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U. S. AIRCRAFT CARRIER EVOLUTION (1920 to 2006) – Part 1 of 2 |
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A Sailors tale of his Tour of duty in the U.S. Navy (August 1977 to February 1983) Operation Evening Light and Eagle Claw - 24 April 1980
Book - ISBN NO. 978-1-4276-0454-5 EBook - ISBN NO. 978-1-329-15473-5
Operations Evening Light and Eagle Claw (24 April 1980) Iran and Air Arm History (1941 to 1980)
Book ISBN NO. xxxxxxxxxxxxx EBook ISBN NO. 978-1-329-19945-3
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U. S. AIRCRAFT CARRIER EVOLUTION (1920 to 2006) – Part 1 of 2
Eight aircraft carriers were built before World War II started: Langley AV-3, former, CV-1 & Jupiter (AC-3); Lexington (CV-2), former CC 1; Saratoga (CV-3), former Battle Cruiser #3; Ranger (CV-4); Yorktown (CV-5); Enterprise (CV-6); Wasp (CV-7) and Hornet (CV-8).
“The scrapping of the treaty system in 1937 allowed the U.S. to begin building more carriers. Prior to World War II, the Navy built Yorktown-class carriers to the largest tonnage (25,000 tons) that the treaties of the time allowed. The ships resulting were large, flexible and powerful, giving the U.S. Navy a five-ship carrier force totaling 134,000 tons in 1939, which with the addition of the 20,000 ton USS Wasp (CV-7) brought the U.S. Navy up to the full treaty limit in tonnage in 1940. Langley (AV-3), former, CV-1 & Jupiter (AC-3) was reclassified a Sea Tender and its tonnage was not counted as the carrier tonnage past 1937.
Yorktown and Enterprise were quickly completed after the lessons learned from operations with the large battle cruiser conversion Lexington class, versus the smaller. When the Naval Expansion Act of Congress passed on 17 May 1938, an increase of 40,000 tons in aircraft carriers was authorized. This permitted the building of USS Hornet (CV-8) laid down in 1939 and USS Essex (CV-9) laid down in April 1941, which was to become the lead ship of its class; the Essex class carrier, although this classification was latter dropped in the '50’s. Improvements to the Yorktown design brought about the Essex (CV-9) class” (Ref. 688).
More than a month before Japanese planes attacked Pearl Harbor, U-562 torpedoed the destroyer USS Reuben James (DD-245), sinking her with a heavy loss of life-the first loss of an American warship in World War II.
At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor (December 7, 1941), three operational carriers were stationed in the Pacific: USS Enterprise (CV-6), USS Lexington (CV-2), and USS Saratoga (CV-3). (USS Langley AV-3 was also in the Pacific but in October 1936 it had been converted from an operational carrier to a seaplane tender.) USS Ranger (CV-4), USS Wasp (CV-7), and the recently commissioned USS Hornet (CV-8) remained in the Atlantic.
“USS Yorktown (CV-5) and USS Hornet (CV-8) were transferred to the Pacific in December 1941 and March 1942. USS Wasp (CV-7) entered the Pacific in June 1942. USS Ranger (CV-4) was dispatched to the Pacific after a overhaul in July 1944” (Ref. 607).
“Iowa class battleships; Baltimore-class heavy cruisers; Fletcher-class destroyers and starting in December 1942, the Essex class and Independence class carriers started to enter service. The Independence class light carriers were a result of President Franklin D. Roosevelt interest in Navy shipbuilding plans. In August 1941, with war clearly in prospect, he noted that no new fleet aircraft carriers were expected before 1944.
The December 1941 Pearl Harbor disaster demonstrated the urgent need to have more carriers as soon as possible and the President proposed to quickly convert some of the many cruisers then building. Studies of cruiser-size aircraft carriers had shown their serious limitations.
Navy responded by greatly accelerating construction of the big Essex class aircraft carriers and, in January 1942, reordering a Cleveland class light cruiser as an aircraft carrier. Plans developed for this conversion showed much more promise than expected and two more light cruisers were reordered as carriers in February, three in March and a final three in June 1942. Completed in January-December 1943, simultaneously with the first eight Essex’s, the nine Independence class ships were vital components of the great offensive that tore through the central and western Pacific from November 1943 through August 1945. Eight of them participated in the June 1944 Battle of the Philippine Sea (Battle of the Philippine Sea which effectively eliminated Japan’s carrier air power, supplying 40 percent of the fighters and 36 percent of the torpedo bombers).
