Displacement: full load 10530t Dimensions: 182.0 x 18.6 x 7.4 m Aviation: flight deck aft no hangar Armament:2 x Mk 13 single arm launchers for SM-1/2MR SAMs,
Mk 112 octuple ASROC launcher, 2 x Mk 141 quad Harpoon launchers,
2 x Mk 45 127mm DP guns, 2 x Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS, 2 x 324mm triple
TTs Propulsion: two D2G nuclear reactors; two stem turbines;
60000shp; two shafts; 30kts Description: The California class were large and sophisticated
vessels. They featured a double ended layout with a missile launcher
and gun fore and aft. The California class was the first to introduce
the new lightweight Mk 45 127mm gun but the SAM launchers were Mk
13 single arm launchers which was something of backward step. The
Mk 13 could not handle the ER versions of the SM-1 and SM-2 or the
ASROC. This later failing nessecitated the inclusion of a Mk 112
ASROC launcher and a large deckhouse for reloading. During refits
in the 1980s both vessels received Harpoon SSMs and Phalanx CIWSs
and later the NTU refit furhter upgraded the systems and introduced
the SM-2 in place of the SM-1 SAM. The ships were decommissioned
in 1998 as part of the Clinton cutbacks.
