Displacement: full load 11300t Dimensions: 177.3 x 19.2 x 7.4 m Aviation: flight deck aft with hangar in stern (later removed) Armament:2 x Mk 26 twin arm launchers for SM-2MR SAMs and
ASROC, 2 x Mk 141 quad Harpoon launchers, 2 x Mk 44 ABL Tomahawk
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 Virginia class were the last nuclear escorts
built for the US Navy. Following on from the California class the
Virginia's featured a number of improvements. Twin arm Mk 26 launchers
replaced single arm Mk 13s. With the Mk 26 being able to fire ASROC
the separate Mk 112 launchers of previous classes could be deleted.
A helicopter hangar was also built into the stern and serviced by
an elevator. During refits in the 1980s Harpoon SSMs and Phalanx
CIWSs were added and later the helicopter facilities were removed
and Tomahawk launcher placed on the stern atop the former hangar.
Kevlar armour was also placed over vital spaces. Originally 11 vessels
were planned for this class but after four ships had been laid down
attention switch to the Strike Cruiser proposal and later an modified
CGN-38 design with AEGIS. Eventually economic pressures intervened
and AEGIS was fielded on the conventional Spruance hull as the Ticonderoga
class. All four vessels have now been retired some after less than
half of their designed service lives.
