The class also carried two 5-inch Mark 45 guns and triple torpedo tubes, giving it gunfire and close anti-submarine options alongside the missile load. This broad offensive fit contrasts with the limited Kevlar splinter protection around critical areas. The Kevlar is treated as protection against fragments and spalling rather than conventional cruiser armor. Its value against the effects of major anti-ship weapons remains doubtful in the discussion. That distinction weakens any comparison with heavily protected historical cruisers.
Notable Point · 20:21-22:03
Guns, torpedoes, and limited Kevlar protection
The non-missile fit combines two 5-inch guns and torpedo tubes with only limited Kevlar splinter protection around critical spaces.