Providence-class cruiser

Originally built as Cleveland-class light cruisers (CL) in the United States Navy during World War II, in 1957 three ships were re-designated as Providence-class guided missile light cruisers (CLG) and fitted with the Terrier surface-to-air missile system. During the two year refit under project SCB 146, the aft superstructure was completely replaced and all aft guns were removed to make room for the twin-arm Terrier launcher and a 120 missile storage magazine. Three large masts were also installed in order to hold a variety of radars, missile guidance, and communications systems. Providence and Springfield were simultaneously converted into fleet flagships under SCB 146A, which involved removing two forward dual 5-inch (127 mm) and one triple 6-inch (152 mm) turrets, and replacing them with a massively rebuilt and expanded forward superstructure. Topeka, in the non-flagship configuration, retained the Cleveland-class's standard forward weapons: three dual 5-inch (127 mm) and two triple 6-inch (152 mm) turrets.[1]

USS Topeka in 1964
Class overview
Operators United States Navy
Preceded byGalveston class
Succeeded byLong Beach
SubclassesCleveland class
In commission1959–1974
Completed3
Retired3
Scrapped3
Preserved0
General characteristics
TypeGuided missile cruiser
Displacement15,025 tons
Length608 ft (185.3 m)
Beam64 ft (19.5 m)
Draft23 ft 6 in (7.1 m)
Propulsion
  • 4 634 psi boilers
  • steam turbines
  • 4 shafts
  • 100,000 shp
Speed32.5 knots (60 km/h)
Complement1,120 officers and enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aviation facilitiesHelipad

A similar pattern was followed in converting three other Cleveland-class ships (Galveston, Little Rock, and Oklahoma City) to operate the Talos surface-to-air missile system, creating the Galveston class. Little Rock and Oklahoma City were outfitted as fleet flagships, but Galveston was not.

Like the Galveston class cruisers, the Providence class ships suffered from serious stability problems caused by the topweight of the missile system, requiring the use of ballast to improve stability. The cruisers also suffered from hogging of the hull.

All three Providence-class ships were decommissioned to the reserve fleet between 1969 and 1974. In the 1975 cruiser realignment, Providence and Springfield were reclassified as guided missile cruisers (CG). The ships were stricken from the Naval Vessel Register between 1974 and 1980, and eventually sold for scrap.

Ships in class
Ship Name Hull No. Converted at Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
Providence[2] CLG-6 Boston Naval Shipyard 27 July 1943 28 December 1944 15 September 1959 31 August 1973 Sold for scrap, 15 July 1980
Springfield[3] CLG-7 Fore River Shipyard 13 February 1943 9 March 1944 2 July 1960 15 May 1974 Sold for scrap, 11 March 1980
Topeka[4] CLG-8 New York Naval Shipyard 21 April 1943 19 August 1944 26 March 1960 5 June 1969 Sold for scrap, 20 March 1975

See also

References
  1. Friedman, Norman (1984). U.S. Cruisers: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Institute. pp. 386–393. ISBN 0-87021-739-9.
  2. "CL82". Haze Gray. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  3. "CL66". Haze Gray. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  4. "CL67". Haze Gray. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
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