Nimitz-class

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	To oppose or discuss a nomination, please go to CZ:Proposed for deletion and follow the instructions. For the monthly nomination lists, see Category:Articles for deletion. (PD) Photo: United States Navy The Nimitz Task Group from 1976 with USS South Carolina (CGN-37) (top), USS Nimitz (CVN-68) (center), and USS California (CGN-36) (bottom). In the United States Navy, the ten ships of the Nimitz-class are its major aircraft carriers. The Gerald R. Ford-class carriers, entering construction, will supplement them. They followed the one-of-a-kind USS Enterprise (CVN-65), built in 1961, though several conventionally powered carriers entered service thereafter. By now, all of the conventionally powered aircraft carriers of the U.S. Navy have been decommissioned, leaving only nuclear-powered carriers for the U.S. Ships This class of aircraft carriers is named after its lead ship, the USS Nimitz. That ship, in turn, memorializes Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz. USS Nimitz (CVN 68) USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) USS George Washington (CVN 73) USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) CVN 77, USS George H.W. Bush, is intended as a transition between the Nimitz and Ford classes. New features include: Passive Jet Blast Deflector: Redesigns and new materials mean reduced maintenance costs. Redesigned island: Improve flight deck access and reduce signature and electronic self-interference. Other Signature Reduction: Curved flight deck edges, enclosed antenna farms, smaller islands and internal aircraft elevators add up to maximum stealth. Aircraft Pit Stop: Semi-automated refueling and servicing in a new configuration and deck location provides faster, more efficient airwing pit stops and requires fewer people. Redesigned Hangar Deck: New designs reduce clutter. Manpower Reductions: Technology, space rearrangement, operational procedure changes, advanced sensor technologies and condition-based maintenance systems all allow for a smaller, specially-trained crew. Material movement devices, semi-autonomous, gravity compensated weapons handling devices, damage control automation systems and components will reduce the ship's crew and costs. Reconfigurable Spaces: Life-of-the-ship modular construction designs provide flexibility and reduce cost. Expanded Bandwidth: More onboard (Local area network_ and offboard capability gives the ship a communications edge. Zonal Electrical Distribution Systems: Isolate the potential for problems and minimizes the effect on the rest of the ship; crew laptops and other personal electronics, on- and off-duty, have greatly increased electrical demand Characteristics Builder: Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding., Newport News, VA. First 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 close-in weapons system, and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) mounts. Aircraft: Approximately 60+. Electronics AN/SPS-48E [r]: Add brief definition or description 3-D AN/SPS-49(V)5 [r]: Add brief definition or description AN/SPS-67 [r]: Add brief definition or description surface search AN/SLQ-25 [r]: Add brief definition or description AN/SLQ-32(V) [r]: Add brief definition or description Typical air wing 4 squadrons of F-18 Hornet and F-18 Super Hornet; some to be replaced by F-35C Lightning II. Some F-18 are equipped for air refueling Airborne early warning squadron flying E-2 Hawkeye Helicopter squadron: these have typically been SH-60F Oceanhawks, but will be replaced with a next generation of MH-60S Knighthawk utility and mine countermeasures with MH-60R Seahawks for antisubmarine work Electronic warfare detachment flying EA-6B Prowlers; to be replaced by EF-18 Growler; probably some unmanned aerial vehicle Carrier onboard delivery aircraft making trips from shore References