(USS Vincennes scrapped.)
Tico-class cruisers. Or Tico-class destroyers. Depends on your perspective. Lots of money and today, not much value.
Some of their fate is being discussed here.
Two of the early ships only lasted 18 years in service.
Bad.
Their AEGIS missile system combat performance has always been based on faith.
But the system has dramatically improved!
Has it vs. the threat?
Today, with super-sonic anti-ship missiles, faith and highly-scripted range events are not good enough.
Potential threat aircraft are becoming capable enough and affordable enough that an enemy can buy them and sustain them in numbers. They (or their stand-off weapons) will get through. History and all that.
Important considering the obsolete to the threat carrier air wing. Carriers being what the cruisers were there to protect. And if carriers are to be any worth in a high threat environment (Google, "The Carrier Myth"). They are better off with extreme-long-range aircraft. For ISR and carry of stand off weapons. Keep the carrier far, far away.
And even that might not be good enough.
The U.S. Navy has not managed the non-nuclear sub threat well.
Then there are lots of naval mines to worry about.
Ships can't be so expensive and in low quantity that you can't afford to lose any through combat attrition.
Far from perfect, the Virginia-class sub, bought in quantity will be able to hit anti-access targets. Not all of the Tomahawk Block 4s will get though. Certainly nearly all of the Super Hornets and Just So Failes will not survive. They will be run down and killed.
Cruisers and low threat work? There are some embarassing photos out there of Ticos doing anti-piracy ops. Cost effective !!!
Time to retire this class of ship and use the money for more important things.
The Navy will be better for it.
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