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Cruiser Guided Missile Cruisers
back to Breakdown of a Battlegroup

These large combat vessels serve many purposes. They can be used for anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, making them versatile components of the battle group. They can be used to support amphibious forces, other battle groups and can be operated independently of the battle group. The cruisers are equipped with Tomahawk anti-submarine missiles as well as Tomahawk missiles, giving them additional long-range strike capacity.

General Characteristics, Ticonderoga Class
Power Plant: 4 General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 2 shafts, 80,000 shaft horsepower total.
Length: 567 feet
Beam: 55 feet
Displacement: 9,600 tons full load
Speed: 30 plus knots
Aircraft: Two SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS) in CG 47-48; Two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS III)
Cost: About $1 billion each
Crew: 24 Officers, 340 Enlisted
Armament: MK26 missile launcher (CG 47 through CG 51) or MK41 vertical launching system (CG 52 through CG 73), Standard Missile (MR); Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC); Tomahawk ASM/LAM; Six MK-46 torpedoes (from two triple mounts); Two MK 45 5-inch/54 caliber lightweight guns; Two Phalanx close-in-weapons systems
Date Deployed: 22 January 1983 (USS Ticonderoga)



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