Ticonderoga Class (CG-47) AEGIS Cruisers — Asbestos in the Cold War Strike Cruisers

The Ticonderoga class AEGIS guided missile cruisers — twenty-seven ships commissioned between 1983 and 1994, designated CG-47 through CG-73 — provided the air defense and strike capability backbone of US Navy carrier battle groups during the late Cold War and post-Cold War era. Built on the Spruance class destroyer hull with four General Electric LM2500 gas turbine engines providing all-gas-turbine propulsion, Ticonderoga class cruisers carried the AN/SPY-1 AEGIS phased-array radar and the Mk 41 vertical launch system (on CG-52 and later) providing simultaneous engagement of multiple air threats and strike capability with Tomahawk cruise missiles. The first two Ticonderoga class ships (CG-47 and CG-48) used Mk 26 guided missile launching systems before transitioning to the VLS from CG-52 onward. Built at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi and at Bath Iron Works in Bath, Maine, Ticonderoga class cruisers were constructed between 1980 and 1994 using the construction specifications of the early-to-mid 1980s transitional period and later. Like the Spruance class, Ticonderoga class cruisers used gas turbine propulsion eliminating the steam boiler plant asbestos exposure pattern of steam-powered predecessors, while incorporating hull construction materials of their construction period.

Ticonderoga Class Gas Turbine and Engineering System Asbestos

Ticonderoga class cruisers incorporated asbestos in gas turbine-related systems:

• Gas turbine exhaust system insulation — the gas turbine exhaust ducting and uptake systems aboard Ticonderoga class cruisers incorporated thermal insulation materials consistent with the early-to-mid 1980s naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings working in Ticonderoga class engineering spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing exhaust system insulation in the propulsion plant
• Gas turbine module enclosure insulation — the acoustic and thermal enclosures surrounding the LM2500 gas turbine modules aboard Ticonderoga class cruisers incorporated insulation materials consistent with the construction specifications of the 1983–1994 building period
• Auxiliary machinery space construction — the auxiliary machinery spaces and engineering support spaces aboard Ticonderoga class cruisers were constructed using the construction materials and specifications of the early-to-mid 1980s building period, with early VLS systems incorporating some asbestos in their construction

Ticonderoga Class Hull Construction Asbestos

Ticonderoga class cruisers’ 1983–1994 construction incorporated hull materials:

• Crew and combat systems spaces — Ticonderoga class crew berthing, combat systems spaces, and AEGIS equipment rooms were constructed using the hull construction materials of the 1983–1994 building period. The extent of asbestos-containing materials in Ticonderoga class interior construction reflects the transitional construction practices and the reduced use of asbestos in early-to-mid 1980s naval construction
• VLS magazine and strike weapon spaces — the vertical launch system magazines and Tomahawk strike weapon spaces aboard Ticonderoga class cruisers were constructed using the construction specifications of their building period

VA Claims for Ticonderoga Class Veterans

VA evaluates asbestos-related disability claims on a case-by-case basis. Veterans generally need evidence of in-service asbestos exposure, a current asbestos-related diagnosis, and a medical link between them. Officers and crew members who served aboard Ticonderoga class AEGIS cruisers and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, or asbestos-related lung cancer may qualify for VA disability benefits.

Source notes: equipment-manifest entries (where shown) are sourced from public-record BUSHIPS (Bureau of Ships) documentation, NARA archives, and the public asbestos litigation record. Manufacturer attributions link to documented asbestos-product histories on AsbestosIndex.com where available. Nothing on this page constitutes medical or legal advice.