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A number of Proceedings articles and commentaries in the past several years have advanced the idea of saving money and fulfilling the vision of “distributed maritime operations” by building a fleet of more, smaller, lighter ships. For aircraft carriers, that argument tends to take the shape of more “Lightning carriers”—based on the hull form of amphibious assault ships such as the USS America (LHA-6) class—and fewer nuclear-powered carriers of the Nimitz (CVN-68) and Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) classes. While LHAs are cheaper to build than CVNs ($3 billion vs. $10 or more billion), the argument misses several key principles that...

China started building its third aircraft carrier, with a hi-tech launch system, at a Shanghai shipyard last year, according to sources close to the People’s Liberation Army. One of the sources said Shanghai Jiangnan Shipyard Group was given the go-ahead to begin work on the vessel after military leaders met in Beijing following the annual sessions of China’s legislature and top political advisory body in March. “But the shipyard is still working on the carrier’s hull, which is expected to take about two years,” the source said. “Building the new carrier will be more complicated and challenging than the other...

The US has simultaneously deployed 7 of the 11 U.S. nuclear aircraft carriers for the first time in over a decade according to the US Naval Institute. The three aircraft carriers with full air wings and strike groups positioned in the Western Pacific are the following: USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76); USS Nimitz (CVN-68); USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). Another four are conducting “short training missions as part of training operations or workups ahead of deployment”. Two out of four are operating in Eastern Pacific – USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74) – and the remaining two are...

The design of the nuclear aircraft carrier project 23000E "Storm" could form the base to build a ship of a similar class for the Indian Navy. This decision will be made during a forthcoming tender process in Delhi. The Indian Navy seeks to get an aircraft carrier with a displacement of 65 thousand tons, one that is 300 m in length, and 70 m wide, equipped with a nuclear power plant. And although the United States and France are participating in the technology race, according to "Izvestia", the Russian proposal is leading the race. The Project USS 23000E aircraft carrier...

French Navy (Marine Nationale) Rafale M carrier-based multirole fighters may conduct combat missions against the Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria from a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier as soon as January 2017. The information comes from French TV channel TF1 (video in French). According to TF1 this subject was discussed between US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and French Navy Rear Adm. Rene-Jean Crignola, Commander Task Force (CTF) 50. The US Defense Secretary was visiting the French Navy aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle on Saturday. The reason why the French Navy would deploy its Rafale M aboard a US Navy...

On board the USS Theodore Roosevelt in the Bay of Bengal, Oct. 17: An Indian warship played "shotgun" for this US super-carrier during an air defence drill last night, about 150 nautical miles east-southeast of Chennai during the latest edition of the Malabar war games, which also include a Japanese destroyer. "The 'shotgun' role will be shared by the Indians and the Japanese in this exercise," said Captain Craig Clapperton, commanding officer of the carrier. On Sunday, an Indian fleet tanker is expected to pull alongside and feed the carrier in a hostile scenario described as "opposed replenishment at sea"....

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) on Wednesday blasted the Navy’s Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier program, saying its $4.7 billion cost overrun threatens to undermine the Navy’s aircraft carrier legacy. “We simply cannot afford to pay $12.9 billion for a single ship,” McCain wrote in an 18-page report. “The combined $4.7 billion in cost growth on these first two ships has already not only eroded the buying power for remaining ships in the Ford-class, as it leaves less available for well as other critical military capabilities.” The criticism comes in the form of McCain’s latest “America’s Most Wasted” report, a series...

In 1995 and 1996, Taiwanese politicians signaled greater support for declaring their island country officially independent of China. Beijing’s response was swift, forceful … and ultimately an embarrassment to China. The Chinese army fired several missiles toward small, Taiwanese-held islands. That’s when the United States intervened in a big way, sending two entire aircraft carrier battle groups into the waters around Taiwan — and even sailing one carrier through the Taiwan Strait. The Chinese military was powerless against this show of force. Beijing couldn’t even reliably track the American warships, and had no forces of its own capable of threatening...

Since China deployed the Liaoning, an aircraft carrier purchased from Ukraine and later refurbished and relaunched by the Chinese navy as a training carrier, speculation has swirled around the construction of a homegrown aircraft carrier. Although Chinese authorities have never openly confirmed whether a homemade carrier is underway, they have also never denied it. China's military officials have given some clues, however. Ministry of National Defence spokesman Yang Yujun said last August that although the Liaoning is China's first aircraft carrier, "there will surely be more in future." He said that China will consider the development of aircraft carriers in...

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus confirmed Thursday that the cost overrun for the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is projected to reach $1 billion, bringing the ship’s total cost to some $12 billion — but said it’s on track to be delivered on schedule. The admission took place under questioning from Arizona Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, who pointedly asked Mabus “what have you been doing on your watch” to control the costs on the new ship. Mabus said the Navy’s deal with shipbuilder Huntington-Ingalls Industries is such that the government has “recovered...

