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As of the start of the Twilight War (1996), the United States Navy was currently deployed as follows:

(included are ships that are laid down, the assumption being that the shipyards would have moved into 2-3 shifts trying to get as many ships completed as possible, the “normal“ launch date of the ship is included)

Source material is the “13th, 14th and 15th Editions of the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet” and “Combat Fleets of the World: 1993”.

The USN has 50 guided missile cruisers in active service with another 18 under construction or planned. Nine of these have nuclear-propulsion.

Cruisers serve as the primary screening vessels for carrier battle groups. All US cruisers are armed with SAMs with many also having ASW capabilities, as well as a limited SSM capability.

Currently, it is planned to replace all cruisers with the Ticonderoga-class, in spite of legislation passed in 1974 that requires that all future surface combatants for operations with the carrier battle groups should be nuclear-propelled. No nuclear surface combatants have been built since 1974 and none are planned.

While the nuclear-propelled cruisers have a high-speed endurance superior to normal propulsion, the current CGNs are inferior in the AAW/ASW role to the Ticonderoga-class. Proposals to refit the CGN Long Beach and Arkansas with the Aegis system were halted by Admiral H.G. Rickover, the head of naval nuclear-propulsion, who feared that converting these ships would reduce the chances of additional cruiser construction. The Navy lost both ways, neither of the two CGNs were converted to Aegis and there has been no more CGNs built.

Virgina-class CGN
CGN-38 Virginia Atlantic Fleet
CGN-39 Texas Pacific Fleet
CGN-40 Mississippi Atlantic Fleet
CGN-41 Arkansas Pacific Fleet
Displacement is 11,300 tons. Speed of 30+kts. Crew of approx 578. Armed with 2 twin M26 launchers for Standard MR/ASROC, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 2 quad launchers for Tomahawk, 2 single Mk45 127mm/54 and 2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes. The last nuclear-propelled surface warships built for the USN. Original fitted with a hanger, this was replaced by the Tomahawk launchers. Maintains a helo pad for VERTREP operations only. Two in service in the Atlantic and two in the Pacific Fleets.

California-class CGN
CGN-36 California Pacific Fleet
CGN-37 South Carolina Atlantic Fleet
Displacement is 10,530 tons. Speed of 30+kts, Crew of 595. Armament is 2 single Mk13 launchers for Standard MR, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 1 8-cell ASROC launcher, 2 single Mk45 5in/54, 2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS, 4 fixed single 324mm torpedo tubes. Has a helo pad aft, but this is used for VERTREP operations only. Originally intended to be a production run of four, the decision was made to not build the last two ships in favor of the Virginia-class. One is assigned to the Atlantic, and one to the Pacific.

Truxton-class CGN
CGN-35 Truxton-class Pacific Fleet
Displacement is 8,800 tons. Speed of 30+kts. Crew of 591. Armed with 1 twin Mk10 launcher for Standard ER/ASROC, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 1 Mk42 5in/54, 2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS, 4 fixed single 324mm torpedo tubes and a SH-2F helo. The USN’s fourth nuclear-propelled surface warship. Originally classified as a missile frigate and reclassified as a cruiser in 1975. A modified Belknap-class design. Assigned to the Pacific Fleet.

Bainbridge-class CGN
CGN-25 Bainbridge Atlantic Fleet
Displacement 8,580 tons. Speed is 30kts. Crew of 558. Armed with 2 twin Mk10 launchers for Standard ER, 1 8-tube launcher for ASROC, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes and a VERTREP area for helos. The USN’s third nuclear-powered surface combatant.

Long Beach-class CGN
CGN 9 Long Beach Pacific Fleet
Displacement 17,100 tons. Speed of 30+kts. Crew of 958. Armament consists of 2 twin Mk10 Standard ER, 1 8-tube ASROC launcher, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 2 Mk30 5in/38, 2 Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes and a helo VERTREP area. The world’s first nuclear-propelled surface warship. The Long Beach has been extensively modified throughout her career . Originally designed to carry the Regulus II strategic cruise missile and after cancellation of that weapon 1958, the Polaris SLBM. Neither weapon was ever fitted.

Ticonderoga-class CG
CG-47 Ticonderoga Atlantic Fleet
CG-48 Yorktown Atlantic Fleet
CG-49 Vincennes Pacific Fleet
CG-50 Valley Forge Atlantic Fleet
CG-51 Thomas S. Gates Pacific Fleet
Displacement of 9,400 tons. Speed of 30+kts. Manned by a crew of 364. Armament is 2 twin Mk26 launchers with Standard MR/ASROC, 2 quad Mk141 Harpoon SSM missiles, 2 single Mk45 127mm/54 guns, 2 20mm Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes and 2 SH-2F. First Aegis ships and the world’s most-capable AAW ships and designed to provide carrier battle group defense against aircraft and anti-ship missiles. The design is based on the same hull and propulsion plant of the Spruance-class destroyers, with an enlarged superstructure to accommodate the Aegis/SPY-1 equipment. Two are assigned to the Atlantic and 3 to the Pacific Fleet.

