Summary and Key Points: The U.S. Navy's Ticonderoga-class cruisers have been key surface combatants for four decades. Initially designed as destroyers, they evolved into versatile warships equipped with AEGIS radar and Mk 41 vertical launch systems. Despite a notable incident involving the USS Vincennes, these ships have been crucial in various naval operations.

-Set to be decommissioned by 2027, their legacy will be succeeded by Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyers and future DDG(X)-class ships.

-As the Ticonderogas sail into history, their impact on naval warfare remains significant.

Ticonderoga-class Cruiser Profile

The U.S. Navy’s Ticonderoga-class cruiser has been a primary surface combatant for four decades. Fulfilling multiple roles and participating in many significant events over the latter part of the 20th century, these easily recognizable ships are seen in ports around the world. Upgrades to various systems have improved their capabilities and kept them relevant into the 21st century. Now, these ships are reaching the ends of their lives, with the last of them set to be decommissioned by 2027.

What Is a Cruiser?

The definition of cruiser has changed throughout history. It first referred to ships, usually frigates or sloops, involved in specific missions such as reconnaissance. As technology advanced, cruisers were vessels intended to operate far afield, disrupting enemy commerce and scouting enemy fleets. These steam-powered ships came in all shapes and sizes.

At the close of the First World War a specific definition for cruisers became more widely adopted. With larger and larger battleships launching, cruisers were the middle-sized ships between those behemoths and the small destroyers. But after the Second World War, the end of the battleship age once again threw the cruiser classification into turmoil. While some nations maintained gun cruisers as the largest capital ships in their fleet, others used them for shore bombardment or air defense. The Soviet Union outfitted their cruisers with hulking batteries of missiles designed to overwhelm and sink U.S. carriers. 

Into all of this entered the Ticonderoga-class.

In the late 1970s, the U.S. Navy was fielding nuclear-powered cruisers (CGNs) and had plans for a strike cruiser equipped with guided missiles. The Ticonderogas were initially scheduled to be destroyers and were designed around the Spruance-class destroyer hull. The cancellation of the strike cruiser project and the scaling back of the CGNs left the Ticonderogas to fill the cruiser gap. Fortunately, they already had many of the capabilities necessary to take on the role.

Design & Development

As they were initially intended to be destroyers, these ships were designed around a destroyer hull. But new weapons and combat systems give them a distinctly different look from their predecessors.

These ships brought a major upgrade in electronic warfare capabilities. They introduced the AEGIS radar system, the first of its kind able to track, target, and shoot multiple targets simultaneously. Mounting this radar on an older frame necessitated two large superstructures, one forward and one aft, giving the cruisers their boxy silhouette. Additionally, the ships mount two Mk 41 vertical launch systems (VLS) with a total capacity of 122 missiles. These systems reduce manpower requirements from previous missile launchers as well as providing added flexibility to arm diverse munitions, from TLAMs to SM-6s. 

With twin 5-inch guns, one forward and one aft, the Ticonderogas are some of the only ships in the fleet – alongside the ill-fated Zumwalt – to field two guns. 

Introducing USS Vincennes

While these ships have operated successfully for a number of years, their service record is marred by one tragic incident: the shootdown of a civilian airliner by USS Vincennes. 

In the 1980s, the Middle East was plagued by the Iran-Iraq War, which resulted in attacks on neutral shipping in the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Navy was active in the region throughout the conflict to ensure freedom of navigation. One ship was attacked by an Iraqi aircraft, while another struck an Iranian mine. In response to the latter incident, the U.S. launched Operation Praying Mantis, which severely degraded Iran’s naval capabilities. 

Against this backdrop, Vincennes was assigned to perform escort duties in the Persian Gulf. As she was transiting out of the Gulf, one of her helicopters reportedly received small arms fire from Iranian gunboats. Vincennes gave chase and ended up inside Iranian territorial waters. Around this time, Iran Air Flight 655 launched from Bandar Abbas en route to Dubai. Vincennes tracked the aircraft on radar and tragically shot it down, mistaking it for an attacking Iranian F-14.

New Cruisers

While Ticonderogas are still sailing with the U.S. fleet today, they are soon set to be laid up for good. The original five ships, none of which were outfitted with the VLS, have already been decommissioned, with the rest set to retire by 2027. In their place, the Navy hopes to use Flight III Arleigh Burke destroyers. One of the challenges of this arrangement is the lack of space aboard destroyers for an air warfare commander – the individual responsible for coordinating the defense of a carrier strike group – and associated staff.

By the early 2030s, the Navy expects to field the DDG(X)-class ship, which will have the capabilities of the Flight III destroyers but added space for air warfare commanders. 

Currently, 13 Ticonderogas are still in service. Whichever class succeeds will have big shoes to fill. 

About the Author: Maya Carlin, Defense Expert 

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.