The Independence class design featured a relatively short and narrow flight deck and hangar, with a small island. To compensate for this additional topside weight, the cruiser hulls were widened amidships by five feet. The typical air group, originally intended to include nine each of fighters, scout-bombers and torpedo planes, was soon reoriented to number about two dozen fighters and nine torpedo planes. These were limited-capability ships, whose principal virtue was near-term availability. Their small size made for sea keeping problems and a relatively high aircraft accident rate. Protection was modest and many munitions had to be stowed at the hangar level, a factor that contributed greatly to the loss of Princeton in October 1944.
After WW II erupted and until it’s successful conclusion by Allied forces, the U.S. Navy ordered 32 aircraft carriers of the Essex and the related Ticonderoga class, of which the keels of 26 were laid down, with twenty-four actually entering service between 1942 and 1950. CV-35 and CV-46 were cancelled while under construction and nine others before their keels had been laid down.
The Second Reprisal (CV-35) of the United States Navy would have been a Ticonderoga-class fleet carrier. Her keel was laid down on July 1, 1944, at the New York Naval Shipyard, of New York, New York. On August 12, 1945, when Reprisal was about half complete, construction was cancelled. In 1946, the hulk was launched without ceremony to clear the slipway, and was used in Chesapeake Bay for various experiments, culminating on April 1, 1948, in explosives tests. Although inspected during January 1949 with a view to completing her as an attack carrier, the plan was dropped and Reprisal was sold on August 2, 1949, to the Boston Metals Corporation of Baltimore, Maryland, and, in November 1949, broken up. Despite this fact, USS Reprisal (CV-35) appeared as if in service in 1997 on the television show JAG. Her part was played by USS Forrestal (CV-59).
Essex Class (CV-9) was to be the prototype of the 27,000-ton (standard displacement) aircraft carrier commissioned 31 December 1942, considerably larger than the Enterprise (CV-6) yet smaller than the Saratoga (CV-3). On 9 September 1940, eight Essex class ships were ordered (CV-12 to 19) and Bennington (CV-20) and Boxer (CV-21) were ordered on 15 December 1941. CV-14 & 15, 19 and 21 were ordered as Essex-class and modified during design and construction and became those of the directly-related Ticonderoga or "long hull" class carriers and 11 commissioned as Essex Class carriers” (Ref. 688):
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“Lexington (CV-16) commissioned on 17 February 1943; originally to be laid down as the "Cabot" but was renamed "Lexington" during construction after the Lexington (CV-2) was lost in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942. Yorktown (CV-10) commissioned on 15 April 1943; originally to be named the "Bon Home Richard", but changed after the Yorktown (CV-5) was lost at the Battle of Midway 7 June 1942.
Bunker Hill (CV-17) commissioned on 25 May 1943. Intrepid (CV-11) commissioned on 16 August 1943. Wasp (CV-18) commissioned on 24 November 1943; name changed from "Oriskany" after the Wasp (CV-7) was sunk in September 1942 in the South Pacific while escorting a troop convoy to Guadalcanal.
“Hornet (CV-12) commissioned on 29 November 1943; name changed from "Kearsarge" when the Hornet (CV-8) was lost in October 1942 in the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands on November 29 that year. Franklin (CV-13) was commissioned on 31 January 1944. Bennington (CV-20) was commissioned on 6 August 1944.
Nineteen more Essex class ships were ordered or scheduled, starting with ten of them on 7 August 1942. Though only two of the ships, the Bon Homme Richard (CV-31) commissioned on 26 November 1944; and the Oriskany (CV-34) commissioned on 25 September 1950 where laid down as Essex "short hull" keels. The remainder became the Ticonderoga or "long hull" class ships.
Ticonderoga-class aircraft carriers often are classified as Essex class vessels and their development was intertwined with the Essex class and the Oriskany (CV-34), a highly modified sister-ship that was the prototype of the SCB-27 modernization program, constituted the industrial age's largest class of heavy warship” (Ref. 688).