Bunker Hill-class CG
CG-52 Bunker Hill Pacific Fleet
CG-53 Mobile Bay Atlantic Fleet
CG-54 Antietam Pacific Fleet
CG-55 Leyte Gulf Atlantic Fleet
CG-56 San Jacinto Atlantic Fleet
CG-57 Lake Champlain Pacific Fleet
CG-58 Philippine Sea Atlantic Fleet
CG-59 Princeton Pacific Fleet
CG-60 Normandy Atlantic Fleet
CG-61 Monterey Pacific Fleet
CG-62 Chancellorsville Pacific Fleet
CG-63 Cowpens Building, in service 9-3-91
CG-64 Gettysburg Building, in service 22-6-91
CG-65 Chosin Building, in service 12-1-91
CG-66 Hue City Building, in service 14-9-91
CG-67 Shiloh Building, in service 18-7-92
CG-68 Anzio Building, in service 2-5-92
CG-69 Vicksburg Building, in service 14-11-92
CG-70 Lake Erie Building, in service 3-93
CG-71 Cape St. George Building, in service 4-93
CG-72 Vella Gulf Planned, laid down 22-4-91
CG-73 Port Royal Planned, laid down 14-10-91
Displacement of 9,500 tons. Speed of 30+kts. Crew of 364. Armament is 2 Mk61 VLS 61-cell launchers for Standard/Tomahawk/VLASROC, 2 quad Mk141 Harpoon SSM missiles, 2 single Mk45 127mm/54 guns, 2 20mm Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes and 2 SH-60B. Second production run of the Aegis ships and fitted with the Vertical Launch System that allows the maximum possible rate of fire (the entire 122 missile load can be fired within 30 seconds). One is assigned to the Atlantic and three to the Pacific Fleets.

Belknap-class CG
CG-26 Belknap Atlantic Fleet
CG-27 Josephus Daniels Atlantic Fleet
CG-28 Wainwright Atlantic Fleet
CG-29 Jouett Pacific Fleet
CG-30 Horne Pacific Fleet
CG-31 Sterett Pacific Fleet
CG-32 William H. Standley Pacific Fleet
CG-33 Fox Pacific Fleet
CG-34 Biddle Atlantic Fleet
Displacement is 7,930 tons. Speed of 33kts. Crew of 477. Armed with 1 twin Mk10 launcher for Standard ER/ASROC, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 1 Mk42 5in/54, 2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes and 1 SH-2F helo. These are “single-ended” cruisers built to screen aircraft carriers. The cruiser Belknap (CG26 was damaged in a collision with John F Kennedy in 1975 and has been extensive rebuilt as a fleet flagship (an additional 111 crew). When first launched, these cruisers were originally classified as guided-missile frigates (DLG 26-34) and then reclassified as cruisers in 1975.

Leahy-class CG
CG-16 Leahy Pacific Fleet
CG-17 Harry E. Yarnell Atlantic Fleet
CG-18 Worden Pacific Fleet
CG-19 Dale Atlantic Fleet
CG-20 Richmond K. Turner Atlantic Fleet
CG-21 Gridley Pacific Fleet
CG-22 England Atlantic Fleet
CG-23 Halsey Pacific Fleet
CG-24 Reeves Pacific Fleet
Displacement of 8,200 tons. Speed of 32kts. Crew of 423. Armament consists of 2 twin Mk10 launchers for Standard ER, 1 8-tube launcher for ASROC, 2 quad launchers for Harpoon, 2 Mk15 Phalanx CIWS, 2 triple 324mm torpedo tubes and a helo VERTREP area. These are “double-ended” cruisers and the smallest ships classed as cruisers. Originally built as guided-missile frigated (DLG 16-24) reclassified as cruisers in 1975,

Des Moines-class CA
CA-134 Des Moines Atlantic Fleet Reserve
CA-139 Salem Atlantic Fleet Reserve
Displacement of 21,500 tons. Speed of 32kts. Crew of 1,800. Armament consists of 3 triple Mk16 8in/55-cal, 6 twin Mk32 5in/38, 8 twin Mk27 3in/50 (6 twin in Salem). The final heavy cruiser design of the USN and the only heavy cruisers still in existence. The principal innovation of this class was the Mk16 8-inch gun which used metal cartridges in place of bagged powder charges, allowing for a much higher rate of fire.