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, 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, 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.

USS Providence
Class overview
Operators:  United States Navy
Preceded by: Galveston-class cruiser
Succeeded by: Long Beach-class cruiser
In commission: 1959 - 1974
Completed: 3
Retired: 3
Preserved: 0
General characteristics
Type: Guided missile cruiser
Displacement: 15,025 tons
Length: 608 ft (185.3 m)
Beam: 64 ft (19.5 m)
Draft: 23 ft 6 in (7.1 m)
Propulsion:
  • 4 634 psi boilers
  • steam turbines
  • 4 shafts
  • 100,000 shp
Speed: 32.5 knots (60 km/h)
Complement: 1,120 officers and enlisted
Armament:
  • Providence and Springfield (fleet flagship)
  • 3 × 6 in (152 mm) guns in 1 Mark 16 turret
  • 2 × 5 in/38 cal guns in 1 Mark 32 mount
  • 1 × twin-rail Mark 9 RIM-2 Terrier missile launcher
  • Topeka (non-flagship)
  • 6 × 6 in (152 mm) guns in 2 Mark 16 turrets
  • 6 × 5 in/38 cal guns in 3 Mark 32 mounts
  • 1 × twin-rail Mark 9 RIM-2 Terrier missile launcher

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 CLG-6 Boston Naval Shipyard 27 July 1943 28 December 1944 15 September 1959 31 August 1973 Sold for scrap, 15 July 1980
Springfield CLG-7 Fore River Shipyard 13 February 1943 9 March 1944 2 July 1960 15 May 1974 Sold for scrap, 11 March 1980
Topeka CLG-8 New York Naval Shipyard 21 April 1943 19 August 1944 26 March 1960 5 June 1969 Sold for scrap, 20 March 1975
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