USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), San Diego, CA
USS Mobile Bay (CG 53), San Diego, CA
USS Antietam (CG 54), San Diego, CA
USS Leyte Gulf (CG 55), Norfolk, VA
USS San Jacinto (CG 56), Norfolk, VA
USS Lake Champlain (CG 57), San Diego, CA
USS Philippine Sea (CG 58), Mayport, FL
USS Princeton (CG 59), San Diego, CA
USS Normandy (CG 60), Norfolk, VA
USS Monterey (CG 61), Norfolk, VA
USS Chancellorsville (CG 62), San Diego, CA
USS Cowpens (CG 63), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Gettysburg (CG 64), Mayport, FL
USS Chosin (CG 65), Pearl Harbor, HI
USS Hue City (CG 66), Mayport, FL
USS Shiloh (CG 67), Yokosuka, Japan
USS Anzio (CG 68), Norfolk, VA
USS Vicksburg (CG 69), Mayport, FL
USS Lake Erie (CG 70), Pearl Harbor, HI
USS Cape St. George (CG 71), Norfolk, VA
USS Vella Gulf (CG 72), Norfolk, VA
USS Port Royal (CG 73), Pearl Harbor, HI

The resulting solution was a Phased Array Radar based, high-speed battle management computing system that could identify, track, acquire and engage many targets simultaneously using layered defense techniques. The system would also be capable of data linking to other vessels which would be outfitted to be managed by the resulting vessel. The vessel coming out of this development was the Ticonderoga class guided missile cruisers, which were built on a basic Spruance class guided missile destroyer frame. The resulting battle management system was ultimately labeled the AEGIS system.

The initial five vessels addressing this need and using the system developed employed dual-arm missile launchers with standard missile magazines beneath decks. While the system could launch more missiles, faster, than other vessels of the time, and while it could acquire, track and engage more targets as well, the twin arm launchers were simply not fast enough to address the type of saturation attacks expected. Beginnning with the sixth vessel, the USS Bunker Hill, CG 52, new vertical launch systems (VLS) replaced the twin-arm launchers, providing 64 cells fore and aft, which could match the fire rate with the acquisition and targeting rate of the AEGIS system.

The USS Bunker Hill was commissioned in 1986, and twenty-one more vessles to this standard have been built and commissioned since.

Ticonderoga class guided missile crusiers are the most heavily armed surface combatants in the US Navy arsenal, and the most capable. They are true multi-role vessels fully capable in the anti-air, anti-submarine, or anti-surface combat roles. Utilizing their Land-Attack Cruise Missile cspabilities, they are also very capable in the fire support role as well.

These vessels act principally as escorts to US Navy super carriers, but can perform just as well in escorting amphibious assault groups, or with surface action groups (SAGs). These cruisers have significant battle management and control facilities and can also act as flagships for any group that they are involved with. They were desinged to operate in a high density, multi-threat environement, and they are more fully suited for that role than any other surface combatant in the world at the current time. This is due to the level of continuosly updated technology employed on the vessels, as well as (and equally so) due to the profiency of the crews, the training regiments that have been developed for them in all areas, and the policies and procedures developed from decades of at sea experience that have honed these vessels into the well oiled fighting mechanisms they are.