American aircraft carriers remain essential to commanding the seas By Robert O'Brien 1:09 PM 09/16/2011 Last month, the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis rendezvoused in the Pacific with Carrier Strike Group-3, which is composed of the guided-missile cruiser USS Mobile Bay and the USS Pinckney, USS Kidd, USS Dewey and USS Wayne Meyer. Carrier Strike Group-3 will soon take up station in the Arabian Sea to support American combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. En route, the carrier and its escorts have shown the flag in the Philippines and Malaysia and sailed boldly through the South China Sea, which...

): USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has successfully completed its sea trials at the western Pacific Ocean. For the first time in three months Nimitz was departed from the Naval Base Coronado on June 29 and the sea trials were completed by July 2. The trials were mainly done to test and evaluate Nimitz' main engines along with other equipment (elevators, doors, catapults and high-speed power turns) after conducting a 30-day Carrier Incremental Availability. "For us, the main concern was shaking off the dust after a three month layoff making sure we had the same skill sets in place," Master Chief...

USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has started from her homeport of Naval Base Coronado to perform sea trials at the western Pacific Ocean, for assessing its readiness and capability. The trails have begun from June 30. Later on, a 30-day carrier incremental availability (CIA) will be conducted when the ship will return from the extended deployment. "We have accomplished some high quality maintenance on critical equipment and systems during this availability, for the next few days we get to validate that work by putting the ship through its paces," Capt. Paul O. Monger, Nimitz commanding officer, said in an US Navy...

As we first reported last week, in an article that was met with much original skepticism, the Pentagon has now confirmed that a fleet of 12 warships has passed the Suez Canal, and is now likely awaiting orders to support the escalation in the Persian Gulf. The attached image from Stratfor shows the latest positioning of US aircraft carrier groups as of June 23: the USS Harry Truman (CVN-75) is now right next to USS Eisenhower (CVN 69), both of which areAs for the catalyst the two carriers may be anticipating, we provide the following update from the Gulf Daily...

Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (CSG) entered the 5th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR) June 18 after completing a successful transit through the Suez Canal. Truman CSG is relieving Dwight D. Eisenhower CSG as part of a routine rotation of forces during a scheduled deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and theater security cooperation (TSC) efforts in the region. "I am very proud of the men and women of the Truman Carrier Strike Group as we join the 5th Fleet," said Rear Adm. Patrick Driscoll, commander, Carrier Strike Group 10. "We have trained hard...

US aircraft carrier will join a major anti-submarine naval exercise with South Korea next week in a show of strength to North Korea after the sinking of a warship, reports said Wednesday. South Korea, which accuses the North of torpedoing its ship Cheonan in March with the loss of 46 lives, is also mounting a diplomatic drive at the United Nations but indicated it would not seek new sanctions. The USS George Washington will leave its base in the Japanese port of Yokosuka around Saturday and arrive in the Yellow Sea early next week, Yonhap news agency quoted a military...

The planes coming in from missions over Afghanistan for a night landing touch down with a thud, the runway so short and narrow that there is no room for error. It's the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, a US Navy aircraft carrier in the Arabian Sea that provides air support for coalition forces fighting Islamic Taliban militants in Afghanistan. The floating airport, or the "city at sea" as its captain Dee L. Mewbourne likes to call it, provides nearly a third of air missions against the Taliban. "We are providing almost daily support to the Operation Enduring Freedom...

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) departed Naval Air Station North Island for sea trials May 18. The event marks the first time that Ronald Reagan has been underway since Oct. 21, 2009, when it completed its fourth deployment in four years. The three-time Battle "E" award-winning carrier is concluding a six-month planned incremental availability (PIA), a scheduled maintenance period designed to upgrade ship's systems and quality of life for its Sailors. Sea trials allow these systems to be tested and necessary quality checks to be performed. Upon successful completion of sea trials, Ronald Reagan's PIA will officially conclude and the...

USS Enterprise (CVN 65) successfully completed flight deck certification May 14 pushing itself one step closer to its 21st deployment. Flight deck certification is a requirement that every aircraft carrier must achieve prior to deploying with fixed-wing aircraft. The certification proves that the crew of the ship is capable of safely launching and recovering aircraft and is prepared to prevent or combat flight deck mishaps. The last time Enterprise conducted flight deck certification was prior to her last deployment in 2007. "Air department Sailors eagerly awaited the arrival of aircraft during a long shipyard period, and to have aircraft back...

USS Enterprise (CVN 65) successfully recovered and launched fixed-wing aircraft May 12 after more than two years. The “Checkmates” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211, landed four F/A-18F Super Hornets aboard the world’s first nuclear-powered carrier, and the “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 23 followed shortly later with the first launch. Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, also known as the “Red Rippers,” also launched and recovered aircraft on a day long anticipated by the crew. In order to safely recover a jet there must be 16 personnel below the flight deck manning the arresting gear equipment,...