The USS Port Royal (CG-73) was a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser serving in the United States Navy. As the final ship of her class, she was commissioned on July 9, 1994, and decommissioned on September 29, 2022. Constructed by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, she was laid down on October 18, 1991, and launched on November 20, 1992. The ship featured a steel hull and superstructure equipped with advanced radar and missile tracking systems, including the Aegis combat system and Standard Missile tracking capabilities, with upgrades such as Long Range Surveillance and Track (LRS&T). She was propelled by four LM2500 gas turbine engines, generating 80,000 shaft horsepower, allowing speeds exceeding 30 knots, with two five-bladed controllable pitch propellers and two rudders facilitating maneuverability. Port Royal's service history included multiple deployments supporting operations such as Southern Watch, Enduring Freedom, and the Global War on Terrorism. Notably, she participated in the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1996 and was involved in operations off Hawaii and the Persian Gulf. She was among the ships assigned to the Linebacker Program, testing theater ballistic missile defense with upgraded missile systems, including the modified SM-2 Block IVA TMD. The cruiser also participated in tracking exercises such as Operation "Stellar Athena" in 2007. The vessel was initially slated for experimental upgrades, including the potential installation of a High Energy Laser Weapon System (HELWEPS), but this plan was canceled. Port Royal experienced notable incidents during her career, including a grounding off Honolulu in February 2009, which caused extensive damage to her bow sonar dome and propellers, resulting in an estimated repair cost of $25-40 million. The grounding led to the relief of her commanding officer and subsequent repairs at Pearl Harbor Dry Dock. Despite extensive repairs and assessments, her condition remained comparable to other cruisers of her class, and she was eventually slated for early decommissioning as part of the Navy’s modernization and fleet reduction efforts. She was officially stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and decommissioned at Joint Base Pearl Harbor–Hickam in 2022.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.