USS Little Rock (CL-92 / CLG-4 / CG-4)

History of USS Little Rock (CL-92 / CLG-4 / CG-4)

The USS Little Rock (CL-92) was a US Navy cruiser built towards the end of World War II, launched in 1944, and officially commissioned in 1945. Although it missed active participation in major wartime operations, it played a significant role during the Cold War period. Belonging to the Cleveland-class cruiser group, it was among the 27 completed out of 52 planned ships. The USS Little Rock was later converted into a missile carrier, reflecting the changing needs of naval warfare.

With a displacement of 12,000 tons and a length of 608 feet, the USS Little Rock boasted a formidable arsenal and strong defensive capabilities. Powered by steam boilers and turbines, it could achieve speeds of up to 33 knots and had a range of 11,000 nautical miles. Its armament included main and secondary guns, automatic cannons, and anti-aircraft guns, making it a well-equipped warship ready for various combat scenarios.

Reclassified multiple times, including as CLG-4 and CG-4, the USS Little Rock underwent changes in armament over its operational years. After serving until 1976, engaging in deployments such as NATO missions, plans for modernization were eventually abandoned, leading to its decommissioning. Rather than being scrapped, it was preserved as a museum ship, serving as a historical monument alongside the destroyer USS The Sullivans in Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Parks.

Specification

Base

Year of Service: 1945

Origins: United States

Shipbuilder: Cramp Shipbuilding Company - USA

Class: Cleveland Class

Class Size: 27

Operators: United States

Characters

Sea Bombing: Maritime bombardment/attack of surface targets/areas primarily through ship-based ballistic weapons.

Land Assault: Littoral attacks against surface targets primarily through ship-based missiles/missile weapons.

Sea Patrol: Active patrolling of critical waterways and sea areas; also serves as a local deterrent against air and maritime threats.

Airspace Denial/Deterrence: Neutralization or deterrence of flying elements by airborne missile weapon ballistics.

Fleet Support: Provide support (fire or materiel) to major surface fleets in blue water environments.

Dimensions and Weight

Length: 610.0 feet (185.93 m)

Ray: 66.3 feet (20.21 m)

Draft: 25.0 feet (7.62 m)

Shift: 10,670 t

Power and Performance

Installed Power: 4 x Babcock & Wilcox boilers feed 4 x steam turbines and develop 100,000 hp for 4 x shafts.

Surface Velocity: 33. 0 nodes (38.0km/h)

Area: 12,600nm (14,500 miles | 23,335 kilometers)

Weapons

Original equipment:

12 x 6"/47 caliber (152 mm) main gun, four three-gun turrets.

12 x 5 in/38 (127 mm) caliber guns in six twin gun turrets.

12 x 40mm Bofors Anti-Aircraft Guns (AA) mounted in two 4-gun turrets and two 2-gun turrets.

20 x 20 mm Oerlikon Anti-Aircraft Guns (AA) as guided cruiser: 3 x 6 in (152 mm) main guns.

2 x 5" 38 caliber guns. 1 x Mark 7 "Talos" Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) Dual Rocket Launcher (46 reloads).

Aircraft

None.