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Huntington Ingalls Industries
Ticonderoga-class Cruiser
The U.S. Navy's Aegis guided-missile cruiser class, the first surface combatants built around the Aegis Combat System. Serves as the fleet's premier air-defense commander platform, being gradually retired without direct replacement.
In service since 1983 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
9,800
t
32.5
kn
6,000
nmi
122
VLS
330
crew
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1983. Status: legacy · ~27 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Ticonderoga-class Cruiser can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 2x 5-inch Mk 45 naval guns |
|---|---|
| VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship, a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming. | 122 |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 172.8 m |
|---|
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | AN/SPY-1A Aegis phased array radar |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 27 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public Huntington Ingalls Industries and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the main armament of the Huntington Ingalls Industries Ticonderoga-class Cruiser? +
The Huntington Ingalls Industries Ticonderoga-class Cruiser's primary weapon is the 2x 5-inch Mk 45 naval guns.
What is the Huntington Ingalls Industries Ticonderoga-class Cruiser used for? +
The Huntington Ingalls Industries Ticonderoga-class Cruiser is a warship typically used for air defense.
How many countries operate the Huntington Ingalls Industries Ticonderoga-class Cruiser? +
The Huntington Ingalls Industries Ticonderoga-class Cruiser is operated by 1 countries.
Similar systems
Related coverage
Ticonderoga-class Cruiser in the news
Article guide · Jul 17, 2026
How Many VLS Cells Does a Warship Actually Carry?
Sejong the Great publishes 128 VLS cells, ahead of Ticonderoga's 122 and Type 055's 112, but cell count isn't one comparable unit across navies.
Article industry · Jul 5, 2026
Which Warship Packs the Most Missiles Per Ton?
Israel's Sa'ar 6 corvette packs 16.0 VLS cells per 1,000 tons, beating the Ticonderoga and Arleigh Burke classes despite a fifth of their size.