USA to Dismantle World's First Nuclear Cruiser

19.09.2012 The world's first nuclear-powered missile cruiser USS Long Beach serving in the US Navy since 1961 through 1995 will be dismantled for scrap, reports The Washington Post.

According to the newspaper, in the summer 2012 the ship was sold by auction to Tacoma Metals. Precise cost of the cruiser was not reported, but American Metal Market evaluates her as $885-895 mln. The ship built fr om steel, aluminum, copper and other metals weights about 15,000 tons.

Missile cruiser USS Long Beach was built specially for interaction with aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. In 1964, the ship went round the world and proved effectiveness of her nuclear powerplant. Through her career in the US Navy, USS Long Beach participated in the Vietnam War and was used against Latin American drug dealers.

USS Long Beach could sail at up to 30 knots with unlim ited operating range thanks to nuclear powerplant. Crew strength was 1 160 including commissioned officers. The cruiser was armed with 127-mm gun mounts, 324-mm torpedo tubes, antisubmarine and antiaircraft missile systems.