USS Yorktown (CG-48) — Asbestos Aboard the Ticonderoga Class AEGIS Cruiser

USS Yorktown (CG-48), second ship of the Ticonderoga class AEGIS guided missile cruisers, was commissioned at Ingalls Shipbuilding in July 1984. Yorktown is perhaps best known for the February 1988 Black Sea incident in which she and USS Caron (DD-963) conducted freedom of navigation operations in Soviet territorial waters and were rammed — intentionally bumped — by Soviet naval vessels in a confrontation that became a symbol of US-Soviet Cold War tensions. Yorktown was built on the Spruance class hull with four General Electric LM2500 gas turbines providing all-gas-turbine propulsion, and carried the AN/SPY-1 AEGIS phased-array radar with the Mk 26 guided missile launching system (rather than VLS, which was introduced on later Ticonderoga class ships). Built in 1982–1984 at Ingalls Shipbuilding, Yorktown incorporated hull construction materials and gas turbine exhaust system insulation consistent with the early 1980s transitional construction period.

USS Yorktown Gas Turbine System Asbestos

Yorktown’s gas turbine propulsion plant incorporated asbestos in exhaust insulation:

• Gas turbine exhaust system insulation — the gas turbine exhaust ducting and uptake systems aboard Yorktown carrying high-temperature exhaust from the four LM2500 gas turbines incorporated thermal insulation materials consistent with early 1980s naval construction specifications. Engineering ratings working in Yorktown’s engineering spaces accumulated background asbestos exposure from any asbestos-containing exhaust system insulation
• Gas turbine module enclosures — the acoustic and thermal enclosures surrounding Yorktown’s LM2500 gas turbine modules incorporated insulation materials consistent with 1982–1984 construction specifications. Engineering ratings performing gas turbine maintenance encountered module enclosure insulation materials during maintenance operations

USS Yorktown Hull Construction Asbestos

Yorktown’s early 1980s construction incorporated hull construction materials:

• Crew berthing and working spaces — Yorktown’s interior crew berthing areas and working spaces were constructed using early 1980s hull construction materials reflecting the transitional construction practices away from asbestos during the 1980s building period
• AEGIS equipment rooms and combat systems spaces — the AEGIS equipment rooms housing the AN/SPY-1 radar processing systems, weapons control equipment, and associated combat systems electronics were constructed using construction materials consistent with the early 1980s specifications

VA Claims for USS Yorktown Veterans

VA presumptive service connection under 38 CFR § 3.309(d) covers asbestos exposure from Navy cruiser service. Officers and crew members who served aboard USS Yorktown 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.