CV-34 was ordered and laid down as an Essex-class vessel, and was completed in 1950 to the much modified SCB-27A design and could be considered to be Ticonderoga-class.
Lead Ship (Ticonderoga (CV-14): Number of Ships: 21 ordered, 15 laid down, 13 commissioned
From 1941 to 1945, 24 CVs, three CVBs and 11 CVLs were constructed, and with the exception of CVB-43 and CV-33 still under construction as of 1945, were all launched by years end 1945. From 1941 to 1945 the following classes of Aircraft Carriers were built:
From 1941 to 1945, 21 CVs, 2 CVBs and 9 CVLs were commissioned while CVLs were commissioned as Independence class small aircraft carriers (CVL 22-30). 7 of the 11 CVLs were either redesignated or reclassified from CVs prior to or after commission, while Langley (CVL-27); Bataan (CVL-29) and two Saipan Class CVLs, Saipan (CVL-48) commissioned 14 July 1946 and Wright (CVL-49) commissioned on 9 February 1947 were laid down as CVLs.
Iwo Jima (CV-46), a Ticonderoga-class aircraft carrier, was under construction by Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Va., but was canceled 12 August 1945. Her partially completed hull was scrapped.
During World War II, twenty-one U.S. Navy fleet carriers (CVs), Langley (AV-3), former, CV-1 & Jupiter (AC-3) and nine Light aircraft carriers (CVLs) conducted operations and fourteen Carriers and one CVL served after the War (included in the count of 21 and noted with a *), earning 208 Battle Stars.
Carriers include the first eight built before World War II:
Carriers that served during War II in addition to the eight Carriers at the beginning of the War and nine Light aircraft carriers (CVLs):
During World War II, four CVs (the fourth Lexington (CV-2), former CC 1; the third Yorktown (CV-5); the eighth Wasp (CV-7) and the seventh Hornet (CV-8), one CVL (the fourth Princeton (CVL-23), former CV-23 & Tallahassee (CL-61) and Langley (AV-3), former, CV-1 & Jupiter (AC-3) were sunk by enemy action.
U. S. AIRCRAFT CARRIER WORLD WAR II BATTLE STARS
WORLD WAR II HISTORY (Sank due to Enemy Action, Sank by the U. S. Navy, World War II CV & CVL and World War II Battle Stars:
During World War II, four CVs (the fourth Lexington (CV-2), former CC 1; the third Yorktown (CV-5); the eighth Wasp (CV-7) and the seventh Hornet (CV-8), one CVL (the fourth Princeton (CVL-23), former CV-23 & Tallahassee (CL-61) and Langley (AV-3), former, CV-1 & Jupiter (AC-3) were sunk by enemy action.
CV’s, CVL and AV-3 SUNK DURING 1942 to 1945
The fifth Saratoga (CV-3) was sank by the U.S. Navy during the atomic bomb tests during Operation Crossroads at Kwajalein, Bikini Atoll Marshallese, part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI); and the fourth Independence (CVL-22), former CV & light cruiser Amsterdam, CL-59 survived after two separate atomic bomb tests, the highly radioactive hulk taken to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and San Francisco, Calif. for further test.
Japanese Fast Carriers in World War II
CV and CVL SANK in 1946 by the U.S. Navy
The following U.S. Navy fleet carriers were assigned training duty with the Naval Air Training Station, Pensacola, Florida from 1947 to 1991:
The second Wright (CC-2), former AVT-7 & CVL-49 (31/03/47 to 26/01/49); the second Cabot (AVT-3), former CVL-28, CV-28 & Wilmington (CL-79) (27/10/48 to 21/01/55); the Monterey (AVT 2), former CVL-26, CV-26 & Dayton (CL-78) (15/09/50 to 16/01/56); the second Antietam (CVS-36), former CVA-36 & CV-36 (21/04/57 to 23/10/62); ninth Wasp (CVS-18), former CVA-18, CV-18 & Oriskany served as carrier qualification duty ship for the Naval Air Training Command from 24 January to 26 February 1967 and conducted operations in the Gulf of Mexico and off the east coast of Florida and the fifth Lexington (AVT-16), former CVT-16, CVS-16, CVA-16, CV-16 & Cabot (29/12/63 to 08/11/91).
