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| Boston-class guided missile cruiser | |
|---|---|
| Name | Boston-class guided missile cruiser |
| Country | United States |
| Builder | Bethlehem Steel, Fore River Shipyard |
| Builder2 | New York Shipbuilding Corporation |
| Operator | United States Navy |
| Class before | Oregon City-class cruiser |
| Class after | Albany-class cruiser |
| Displacement | 17,900 long tons (full load) |
| Length | 673 ft (205 m) |
| Beam | 70 ft (21 m) |
| Draft | 26 ft (7.9 m) |
| Propulsion | geared steam turbines; 120,000 shp |
| Speed | 33 knots |
| Complement | 1,200 officers and enlisted |
| Aircraft | none |
| Introduced | 1955 |
Boston-class guided missile cruiser
The Boston-class guided missile cruiser was a two-ship class of United States Navy guided missile cruisers converted from late‑World War II Cleveland-class light cruiser hulls to provide long‑range surface‑to‑air missile defense for carrier task forces during the early Cold War. Designed to test and field the RIM-2 Terrier missile and associated sensor suites, the class combined heavy conventional gun armament with missile launchers, bridging the transition from gun cruisers to guided missile cruisers. The ships served in the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea with NATO and U.S. fleet units, influencing later conversions and purpose‑built designs.
The Boston class originated from wartime Cleveland-class light cruiser hulls selected for conversion under the Project SCB-48 program to accelerate deployment of guided missiles amid rising tensions after the Korean War. Naval planners at Bureau of Ships (BuShips) and the Office of Naval Research prioritized retention of the Cleveland‑class armored protection and engineering plants while replacing aft gun batteries with a twin‑arm launcher for the Terrier missile. Shipbuilders including Bethlehem Steel at Fore River Shipyard and New York Shipbuilding Corporation performed structural alterations to support magazines, guidance electronics, and fire‑control radars. Conversion work incorporated lessons from the Cruiser Baseline studies and sought compatibility with fleet communication systems used by United States Sixth Fleet and United States Second Fleet task groups.
Hull modifications altered superstructure arrangement to house the Classifying and Tracking radars, and stabilized twin launchers required reinforcement of deckhouses and internal framing. Integration of the missile system necessitated dedicated spaces for missile rounds, handling equipment, and safety systems satisfying Navy Ordnance criteria. Designers preserved forward 8-inch and 5-inch gun batteries to provide naval gunfire support and surface engagement capability recognized during Mediterranean deployments.
Primary missile armament centered on the twin-arm RIM-2 Terrier launcher with below‑deck magazines holding reloads, supported by the associated missile fire‑control system. Gun armament retained two 8-inch/55 caliber guns in a forward twin turret and multiple 5-inch/38 caliber dual-purpose mounts amidships and forward, enabling anti‑surface and shore bombardment roles used during crisis response operations. Close‑in defense relied on rapid‑fire 40 mm mounts early in service, later supplemented by electronic countermeasures suites.
Sensor fit included long‑range air search radars, height-finding radars, and dedicated missile guidance radars tied into the Terrier fire‑control system; installations were products of Westinghouse Electric Corporation and Raytheon development efforts. The ships carried surface search and navigation radars compatible with Fleet Tactical Support networks and data links for coordination with carrier‑based aircraft from Carrier Air Wing. Electronic warfare equipment and sonar were installed to maintain situational awareness in contested environments and to support antisubmarine screening when operating with antisubmarine warfare task forces.
Two Cleveland‑class hulls were selected and decommissioned wartime hulls were towed into yards for conversion. Conversion contracts were awarded to Bethlehem Steel and New York Shipbuilding Corporation under Department of Defense procurement directives to expedite guided missile capability. Keels were not newly laid; instead extensive reconstruction occurred from 1952 to 1955, producing ships recommissioned into active service in the mid‑1950s. Commissioning ceremonies featured dignitaries from the Department of the Navy and were attended by members of Congress who had supported accelerated missile programs amid budget debates with the House Armed Services Committee.
Ship crews underwent specialized training at Naval Air Station Norfolk and Naval Station Newport to operate missile systems and integrated radar suites; technicians trained with manufacturers at land‑based missile guidance facilities. After shakedown cruises, the Boston‑class units joined fleet squadrons for operational evaluation and rapid deployment as part of forward naval posture during the Suez Crisis era and other Cold War flashpoints.
Boston‑class cruisers primarily operated with the United States Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean Sea and deployed with the United States Second Fleet in the Atlantic, providing area air defense for carrier battle groups and acting as flag ships for destroyer squadrons. They participated in multinational NATO exercises including Operation Mainbrace and Operation Mariner, demonstrating integration of shipboard missile defenses with allied air assets. The class also conducted presence operations during crises around the Eastern Mediterranean and supported naval gunfire during amphibious exercises with United States Marine Corps units.
Operational deployments tested Terrier performance against simulated threats, informing tactics for fleet air defense doctrine promulgated by Commander-in-Chief, Atlantic Fleet (CINCLANTFLT). Crews logged extensive underway steaming, missile firings at sea, and cooperative training with carrier‑based interceptors from Carrier Air Wing Three and similar air wings. Experience gained influenced fleet procurement and the evolution of cruiser tasking amid changing threat assessments from the Soviet Navy.
During service, the Boston class received progressive upgrades to electronic suites, radar antennas, and communications gear to maintain interoperability with evolving NATO tactical data links and to counter electronic countermeasures employed by adversaries. Some refits upgraded fire‑control computers and improved missile handling for increased sortie rates; contractors such as General Electric and Naval Electronics Laboratory (NEL) participated in modernization packages. Proposals to replace gun armament or to install newer missile types were considered during Naval Shipbuilding reviews, but budget constraints and the advent of purpose‑built guided missile cruisers limited extensive conversion.
Periodic overhauls at Norfolk Naval Shipyard and Philadelphia Naval Shipyard addressed hull fatigue from wartime construction and conversion stresses, while habitability improvements reflected changing Department of Defense personnel standards. Modest radar cross‑section reduction measures and damage control enhancements were implemented before later inactivation.
By the late 1960s and early 1970s, advances in missile technology, the commissioning of CGN‑type nuclear‑powered cruisers, and cost of further modernization rendered the Boston class obsolete. The ships were decommissioned and struck from the Naval Vessel Register following extended inactivation periods. Disposition saw scrapping at commercial yards under Defense disposals, with select artifacts and equipment transferred to museums or used as spares for other classes. The Boston class nonetheless left a legacy in guided‑missile cruiser development that informed later Albany-class cruiser conversions and the design of subsequent purpose‑built guided missile cruisers.
Category:United States Navy ship classes