US Navy Ticonderoga-class cruiser
USS Vicksburg (CG-69) is a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. She is named for the Siege of Vicksburg fought during the American Civil War.[1]
Vicksburg was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi and commissioned on 14 November 1992.[2]
With her guided missiles and rapid-fire cannons, Vicksburg is capable of facing threats in the air, on the sea, ashore, and underneath the sea. She is also capable of carrying two SH-60 Sea Hawk Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS III) helicopters.
Vicksburg was originally named Port Royal, but the name was changed before the keel was laid. She was the only Ticonderoga-class vessel to have a formal name change until USS Robert Smalls. CG-73 was later named Port Royal.[3]
The previous Vicksburg was a Cleveland-class light cruiser during and after World War II. Vicksburg's crest has two stars on the streamer in the eagle's beak representing the two battle stars awarded to her predecessor.[4]
History
1990s
Vicksburg was built by Ingalls Shipbuilding, at Pascagoula, Mississippi. Her keel was laid down on 30 May 1990, and she was launched on 7 September 1991. Vicksburg was sponsored by Tricia Lott, wife of United States Senator, Trent Lott. On 12 October 1991, Mrs. Lott christened CG-69 as Vicksburg. She was commissioned on 14 November 1992.[2][5]
On her maiden cruise in 1994, Vicksburg was assigned to the USS Saratoga battle group, which was stationed off the coast of Montenegro. Vicksburg participated in Operation Deny Flight and Operation Provide Promise, serving as an airspace command and control platform. In May 1994, Vicksburg participated in NATO's "Dynamic Impact 94" exercise in the western Mediterranean, and in August 1994 Vicksburg joined Operation Able Vigil, helping to intercept Cuban migrants crossing the Florida Straits.[2]
Vicksburg returned from a 6 month deployment in March 1996. During the deployment, Vicksburg participated in Operation Southern Watch in the Persian Gulf. Vicksburg also performed Maritime Interception Operations to enforce UN sanctions that prohibited exports from Iraq. Vicksburg conducted over 85 boardings. At that time, the primary contraband was dates carried by 70–100 feet (21–30 m) dhows. Vicksburg visited Italy, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates during the deployment.[6][7]
In 1997, Vicksburg deployed to the Mediterranean Sea with the USS John F. Kennedy carrier battle group (CVBG).[8][9]
In 1998, Vicksburg and Hué City had problems integrating AEGIS Baseline 6 and Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC), rendering the ships unavailable for service.[10] The USS John F. Kennedy CVBG deployed in September 1999 without Vicksburg and Hué City.[8]
In 1999, Vicksburg participated in BALTOPS '99 and UNITAS 40-99.[11]
2000s
In May 2000, Lockheed Martin announced that Vicksburg and Hué City completed a series of live missile firing exercises. The tests came after two years of integration and testing and paved the way for further test efforts with the entire battlegroup. Five test targets were engaged including low and high altitude threats and severe electronic countermeasures. The test also included a demonstration of engage on remote (EOR) which allowed one ship to complete an engagement against a target solely using data from a second ship.[12] In 2001, Vicksburg and the rest of the John F. Kennedy CVBG extensively tested the CEC system.[8] Following the September 11 attacks, the battle group supported Operation Noble Eagle.[8]
In February 2002, Vicksburg deployed with the John F. Kennedy carrier battlegroup (CVBG), initially to the Mediterranean Sea. In March 2002, Vicksburg was part of the John F. Kennedy CVBG as she relieved the USS Theodore Roosevelt CVBG, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.[8] On 16 June 2002, off the coast of Oman, Vicksburg launched an SH-60B helicopter from HSL-42, Det 7, to assist Stolt Spray. The tanker was standing by to assist the foundering motor vessel al Murthada, but monsoon conditions prevented its assistance. Vicksburg’s helicopter transferred al Murthada’s distressed mariners, who had been adrift for eight days, to Stolt Spray for further transportation.[8]
In March 2003, she was assigned to Naval Surface Group Two.[13] In December 2004, Vicksburg and the John F. Kennedy battlegroup returned from a six month deployment to the Middle East.[14]
Vicksburg departed on a surge deployment to the middle east on 26 January 2006. In February, Vicksburg became the first US Navy ship to refuel from a new Defense Fuel Supply Point in Djibouti.[15] Vicksburg returned in June 2006.[16] On 16 February 2007, Vicksburg was awarded the 2006 Battle "E" award.[17] She was part of Carrier Strike Group Twelve, which was led by USS Enterprise (CVN-65) until December 2012.