Two decommissioned Light aircraft carriers (CVL:s) were transferred to France and one to Spain under the Mutual Defense Assistance Program: The second Langley (CVL-27), former (CV-27), Fargo (CL-85) & Crown Point (CV-27) (01/08/51 to 20/03/63); and the Belleau Wood (CVL-24) former CV & New Haven (CL-76) (05/11/53 to 01/10/60) to France. The Dedalo, former Cabot AVT-3, CVL-28, CV & Wilmington (CL-79) was loaned by the U.S. to Spain, after over twelve years in "mothballs", in whose navy she served as Dedalo from 1967 to 1972 and then purchased from the U.S. by Spain in 1972.
“Capitalizing on wartime experience, USS Coral Sea (CVB-43) and her sisters, USS Midway (CVB-41) and USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42), battle-class carriers, were constructed with the most advanced damage control innovations possible, including an armored flight deck and intensive internal subdivision not found on any carrier or other combatant before or since during World War II.
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Aircraft Carrier Classes – Ref. 1 and 1A
Midway class large fleet aircraft carriers - Ref. 1 and 1A and 1134
Prior to decommission:
Departure from Service/Disposal: Roosevelt was in poor condition when she was discarded in 1977. Others remained in service long pasts their intended retirement dates. Coral Sea replaced and retired in 1990; Midway retired without replacement in 1992, due to force reductions. “A redesignation from CV to CVB was made on 10 June 1942. CV was used to designate multi-role Fleet Carrier's” (Ref. 35/43).
“The CVB-41-class ships were to be named for what had been determined to be the three naval turning points of the war in the Pacific: Coral Sea, Midway and Leyte Gulf. Iowa class battleships; Baltimore-class heavy cruisers; Fletcher-class destroyers and starting in December 1942, the Essex class and Independence class carriers started to enter service.
Most of the carriers were named after American battles and famous former Navy ships. The second Antietam (CV-36), fifth Boxer (CV-21) and second Lake Champlain (CV-39) were commissioned prior to the end of World War II (15 August 1945) but did not participate in World War II.
Fourteen fleet carriers (CVs) and one Light aircraft carrier (USS Bataan (CVL-29), former CV-29 & Buffalo (CL-99)) that served in World War II saw active service after the end of World War II. Panama Canal, Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope transits made during World War II by any of these 13 carriers are included in the counting by carrier.
The Valley Forge (CV-45); Midway (CVB-41); Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42), former Coral Sea (CVB-42); fifth Princeton (CV-37), former Valley Forge and Tarawa (CV-40) were commissioned after World War II and during 1945.
The CORAL SEA (CVB-43), former CV-42; Valley Forge (CV-45); third Kearsarge (CV-33); Saipan (CVL-48); third Leyte (CV-32), former Crown Point; second Wright (CVL-49); Philippine Sea (CV-47) and Oriskany (CV-34) were laid down in 1944 and all but CVB-43 and CV-33 were launched during 1945.
Two World War II fleet carriers (CVs) (Bon Homme Richard & Essex) and one Light aircraft carrier (CVL) (Bataan) made Korea Combat cruises, while the fourth Yorktown (CVS-10), former CVA-10, CV-10 & Bon Homme Richard participated in World War II, made one Korea Peace Keeping cruise and saw action in the Vietnam conflict/war.
The Bon Homme Richard (CV-31), former CVA-31 & CV-31 saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.
The Bennington (CVS-20), former CVA-20 & CV-20; Hancock (CV-19), former, CVA, CV-19 & fourth Ticonderoga; Shangri-la (CVS-38), former CVA-38 & CV-38; the fourth Intrepid (CVS-11), former CVA-11 & CV-11; the eighth Hornet (CVS-12), former CVA-12, CV-12 & Kearsarge and the fourth Ticonderoga (CVS-14), former CVA-14, CV-14 & Hancock saw action in World War II and Vietnam.
