The Virginia-class, (also known as the CGN-38 class), were four nuclear-powered, guided-missile cruisers, that served in the United States Navy until the mid-to-late 1990s. The double-ended cruisers, (with missile armament carried both fore and aft), were commissioned between 1976 and 1980. They were the final class of nuclear-powered cruisers completed and the last ships ordered as Destroyer Leaders under the pre-1975 classification system.