Displacement: 83,249 tons design full load Dimensions: 1030 x 125 x ?? feet/313.9 x 38 x ?? meters Extreme Dimensions: 1088 x 190 x ?? feet/331.6 x 58 x ?? meters Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 1200 psi boilers, 4 shafts, 280,000 shp, 33 knots Crew: 4127 Armor: 2 inch flight deck, 1.5 inch hangar deck Armament: 8 single 5/54, 8 dual 3/70, 20 single 20 mm Aircraft: 98
Displacement: 80,945 tons full load Dimensions: 990 x 129 x 35.5 feet/301.75 x 39 x 10.8 meters Extreme Dimensions: 1046 x 251 x 35.5 feet/318.8 x 76.5 x 10.8 meters Propulsion: Steam turbines, 8 1200 psi boilers, 4 shafts, 280,000 shp, 30+ knots Crew: 4582 Armor: hangar, flight deck and magazines protected Armament: 2 twin Terrier launchers (2 additional planned but not fitted) Aircraft: 80+
Nimitz class nuclear powered multirole aircraft carriers
Displacement: 88,896 tons design full load Dimensions: 1040 x 134 x 37 feet/317 x 40.8 x 11.3 meters Extreme Dimensions: 1088 x 257 x 37 feet/331.6 x 78.3 x 11.3 meters Propulsion: Steam turbines, 2 A4W reactors, 4 shafts, 280,000 shp, 30+ knots Crew: approx. 5000 Armor: hangar, flight deck, magazines and reactors protected Armament: 3 8-cell Sea Sparrow BPDMS, 3 Phalanx CIWS (4 CIWS in CVN 70) Aircraft: 80+
For CVN 71 and later Displacement: 97,500 to 102,000 tons full load Dimensions: 1040 x 134 x 38.5 feet/317 x 40.8 x 11.8 meters Extreme Dimensions: 1092 x 250 x 38.5 feet/332.8 x 76.2 x 11.7 meters Crew: 5000-5250 Armament: 3 8-cell NATO Sea Sparrow, 4 Phalanx CIWS
The Kitty Hawk top speed is 32 knots, and her cruising speed is 20 knots. The operational range at 30 knots is 4,000 miles while the maximum cruising range is 12,000 miles.
Having used approximately 12 million gallons of fuel and having traveled more than 25,000 nautical miles, Kitty Hawk returned to Yokosuka. One of the preparations was to say goodbye to the air wing.
Capable of sailing over 700 nautical miles a day, our self- sufficient carriers and embarked air wings can perform a wide range of missions, from peaceful diplomacy to combat operations, all in support of national objectives. Time and time again, United States aircraft carriers -- unconstrained by host nation restrictions, staging or political encumbrances -- have been first on the scene of crisis to protect national security interests and sustain world peace.
"The aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan passes two fishermen in their small boat as it leaves for its second deployment in a year from North Island Naval Air Station in Coronado, California January 27, 2007. The Reagan is headed to the Persian Gulf to support war efforts in Iraq. REUTERS/Fred Greaves (UNITED STATES)"
Francis, also serving in the Navy, and his wife, Jenifer, are based in the San Diego, Calif., area. Francis is stationed aboard the USS Nimitz and will be deploying to the Middle East in April. Ed: I just heard back from a friend of mine who says that the Reagan is heading in to replace Kitty. So Reuters got it wrong. That said, Reagan will not be so far away as Swede points out... the timing is interesting as well
250 nautical miles a day. Very alarming indeed. Checked around a bit; first the USS Stennis was slated to replace the Kitty Hawk, a few days ago it was changed to be the second carrier in the Gulf. But first it's sailing to San Diego, where it is to pick up 80 planes) So, the Stennis & the Reagan are to sail west more or less together... Assuming they make 5250 nautical miles a day, it takes about 20 days to reach East Asia; say about 10-14 more to the Arabian Sea. That is the february/march changeovere. By then most of troops to deploy (I fucking hate that fucking doublespeak "surge" word) should have arrived. And, surprise, surprise, that is the optmimal time for a spring campaign in the Middle Eeast. What a coïncidence!
Look forward for more incidents (like with the Iranian diplomats in Erbil) this month... Who knows, maybe one of them will stick as a bona fide casus belli? 戦争が始まるみたいですね・・・イラン空爆・・・
Carrier USS John C. Stennis today (16 Jan 07) departs home port Bremerton, Washington, en route to San Diego to pick up its carrier air wing before sailing west to the Persian Gulf.
There, the Stennis strike group will join the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower strike group. The Eisenhower recently has been operating off Somalia.
(Stennis strike group had been scheduled to cover routinely for USS Kitty Hawk in the western Pacific this spring while the Yokohama-based carrier underwent repairs. The Pentagon announced 20 Dec 2006 that Stennis strike group would sail early, deploying instead to the Gulf. The Pentagon announced 11 Jan 07 USS Ronald Reagan would skip normal work-up phases and deploy within several weeks to provide the routine coverage in western Pacific during Kitty Hawk's repairs.)
Incendiary if true. The story that's out is that the Reagan is headed to Japan to spell an antique oil-fired carrier, vintage 1959, the Kittyhawk, which we've kept in service past its use-by date in deference to Japanese anti-nuclear sensibilities and needs repairs. That caption couldn't be clearer though and the Reagan and the Stennis did do a joint training exercise in November, which I queried Jeff Huber about at the time. No answer from him so maybe it's true--Huber is careful not to spill the beans on current tactical details.
What the hell is Reuters reporting then? One of these versions is either not true (which is a hell of an error) or a cover (which would make sense). I will make calls on Monday, but this is of concern as I had been told something would be moving toward that region soon. I thought it was the Nimitz.
The Kitty Hawk has played a vigorous role in the war on terror since soon after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, Cheney noted.
“Just weeks after 9/11, she was deployed to the North Arabian Sea in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” he said. “Later, in the campaign to liberate Iraq, the Kitty Hawk traveled 29,000 nautical miles, and more than 5,000 sorties were flown from the deck above us. Since the war began, we've struck major blows against the al Qaeda network that hit America on 9/11. We've removed two dictatorships that sponsored terror, liberated 50 million people from tyranny and stood by young democracies, as America always does.”
Cheney emphasized to the Kitty Hawk’s crew the importance of their mission.
The vice president expressed gratitude for Japan’s help in the war on terror.
“We especially appreciate Japan's contributions to our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq,” he said. “Japan is a great friend to the United States. Relations between our countries have never been better, and our alliance has never been more vital.”
Cheney pledged America’s continued support for Japan and said the two countries need to cooperate further as the relationship helps them confront the threats facing the world.