CLASS - VIRGINIA
Displacement 11,100 Tons, Dimensions, 585' (oa) x 63' x 31' (Max)
Armament 2 Standard SAM/ASW (66 Missiles) 2 x 5"/54RF, 6 x12.75" TT.
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; 2 G.E. Reactors (D2G), Geared Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 30+ Knots, Crew 500.
Operational and Building Data
Awarded 31 JAN 1975
Reclassified CGN 41 on 30 June 1975
Keel laid on 17 JAN 1977 at Newport News Shipyard, Newport News, VA
Launched 21 OCT 1978
Commissioned 18 OCT 1980
Collision with Megra Ilea 02 JAN 1983
Deactivation 18 OCT 1997
Decommissioned 07 JUL 1998
Stricken 07 JUL 1998
Fate: Disposed - Hulk recycling completed at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard 01 NOV 1999

Arkansas (CGN 41) under construction at Newport News Shipbuilding, Virginia, in 1978.

1 June 1980 - A starboard bow view of the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) underway. The ship's forward Mark 45 5-inch/gun is being fired to port.

U.S. navy photo #DN-SC-84-00366

An aerial starboard bow view of six nuclear-powered guided missile cruisers underway in formation during exercise READEX 1-81. The ships are, from left to right: USS TEXAS (CGN 39), USS MISSISSIPPI (CGN 40), USS CALIFORNIA (CGN 36), USS SOUTH CAROLINA (CGN 37), USS VIRGINIA (CGN 38) and USS ARKANSAS (CGN 41). Photo taken 26 February 1981.

DOD Photo #DN-SC-87-08333 by PH1 Anthony Alleyne.

Six nuclear powered cruisers sailing together on 28 February 1981. The United States had operated nuclear powered cruisers for over three decades. USS Long Beach (CGN 9) entered service in 1961 while the final cruisers, the California class were decommissioned in 1999 (The Virginia class, the final class designed and built, were decommissioned in 1998). First row, front to back:

USS Virginia (CGN 38)
USS South Carolina (CGN 37)
USS California (CGN 36)

Second row, front to back:

USS Arkansas (CGN 41)
USS Mississippi (CGN 40)
USS Texas (CGN 39)

17 March 1982 - An explosive charge is detonated off the starboard side of the nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) during a shock test.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-SC-87-05360 by: PH1 Toon.

USS Arkansas (CGN 41) underway in 1985.

Underway in San Francisco Bay, California, on 12 October 1985. Arkansas participated in the "Fleet Week San Francisco 1985".

Photographer PH2 Dostie, USN. National Archives and Records Administration, catalog (NAID) 6404424.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY, CA, 12 October 1985 - The nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) passes in review with crewmen manning the rail during San Francisco Fleet Week Parade of Ships.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-SC-86-03207 by PH3 Oslund.

Port beam view of the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) underway, 1 March 1986. The ship is operating as part of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) battle group.

Photographer PHC Chet King, USN. Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center.

A CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter from Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Five (HC-5) transports cargo during a vertical replenishment operation in the Indian Ocean. The nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) is in the background, 1 March 1986.

U.S. Navy photo #330-CFD-DN-ST-86-11414 taken by PHC Chet King.

Pacific Ocean, 9 April 1986 - A port beam view of the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) underway.

US Navy Photo.

Pacific Ocean, 9 April 1986 - A port side view of the fore section on the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) passing close along the starboard side of the USS Enterprise (CVN 65) (Not shown).

US Navy Photo.

Pacific Ocean, 17 September 1986 - A port side view of Nuclear Task Force One during Operation SEA ORBIT. The ships include the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) (Center), which took part in the first cruise, and now accompanied by the guided missile cruisers USS Truxtun (CGN 35) (Bottom) and USS Arkansas (CGN 41).

US Navy Photo.

Pacific Ocean, 17 September 1986 - A starboard side view of Nuclear Task Force One during Operation SEA ORBIT. The ships include the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) (Center), which took part in the first cruise, and now accompanied by the guided missile cruisers USS Truxtun (CGN 35) (Bottom) and USS Arkansas (CGN 41).

US Navy Photo.

Naval Station San Diego, 1 June 1992 - Aerial view of the 32nd Street Naval Station Pier 2, showing various ships berthed there. The Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3) (left), the Spruance-class destroyer USS Harry W. Hill (DD 986) (across the pier) an unidentified Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser (rear left) and the Virginia-class nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) outboard of her.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-SC-04-15494 by PH2 M. Correa.

Members of the Weapons Division check the loading arm attachments as they prepare to load a new Mark 66 Mod 3 guided missile training round in the magazine of the aft Mark 26 missile launcher aboard the nuclear-powered guided missile cruiser USS ARKANSAS (CGN 41).

Photographer's Name: PH1 Williamson Location: NAVAL AIR STATION, ALAMEDA Date Shot: 9/23/1993 Date Posted: unknown VIRIN: DN-ST-94-00392

Looking into the Missile Magazine through strikedown hatch of the aft GMLS MK26 systems on 23 September 1993. The blue missiles and ASROC are training rounds, used for system and operational testing. Note the covers (Tyvek, I believe) protecting the radomes of the "live" missiles from grease and hydraulic fluid.

Photographer's Name: PH1 Williamson Location: NAVAL AIR STATION/ALAMEDA Date Shot: 9/23/1993 Date Posted: unknown VIRIN: DN-ST-94-00394

YOKOSUKA, Japan, 11 March 1994 - A port quarter view of the nuclear-powered guided-missile cruiser USS Arkansas (CGN 41) arriving at U.S. Fleet Activities Base, as part of the CARL VINSON battle group. The ships of the battle group are making a port visit before deploying to the Persian Gulf.

U.S. Navy photo #DN-SC-95-00519 by PH3 Henderson.