25 January 2008, Vicksburg returned to Mayport following a six month deployment to the Persian Gulf.[18] In February 2009, she deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of the Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group.[19]
2010s
In 2010, Vicksburg deployed for a three month Theater Security Cooperation Surge deployment to Northern Europe.[20] The ship conducted exercises with the Norwegian Navy and then participated in the Joint Warrior 10-1 multinational exercise.[11][21]
Vicksburg deployed with the Enterprise CVBG in March 2012 on the carrier's final deployment.[22] Vicksburg visited Piraeus, Greece in late March 2012.[11][23] Vicksburg conducted operations with FS Cassard (D 614) April 16-24, 2012.[24] Vicksburg visited Bahrain at the end of May[25][26] and again in August.[27] Vicksburg visited Lisbon, Portugal on October 17, 2012.[28] Vicksburg returned to Mayport in November 2012.[29]
The US Navy was planning to retire Vicksburg along with eight other Ticonderoga class cruisers in fiscal year 2013 in line with US Defense Department budget reductions.[30] The ship was scheduled to be decommissioned on 31 March 2013.[31]
Language inserted into the FY13 House of Representatives Defense Bill retained Vicksburg and two other of her sister ships that were slated for decommissioning. Retaining the ships in the active fleet was not supported by the United States Secretary of Defense, but the outcome was determined by the final FY13 Defense Bill negotiated with the United States Senate.[32] Vicksburg and two other Ticonderoga-class cruisers were retained under the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013.[33]
In 2014, the cruiser participated in Joint Warrior 14-2, a United Kingdom-led multinational exercise in British coastal waters. The training was designed to provide allied forces a multiwarfare environment to prepare for global operations. On 4 December 2014, Vicksburg departed Naval Station Mayport to relieve USS Leyte Gulf (CG-55) as the Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2) flagship and to support theater security cooperation efforts in Europe.[34] Vicksburg relieved Leyte Gulf as SNMG2 Flagship in Naples on 20 December 2014.[35] Vicksburg and SNMG2 deployed to the Black Sea 4 March 2015.[36] Vicksburg and SNMG2 visited Varna, Bulgaria 7-8 March and Constanta, Romania around 16 March 2015.[37][38] Vicksburg and SNMG2 left the Black sea around 20 March.[39] In April, Vicksburg and SNMG2 visited Faslane, Scotland along with Standing NATO Mine Counter-Measures Groups One and Two for Joint Warrior 15-1.[40][41] In May, Vicksburg and SNMG2 participated in the anti-submarine exercise Dynamic Mongoose.[42] The ship returned to Mayport on 11 July 2015.[43]
On 1 July 2016, Vicksburg was transferred from Carrier Strike Group Twelve to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and entered the Navy's Cruiser Modernization program. The ship's homeport was changed to Norfolk and the crew was reduced from 350 to less than 50.[44] In 2017, BAE Systems announced it was awarded a special selected restricted availability (SSRA) contract for up to $42.9 million. The work was planned for April to September 2017 at BAE Systems Norfolk Ship Repair and was part of Vicksburg's modernization.[45]
2020s
In January 2020, Vicksburg was sent to BAE Systems for an $175 million, 18-month Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).[46] In May 2022, Vicksburg was reported to be 85% completed with its modernization and was expected to be complete by summer 2023. According to Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas), "Since 2020, the Navy has awarded nearly $500 million in contracts to upgrade the cruiser."[47]
The Navy requested to decommission Vicksburg in its FY23 and FY24 budgets.[48] Navy Undersecretary Erik Raven stated that this was due to the ship's "material condition, life remaining, cost, ... time to upgrade ... and the warfighting value."[49]
In March of 2023, the Navy submitted to Congress a list of 11 ships it sought to retire, including Vicksburg which has been in the modernization program since 2016.[50] According to Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro in April 2023, Vicksburg and Cowpens “will never see another deployment, regardless of how much money we put into them.” The Navy reported that costs of the modernization have increased to $500 million.[51]
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