Ticonderoga began as a destroyer leader

The Ticonderoga design began as a destroyer leader on an adapted Spruance class hull. Reclassification as a cruiser helped answer the perceived numerical gap between American and Soviet cruiser forces. Its real value lay in leading destroyer squadrons around carrier groups and using Aegis to coordinate air defense. The class displaced about 9,800 tons fully loaded and carried two 5-inch guns. Later ships fitted two nominal 64-cell Mark 41 arrays, with three positions in each array used by the original reloading cranes, leaving 122 missile cells. That was a strong armament, but the Spruance hull was already near the limit of what further growth could support.