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USS California (CGN-36)

1974 COLD WAR

History of USS California (CGN-36)

There was a time during the Cold War (1947-1991) when the United States Navy (USN) invested in nuclear-powered surface combatants such as the California class. Conceived in the 1960s and entering service in the mid-1970s, the second in its class offers unmatched range and multi-mission thinking. Ultimately, the focus returned to conventionally powered surface ships, leaving only the mighty U.S.

Navy aircraft carrier fleet, which operates entirely on nuclear means.

The California class is led by the USS California (CGN-36). On January 23, 1970, she saw the keel being laid at Newport News Shipyard (Newport News, Virginia), and the battleship was launched on September 22, 1971. The U.S.

Navy officially took over the ship on February 7, 1974, and officially commissioned it on February 16 of that year. The ship served primarily as a deterrent for the remainder of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, before eventually being scrapped.

She was decommissioned on July 9, 1999, scrapping and recycling her nuclear power plant.

During her time at sea, she was called "Golden Bear". Her sister was USS South Carolina (CGN-37), which operated from January 1975 to July 1999.

When built, the California displaces 10,815 tons under light load and 11,735 tons under full load. She has a barrel length of 596 feet, a beam of 61 feet, and a draft of up to 33 feet.

Power is provided by 2 General Electric D2G nuclear reactors, driving 2 shafts under the stern, giving the warship a maximum sea speed of 30 knots in ideal conditions. Because of their nuclear power plants, their range is basically unlimited.

There were 584 personnel on board, including 40 officers.

Her profile includes a largely unobstructed forecastle leading to the upper structure of the slab edge bridge. The double mast is mounted amidships and the superstructure is tiered. At the stern of the boat is the single helideck.

The warship is capable of launching and recovering a medium helicopter and is equipped for missions such as cargo supply, search and rescue (SAR), anti-submarine warfare (ASW), and anti-ship warfare. Typical supported models are the Kaman SH-2 "Seasprite", the Sikorsky SH-3 "Sea King" and the Boeing-Vertol CH-46 "Sea Knight" with tandem rotors.

While the warship can carry a helicopter, it lacks the full-service capability of an airborne hangar -- limiting the helicopter's tactical uses.

In terms of armament, California is equipped with a wide variety of weapons to deal with almost any naval threat. These include 2 x 5"/54 caliber deck guns with turrets, 2 x Mk 13 launchers for RIM-66 surface-to-air missiles, 2 x Mk 141 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, 2 x anti-submarine rockets (ASROC) launcher, 2 triple torpedo launchers (Mk 46 series) and 2 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) Targeting.[ /p]

The USS California was originally created under the Destroyer Leader (DLGN) classification, but was later changed to a guided missile cruiser (CGN) in June 1975. During the Iran hostage crisis, it later became part of a failed rescue operation in April, dubbed "Eagle Claw." In 1981, she made a circumnavigation of the globe, the first time since 1964 on a nuclear-powered vessel.

From there, the warship took part in various patrols, exercises and trips. In April 1990, she traveled to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington, for a three-year overhaul of the facility. Work continued until January 1993, culminating in the installation of the powerful New Threat Upgraded Combat System Suite (NTUCSS).

More joint exercises followed, and the ship was refitted again in 1995.

With rising costs and the high level of dedication required to operate and maintain nuclear propulsion systems, the days of the U.S. Navy using nuclear-powered cruisers are numbered. As a result, the USS California sailed until 1998 and was about to be decommissioned.

Her name was removed from the Naval Register on July 9, 1999, and was scrapped in mid-2000.