Q&A ยท 19:01-19:18

Why Ticonderoga plans moved away from aluminum

Early aluminum plans were revised after shipboard-fire concerns, and the surviving class was understood not to retain that arrangement.

Question

Did the Ticonderoga class have aluminum superstructures?

Short answer

Some early designs did, but fire concerns drove a redesign, and the surviving ships were understood not to retain that arrangement.

Notes

Some early Ticonderoga designs used aluminum in the superstructure. Concern about the way aluminum structures behaved in shipboard fires then drove a redesign. The surviving ships were understood not to retain the proposed arrangement. Preliminary descriptions can remain in circulation after damage experience changes the ships that are actually built.