| Aircraft Carriers - CVN |
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Description
Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s Naval forces. On any given day, aircraft carriers exercise the Navy core capabilities of power projection, forward presence, humanitarian assistance, deterrence, sea control and maritime security.
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Features
The aircraft carrier continues to be the centerpiece of the forces necessary for forward presence. In times of crisis, the first question leaders ask in a crisis is: “Where are the carriers?” Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against U.S. interests.
Aircraft Carriers support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea; and engage in sustained power projection operations in support U.S. and coalition ground forces in Operation Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
The aircraft carrier and its battlegroup also engage in maritime security operations to interdict threats to merchant shipping and prevent the use of the seas as a highway for terrorist traffic.
Aircraft also provide unique capabilities for disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The embarked carrier air wing provides helicopters for direct support and C4I assets to support them and ensure aid is routed quickly and safely.
The 10 Nimitz class aircraft carriers are the largest warships in the world, each designed for an approximately 50 year service life with one mid-life refueling. USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) have all completed their Refueling Complex Overhauls (RCOH) at Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Newport News, Va., with USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) commencing RCOH in 2009. The next generation of aircraft carrier, the Gerald R. Ford class (CVN 78) was ordered in 2008 and is slated to be delivered in 2015 to replace USS Enterprise (CVN 65).
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Background
FACTS
Nimitz class
Builder: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding., Newport News, VA.
Date Deployed: May 3, 1975 (USS Nimitz).
Propulsion: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts.
Length: 1,092 feet (332.85 meters).
Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters).
Displacement: Approximately 97,000 tons (87,996.9 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour).
Crew: Ship's Company: 3,200 - Air Wing: 2,480.
Armament: Multiple NATO Sea Sparrow, Phalanx CIWS, and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) mounts.
Aircraft: Approximately 60+.
Ships:
USS Nimitz (CVN 68), San Diego, CA
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Norfolk, VA
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Newport News, VA (Shifting to San Diego 2010)
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Newport News, VA
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Everett, WA
USS George Washington (CVN 73), Yokosuka, Japan
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Bremerton, WA
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Norfolk, VA
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), San Diego, CA
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Norfolk, VA
Enterprise class
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, VA.
Date Deployed: November 25, 1961 (USS Enterprise).
Propulsion: Eight nuclear reactors, four shafts.
Length: 1,101 feet 2 inches (335.64 meters).
Beam: 133 feet (39.9 meters); 252 feet (75.6 meters).
Displacement: 89,600 tons ( 81,283.8 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5 miles per hour).
Crew: Ship's Company: 3,350 - Air Wing 2,480.
Armament: Multiple NATO Sea Sparrow, Phalanx CIWS, and Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) mounts.
Aircraft: Approximately 60+.
Ships:
USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Norfolk, VA
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Point Of Contact
Naval Sea Systems Command
Office of Corporate Communications
Washington, D.C. 20376 |
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General Characteristics, Nimitz Class
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| Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, VA. |
| Date Deployed: May 3, 1975 (USS Nimitz). |
| Unit Cost: About $4.5 billion each. |
| Propulsion: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts. |
| Length: 1,092 feet (332.85 meters). |
| Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters). |
| Displacement: Approximately 97,000 tons (87,996.9 metric tons) full load. |
| Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour). |
| Crew: Ship's Company: 3,200 - Air Wing: 2,480. |
| Armament: Two or three (depending on modification) NATO Sea Sparrow launchers, 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts: (3 on Nimitz and Dwight D. Eisenhower and 4 on Vinson and later ships of the class.). |
| Aircraft: 85. |
| Ships: |
| USS Nimitz (CVN 68), San Diego, CA |
| USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Newport News, VA |
| USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Everett, WA |
| USS George Washington (CVN 73), Yokosuka, Japan |
| USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Bremerton, WA |
| USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Norfolk, VA |
| USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), San Diego, CA |
| USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Norfolk, VA |
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General Characteristics, Enterprise Class
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| Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, VA. |
| Date Deployed: November 25, 1961 (USS Enterprise). |
| Propulsion: Eight nuclear reactors, four shafts. |
| Length: 1,101 feet 2 inches (335.64 meters). |
| Beam: 133 feet (39.9 meters); 252 feet (75.6 meters). |
| Displacement: 89,600 tons ( 81,283.8 metric tons) full load. |
| Speed: 30+ knots (34.5 miles per hour). |
| Crew: Ship's Company: 3,350 - Air Wing 2,480. |
| Armament: Two Sea Sparrow missile launchers, three Phalanx 20 mm CIWS mounts. |
| Aircraft: 85. |
| Ships: |
| USS Enterprise (CVN 65), Norfolk, VA |
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General Characteristics, Kitty Hawk Class
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| Builder: New York Ship Building Corp., Camden, NJ. |
| Date Deployed: April 29, 1961 (USS Kitty Hawk). |
| Propulsion: Eight boilers, four geared steam turbines, four shafts, 280,000 shaft horsepower. |
| Length: 1062.5 feet (323.8 meters). |
| Beam: 130 feet (39 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters). |
| Displacement: Approx. 80,800 tons (73,300.5 metric tons) full load. |
| Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour). |
| Crew: Ship's Company: 3,150 - Air Wing: 2,480. |
| Armament: Sea Sparrow launchers, 3 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts. |
| Aircraft: 85. |
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| Last Update: 6 November 2009 |
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Video: USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) underway in the Atlantic.
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