-49
air-search radar. The upgrade was also quite expensive and the ships modified didn't serve much longer after the modification. For example, USS Gridley (CG-21)
received NTU in 1991 at a cost of $55 million, but was decommissioned in early 1994.
The Leahy class was taken out of service in the early 1990s, stricken from the naval register, and transferred to the maritime administration for disposal.
The Bainbridge class cruiser
, which consisted of the USS Bainbridge (CGN-25), was largely identical to the Leahy class, except it was nuclear powered
.
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...
. They were originally designated as DLG destroyers, but in the 1975 cruiser realignment
United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification
The United States Navy reclassified many of its surface vessels in 1975, changing terminology and hull classification symbols for cruisers, frigates, and ocean escorts.- Classification prior to 1975 :...
, they were reclassified as guided missile cruisers (CG).
Description
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, the next two at New York Shipbulding Corp, and the rest at Puget Sound Bridge and Dry Dock Company
Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company
Puget Sound Bridge and Dredging Company was a major shipbuilding and construction company, located in Seattle, Washington. The firm was established in 1898 on Elliott Bay in Puget Sound. The company was engaged in construction projects around the United States and built ships for the U.S. Navy at...
, Todd Shipyards
Todd Pacific Shipyards
Vigor Shipyards was founded in 1916 as the William H. Todd Corporation through the merger of Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company of Erie Basin, Brooklyn, New York, the Tietjen & Long Dry Dock Company of Hoboken, New Jersey, and the Seattle Construction and Dry Dock Company...
, San Pedro, CA, San Francisco Naval Shipyard
San Francisco Naval Shipyard
The San Francisco Naval Shipyard was a United States Navy shipyard in San Francisco, California, located on of waterfront at Hunters Point in the southeast corner of the city...
and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres on Puget Sound at Bremerton, Washington...
.
Modernizations were accomplished between 1967 and 1972 upgrading air warfare capabilities. Nearly all modernizations were completed at Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
, but Leahy received the modernization at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Business Center, formerly known as the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. The U.S. Navy reduced its activities there in the 1990s, and ended most of them on September 30, 1995...
at a cost of $36.1 million.
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...
program. This program added advanced air search and track radars (AN/SPS-49
AN/SPS-49
The AN/SPS-49 is a United States Navy two-dimensional, long range air search radar built by Raytheon that can provide contact bearing and range. It is a primary air-search radar for numerous ships in the U.S...
and AN/SPS-48
AN/SPS-48
The AN/SPS-48 is a US naval phased array three-dimensional air search radar system manufactured by ITT Corporation. It was a key component of the New Threat Upgrade and is still used on some US Navy ships such as s, s and s...
E), updated targeting radars (AN/SPG-55
AN/SPG-55
The AN/SPG-55 was a tracking / illumination radar for Terrier and RIM-67 Standard missiles . It was used for target tracking and Surface-to-air missile guidance on numerous ships including s,s, s and Farragut class destroyers. It was also used on the nuclear powered single units , and...
), and combat direction systems. The upgrade included massive remodeling of the ship from food service space rehabilitation to a main propulsion system overhaul. Entire systems were removed and replaced, for example the AN/SPS-40
AN/SPS-40
The AN/SPS-40 is a United States Navy two-dimensional, long range air search radar that is capable of providing contact bearing and range. It was used on s, s, s, s, s, s, s and many other ship classes...
air-search radar was replaced with the AN/SPS-49
AN/SPS-49
The AN/SPS-49 is a United States Navy two-dimensional, long range air search radar built by Raytheon that can provide contact bearing and range. It is a primary air-search radar for numerous ships in the U.S...
air-search radar. The upgrade was also quite expensive and the ships modified didn't serve much longer after the modification. For example, USS Gridley (CG-21)
USS Gridley (DLG-21)
USS Gridley , a Leahy-class guided missile frigate, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charles Vernon Gridley, who distinguished himself with Admiral George Dewey's force at the Battle of Manila Bay on 1 May 1898....
received NTU in 1991 at a cost of $55 million, but was decommissioned in early 1994.
The Leahy class was taken out of service in the early 1990s, stricken from the naval register, and transferred to the maritime administration for disposal.
The Bainbridge class cruiser
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...
, which consisted of the USS Bainbridge (CGN-25), was largely identical to the Leahy class, except it was nuclear powered
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...
.
Ships in class
| Ship Name | Hull No. | Commission– Decommission |
Fate | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Leahy USS Leahy (DLG-16) USS Leahy was the lead ship of her class of destroyer leaders in the United States Navy. She was named for Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy.-Construction:... |
(CG-16) | August 4, 1962 - October 1, 1993 (31.2 years) | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, July 6, 2005 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG16.htm |
| Harry E. Yarnell USS Harry E. Yarnell (CG-17) USS Harry E. Yarnell , a Leahy-class guided missile cruiser, was a ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Admiral Harry E. Yarnell . Originally called a "destroyer leader" or frigate, in 1975 she was redesignated a cruiser in the Navy's ship reclassification.-Construction:Harry E... |
(CG-17) | February 2, 1963 - October 29, 1993 (30.7 years) | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, April 17, 2002 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG17.htm |
| Worden USS Worden (CG-18) The fourth USS Worden , a , was a ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Admiral John L. Worden. Originally called a "destroyer leader" or frigate, in 1975 she was redesignated a cruiser in the Navy's ship reclassification.... |
(CG-18) | August 3, 1963 - October 1, 1993 (30.2 years) | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, June 17, 2000 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG18.htm |
| Dale USS Dale (DLG-19) USS Dale was a United States Navy 5670-ton Leahy class cruiser. Dale was named in honor of Commodore Richard Dale .-History:... |
(CG-19) | November 23, 1963 - September 27, 1994 (30.8 years) | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, April 6, 2000 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG19.htm |
| Richmond K. Turner USS Richmond K. Turner (CG-20) USS Richmond K. Turner was a Leahy class destroyer leader in the United States Navy. The ship was named for Admiral Richmond K. Turner, who served during World War II.... |
(CG-20) | June 13, 1964 - April 13, 1995 (30.8 years) | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, August 9, 1998 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG20.htm |
| Gridley USS Gridley (DLG-21) USS Gridley , a Leahy-class guided missile frigate, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named for Charles Vernon Gridley, who distinguished himself with Admiral George Dewey's force at the Battle of Manila Bay on 1 May 1898.... |
(CG-21) | May 25, 1963 - January 21, 1994 (30.7 years) | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, March 31, 2005 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG21.htm |
| England USS England (DLG-22) The second USS England , a Leahy-class guided missile cruiser, was a ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Ensign John C. England. Originally called a "destroyer leader" or frigate, in 1975 she was re-designated a cruiser in the Navy's 1975 ship reclassification.Ensign John Charles... |
(CG-22) | December 7, 1963 - January 21, 1994 (30.1 years) | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, October 20, 2004 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG22.htm |
| Halsey USS Halsey (DLG-23) The first USS Halsey , a Leahy-class guided missile cruiser, was a ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Fleet Admiral William Halsey... |
(CG-23) | July 20, 1963 - January 28, 1994 (30.5 years) | Disposed of by scrapping, dismantling, November 30, 2003 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG23.htm |
| Reeves USS Reeves (DLG-24) USS Reeves ,a United States Navy ship named for Admiral Joseph Mason Reeves , was a Leahy-class cruiser built by the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, in Bremerton, Washington.... |
(CG-24) | May 15, 1964 - November 12, 1993 (29.5 years) | Disposed of in support of Fleet training exercise, June 1, 2001 | http://www.nvr.navy.mil/nvrships/details/CG24.htm |