I was on the the Teddy Ruxbin CVN-71 when we left Norfolk on Dec. 27th and prior to launch of the first Tomahawk in Jan 16th we were through the Suez and well into the Red Sea so those big girls can make time. I was also on board for Sea Trials after dry dock and the high speed turns and shake outs tell you there is some power under the hood.
I well respect Highway speeds as that is what I had heard also.
I was on that same cruise in VAQ-141. After we lost our jet of Bermuda and on the transit they would pan the flight deck cameras aft and we were throwing a rooster tail that almost reached the flight deck. Triple tie-down chains on everything.
Also did shakedown on Lincoln with CVW-8. On the shakedown we had half an airwing and light loads of fuel/weapons we left the Pegasus class hydrofoils out of Key Weird standing.
