The last of the Nimitz class, and aptly named in my opinion. George H.W. Bush is the only man to ever see a war ship named after him.


link

No doubt a fine ship that will carry the name with pride and honor...

I'm glad it's ours. 6,000 Sailors and Marines, and untold fire power, both from the ship and it's airplanes.

A fine ending to the Nimitz class of vessels.

Fine ship for a fine man. Long may she sail.

Given the relatioship between the UK and the US, I have a hunch it is security blanket for you as well.

Actually, no, there are several US Navy ships named after living people. Its a fairly new thing, though.

"Traditionally, few ships of the United States Navy were named after a person who was alive at the time of the christening, but recently the number has increased; the list includes Carl Vinson, Hyman G. Rickover, Arleigh Burke, John C. Stennis, Bob Hope, Ronald Reagan, Nitze, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush. The Ronald Reagan was the first aircraft carrier to be named in honor of a living former president.[2]"

She is a fine ship, though. Can't help feeling a bit sorry for the crew of the USS Jimmy Carter.

I would have been correct saying the only US President. Reagan was already in a bad way when The USS Reagan went into service.


The Kennedy was no bargain either, thanks to said Jimmy Carter. The tub required a flotilla for fuel 'cuz nuclear was far too dangerous.

well, yeah, if you don't count Carter as a president, and don't count RR because he was unaware.

Well, Carter was pretty much unaware through his presidency

Carter didn't bother to even see his namesake off, so no he doesn't count.

George H.W. is said to be the only President to actually visit a carrier named after him.

Minutia really, I hope the USS George H.W. Bush has a long and honorable career.

I can find no specifics as to the air power this carrier will have.

A lot probably!

Our two proposed future Carriers are struggling a bit due issues with the V/STOL version of the F-35 Lightening, partly because its seriously over weight, and partly due to political/commercial problems associated with very advanced software it uses..

Hopefully both will be sorted out in the next couple of years when the Carriers are due to come into service..

Regards,

Peter

Initially it will depend on the wing and its actually composite but it'll looks something like this.

SH-60 x 4
EA-6B x 4
E-2C x 4
F/A-18 mix of C/E/F models x 45-ish

The F/A-18G will replace the EA-6B starting now with 5 jets and the Prowler will be gone by 2013 (I'm turning into a dinosaur!)

At some point the JSF will replace the F/A-18E but it'll be a bit.

...and when it docks it will have masses of protestors and liberals who will blame it for everything from soup to nuts.. Must be Bush's fault for (enter your cause here ----)



Peace through superior firepower.. Godspeed..

Is it too early to start suggesting what kind of ship our next pres. will have named in his honor?

This shows that at our core we are still a great nation. The Bush's have used our military with great effect and lead the most spectacularly successful campaigns our nation carried out. I am proud to have voted for them all four times.

You think they just use the name 'Carter' and hope nobody knows which Carter it's named for?

I'd rather serve on the USS Billy Carter.

I also watched the commissioning of the carrier yesterday. pretty impressive.

I think they said it had the capability of 80 aircraft with 60 or so of them being fixed wing.

at over a 1000ft long, it is kinda cool that it hold more aircraft than what some countries have in there entire airforce.

definitly, alot of firepower.

When I deployed with CVW-8 on TR in 89 we had the ultimate power projection airwing.

2 Squadrons of A-6's with eight planes each (all bombers no tankers)
2 Squadrons of F/A-18C's with 12 each
2 Squadron of F-14's with 12 each
1 E-2C squadron with five planes
1 EA-6B squadron with five planes
1 S-3B Squadron with 10 planes
5 SH-3 Helos

84 jets. It was the ultimate air wing. The Tomcats of the day were not bomb droppers, that came along later, but if we had those it would have been even more impressive.

A grand Ship to be sure, and its so American too. Each Carrier has more striking power than all but three or four Nations. This one is at the top of the heap, with all the latest due dads. It will have a 40 to 50 year service life, and in that time it will see many upgrades and a couple of new generation aircraft to go along with it. I will be over 100 when this one is retired. Something to think about. My best guess is that I will not be posting on this board by then, I suspect that I will have been long gone, while its last Commanding Officer will not be born for another 24 years or so. And in that time, many things will change, just like this carrier is way different than that first Nimitz Class to leave the dock for its first cruise. America will be different too, I should think, I worry more about what is going to become of the nation than what my last few years is going to be like. We live in interesting times. I would be better I guess if there was no real need for such things like the USS George H. W. Bush, but in the real world we do, and we do it better than anyone else, May God Keep her and all those who sail or fly off of her.

Is that thing made in China? You're not telling me that America still makes something are you?

Assembled in the USA from components manufactured by economic competitors and former enemies.

- Tom

No, aimed at 'em someday is a possibility, but not a probability.

No, but might have critical components manufactured in all 435 congressional districts! Unsinkable from a budget standpoint!

Sycamore

every bit of her is made in America.....and at least one component is made in just about every one of the 435 Congressional districts. Even major internal hull components are modular so they can be fabricated remotely and then barged to the Northrup Grumman shipyard in Newport News.

The list of countries who couldn't be defeated by this vessel and her task force, along with one of the new amphib assault vessels like the New York or the New Orleans, is pretty short. Assuming they were actually turned loose.

Good to know. The steel, too?

- Tom

Pretty much required by procurement regs, and NGSS has a program called SteelPartners or something like that to work with North American steel suppliers to help them meet its needs.

I think they are permitted to buy from our NAFTA partners as well....don't work in that area so I don't really know for sure.

These huge shipbuilding contracts are treated as pork opportunities by Congress so its unlikely they let any dollars slip overseas if they can capture them for some constituency at home.

I know there are some specialty steels in the offshore fabrication industry that just aren't made here, and you have to buy them in England or Japan, but I don't think that's the case with carrier steel.

Great info but the crux of it is the ship, support, and crew are ours.

Where the paint and propellers originate just don't matter.

yeah, even if the steel was bought in China, they'd play hell taking it back from her now.


Like they say, Molon labe, bro.

It does if you're trying to run a propeller shop!

Sycamore

What an honor that is.

Last of the Nimitz class? Does anyone know what is on the drawing board, larger or smaller?

Jimmy Carter is STILL CLUELESS!

The U.S.S Obama - powered by hot air - Garbage barge...

Pugs,

Why no tankers on board?



Casey