Per-Ship-Class Asbestos Exposure Profiles

Navy boiler-room asbestos exposure varied somewhat by ship class because different classes used different boiler manufacturers, different boiler configurations, different propulsion-plant arrangements, and different overhaul schedules. This page profiles the asbestos exposure characteristics of five major U.S. Navy ship classes representative of the steam-propulsion era.

For per-individual-ship asbestos documentation across the full 1,713-ship Navy fleet, see navyshipexposure.com.

Iowa-class battleships (BB-61, BB-62, BB-63, BB-64)

Ships: USS Iowa (BB-61), USS New Jersey (BB-62), USS Missouri (BB-63), USS Wisconsin (BB-64). Built: 1939-1944. Recommissioned: 1981-1990 (1980s reactivation program).

Boiler-room configuration: 8 oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox M-type boilers in 4 boiler rooms; 4 General Electric geared steam turbines totaling 212,000 shaft horsepower; 4 engine rooms.

Asbestos exposure intensity: Extreme. Iowa-class battleships were built in 1940s with extensive asbestos throughout the propulsion plant. The 1980s recommissioning program required extensive overhaul work on the 40-year-old propulsion plant — pulling thousands of feet of asbestos pipe insulation, replacing gaskets at every flange, and rebuilding refractory in the boiler furnaces. Workers at Long Beach Naval Shipyard during the 1980s Iowa-class recommissioning availabilities sustained substantial asbestos exposure.

Essex-class aircraft carriers (CV-9 through CV-21, etc.)

Ships: USS Essex (CV-9), USS Yorktown (CV-10), USS Intrepid (CV-11), USS Hornet (CV-12), and many others; 24 ships total. Built: 1941-1950.

Boiler-room configuration: 8 oil-fired Babcock & Wilcox boilers in 4 fire rooms; 4 Westinghouse geared steam turbines totaling 150,000 shaft horsepower; 4 engine rooms.

Asbestos exposure intensity: Extreme. Essex-class carriers served extensively through Korea and Vietnam, accumulating multiple overhaul cycles across their service lives. Many Essex-class veterans served during the post-WWII overhaul wave (1946-1955), the SCB-27 and SCB-125 angled-deck modernizations (1950s), and continuing through ship decommissioning in the 1970s.

Forrestal-class and Kitty Hawk-class aircraft carriers

Forrestal class: USS Forrestal (CV-59), USS Saratoga (CV-60), USS Ranger (CV-61), USS Independence (CV-62). Kitty Hawk class: USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63), USS Constellation (CV-64), USS America (CV-66), USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67). Built: 1955-1968.

Boiler-room configuration: 8 oil-fired Foster Wheeler boilers in 4 fire rooms; 4 Westinghouse geared steam turbines totaling 280,000 shaft horsepower; 4 engine rooms.

Asbestos exposure intensity: Extreme. The Forrestal and Kitty Hawk class supercarriers were built throughout the peak asbestos era and operated through multiple Pacific and Mediterranean deployments. Carrier propulsion-plant overhauls performed at Norfolk and Puget Sound Naval Shipyards involved extensive asbestos disturbance work.

Knox-class frigates (FF-1052 through FF-1097)

Ships: 46 ships built 1965-1974, all named FF-XXXX after 1975 frigate reclassification.

Boiler-room configuration: 2 oil-fired Combustion Engineering pressure-fired boilers in 1 fire room; 1 Westinghouse geared steam turbine totaling 35,000 shaft horsepower.

Asbestos exposure intensity: Substantial. Knox-class frigates were built during the asbestos era and used extensive asbestos pipe insulation, block insulation on the boiler, gaskets, and packing throughout the propulsion plant. The single fire room and single engine room layout meant that asbestos work during overhauls was concentrated in a compact, confined space — increasing fiber concentration in the operator breathing zone.

Spruance-class destroyers (DD-963 through DD-997)

Ships: 31 ships built 1972-1983.

Boiler-room configuration: Spruance-class destroyers were the first major U.S. Navy surface combatant class to use gas turbine propulsion (4 General Electric LM2500 gas turbines totaling 80,000 shaft horsepower in 2 engine rooms) rather than steam propulsion. This eliminated the traditional fire room / boiler room.

Asbestos exposure intensity: Moderate to substantial. Even without traditional boilers, Spruance-class destroyers had extensive asbestos exposure in: (a) engine-room insulation on the LM2500 gas turbine modules and exhaust systems, (b) auxiliary boiler insulation on the 2 auxiliary steam boilers per ship, (c) ship-wide pipe insulation on steam, hot water, and fuel-oil systems, (d) gaskets and packing on every flange and valve, and (e) building-infrastructure asbestos in ship’s compartments. The Spruance-class transition marks the beginning of the post-steam Navy, but Spruance-class veterans still encountered substantial asbestos.

If you served on any of these ship classes

If you served on any U.S. Navy ship of the asbestos era — and have since been diagnosed with mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, or another asbestos-related illness — you may have legal rights.

Free, confidential case evaluation: Speak with O’Brien Law Firm — (314) 936-2956

All consultations are free. No fee unless a financial recovery is made on your behalf.