The Belknap-class cruiser was a class of guided-missile cruisers built for the United States Navy during the 1960s. They were single-ended, meaning their missile armament was installed only forward, unlike "double-ended" missile cruisers with missile armament installed both forward and aft. The Belknaps were originally designated as DLG frigates (destroyer leaders; the USN use of the term frigate from 1950 to 1975 was intended to evoke the power of the sailing frigates of old), but in the 1975 fleet realignment, they were reclassified as guided missile cruisers (CG).
Description When commissioned, the main armament of the Belknap class was a 5-inch/54-caliber Mk. 42 gun on the quarterdeck and a twin-rail RIM-2 Terrier Mk 10 Mod 7 Guided Missile Launching System on the foredeck. The Mk 10 Mod 7 launchers in this class were modified compared to the others of the same type, with additional 20 missiles and the capability to launch RUR-5 ASROC to eliminate need for a separate Mk 112 ASROC launcher. These were unofficially spoken of as Ter/AS (tear-ass) launchers. The class was also equipped with two single 3"/50 caliber guns for defence against sub-sonic aircraft. In the early 1980s, the Terrier missiles were replaced with RIM-67 Standard missiles; and during the NTU program in the late 1980s and early 1990s the class had its Standard SM-1 system upgraded to utilize SM-2ER Block II, the 3-inch guns were replaced with two 4 cell Harpoon surface-to-surface missile launchers, and two Phalanx CIWS systems were installed.
The derivative USS Truxtun shared the weapons systems outfit of the Belknap class, but was nuclear-powered, larger and substantially unrelated in design (for example, many weapons systems in different locations, such as the aft-facing Mark 10 Mod 8 GMLS). Most information related to nuclear cruisers is still classified, but Truxtun appears to be more a Belknap-like derivative of the nuclear cruiser Bainbridge than the other way around.
Ships in class Name Pennant Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned FateBelknap-class conventional cruiserCG-26Bath Iron Works, Bath5 February 196220 July 19637 November 196415 February 1995Sunk as target, 24 September 1998CG-2723 April 19622 December 19638 May 196521 January 1994Broken up at Brownsville, 1999CG-282 July 196225 April 19658 January 196615 November 1993Sunk as target, 12 June 2002CG-29Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton25 September 196230 June 19643 December 196628 January 1994Sunk as target, 10 August 2007CG-30San Francisco Naval Shipyard, San Francisco12 December 196230 October 196415 April 19674 February 1994Sunk as target, 29 June 2008CG-31Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton25 September 196230 June 19648 April 196724 March 1994Broken up at Brownsville, 2005CG-32Bath Iron Works, Bath29 July 196319 December 19649 July 196611 February 1994Sunk as target, 25 June 2005CG-33Todd Shipyard, San Pedro15 January 196321 November 19648 May 196615 April 1994Broken up at Brownsville, 2008CG-34Bath Iron Works, Bath9 December 19632 July 196521 January 196730 November 1993Broken up at Philadelphia, 2001Truxtun-class nuclear-powered cruiserCGN-35New York Shipbuilding Corporation, Camden17 June 196319 December 196427 May 196711 September 1995Disposed of through Ship-Submarine Recycling Program at Bremerton, 1999
See also List of cruisers of the United States Navy List of United States Navy destroyer leaders Nuclear powered cruisers of the United States Navy
References
Bibliography
External links
Belknap-class frigates at Destroyer History Foundation FAS write-up