There was originally a plan to fully upgrade "Long Beach" with an Aegis Combat System in the early 1990s, requiring that her superstructure be completely rebuilt. Due to cuts in the defense budget after the 1991 Gulf War, as well as the higher operating costs and number of crew required compared to conventionally powered ships, the decision was made to decommission all nuclear cruisers from the Navy as their reactor cores ran down. They would be replaced by the "Ticonderoga" (CG) and "Arleigh Burke" (DDG) classes, designed from the ground up with Aegis. The "Long Beach" had been refueled during her 1970, 1980, and 1992 refits. The decision was made to decommission her in 1994.