Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:59:14-1:59:58

Were Ticonderoga-class cruisers available in 1980?

The familiar Aegis cruiser belongs to a later order of battle, requiring the scenario to rely on the preceding generation of American missile cruisers.

Cold WarNaval Air DefenceTiconderoga Class CruisersUS NavyVirginia Class Nuclear Cruisers
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Question

Were Ticonderoga-class cruisers available for this 1980 war?

Short answer

No. The first Ticonderoga would not commission until 1983, so Virginia-class nuclear cruisers and their missile launchers were among the principal American cruiser assets actually available.

Notes

The force list must exclude an iconic 1980s class that had not yet entered service. The Ticonderoga class was not in commission in 1980. Virginia-class nuclear-powered cruisers were available and carried the missile systems around which the relevant cruiser screen would be built. A scenario fixed to a single year must distinguish ships already serving from ships merely associated with the decade.