USS United States (CVA-58), the third ship of the U.S. Navy named for its nation, was to be the lead ship of a radical new design of aircraft carrier. On 29 July 1948 President of the United States Harry Truman approved construction of five "supercarriers", for which funds had been provided in the Naval Appropriations Act of 1949. The keel of the first of those five postwar carriers was laid down on 18 April 1949 at Newport News Shipbuilding. The flush-deck United States was designed to launch and recover the 100,000 pound (45 t) aircraft required to carry early-model nuclear weapons, which weighed as much as five tons. The ship would have no island and be equipped with four aircraft elevators and four catapults. The construction cost of the new ship alone was estimated at US $190 million. The additional thirty-nine ships required to complete the accompanying task force raised the total cost to US $1.265 billion. United States was also designed to provide air support for amphibious forces and to conduct sea control operations, but its primary mission was long-range nuclear bombardment. That mission put the ship in harm's way long before construction began. The United States Air Force viewed United States as a challenge to their monopoly on strategic nuclear weapons delivery.
Swayed by limited funds and bitter opposition from the United States Army and Air Force, Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson announced on 23 April 1949 — five days after the ship's keel was laid down — the cancellation of construction of United States. Secretary of the Navy John Sullivan immediately resigned, and the subsequent "Revolt of the Admirals" cost Admiral Louis Denfeld his position as Chief of Naval Operations, but atomic bombs went to sea on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVB-42), former Coral Sea (CVB-42) in 1950.
United States CVA 58 - class
United States was also designed to provide air support for amphibious forces and to conduct sea control operations, but its primary mission was long-range nuclear bombardment. That mission put the ship in harm's way long before construction began. The United States Air Force viewed United States as a challenge to their monopoly on strategic nuclear weapons delivery. Swayed by limited funds and bitter opposition from the United States Army and Air Force, Secretary of Defense Louis A. Johnson announced on 23 April 1949 — five days after the ship's keel was laid down — the cancellation of construction of United States. Secretary of the Navy John Sullivan immediately resigned, and the subsequent "Revolt of the Admirals" cost Admiral Louis Denfeld his position as Chief of Naval Operations, but atomic bombs went to sea on the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1950.
Drawing created by un official navy web site
A Brief History of U.S. Navy Aircraft Carriers - Ref. 1088
1937 to Present Aircraft Carrier Classifications: - Ref. 1090
1946 forward - Aircraft Carrier Classes – Ref. 1 and 1A
Aircraft Carrier Classifications while on deployment:
CV and CVN – Multi-purpose Aircraft Carrier - June 30 to 1 July 1975:
Aircraft Carrier Classifications:
Forrestal CV 59 - class
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John F. Kennedy CV 67 – class
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Enterprise CVN 65 - class
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Kitty Hawk CV 63 – class
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Nimitz class multirole aircraft carriers (7+3 ships) – Ref. 1 & 47
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Aircraft Carriers – CV &CVN:
“Congress approved $4,053.7 million in FY2001 procurement funding to complete CVN-77's total procurement cost of $4,974.9 million. The ship's estimated total procurement cost has since grown to about $6.35 billion. The ship was named in honor of former president George H. W. Bush on December 9, 2002” (Ref. L & 1-N).
“Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) was procured in FY1995 at a cost of $4.45 billion and entered service in July 2003 as the replacement for the Constellation (CV-64). The Navy retired the John F. Kennedy in FY2006 and thereby reduced the carrier force to 11 ships” (Ref. L & 1-N).
CVN-78 Gerald Ford – Ref. H - CVX / CVN-21 / CVN-78
“The lead ship of the CVN-21 class, designated CVN-78, is intended to eventually replace the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). Most of the recently retired aircraft carriers bore the names of famous warships [Constellation, Ranger] or battles [Saratoga, Lexington]. Some older aircraft carrier names have been applied to amphibious assault ships: Kearsarge, Bonhomme Richard, Essex & Wasp.
“The Navy originally wanted the carrier after CVN-77 to be a completely new-design aircraft carrier (hence its initial name of CVNX-1, rather than CVN-78). In May 1998, however, the Navy announced that it could not afford to develop an all-new design for the ship and would instead continue to modify the Nimitz-class design with each new carrier that is procured. Under this strategy, CVN-77 and CVNX-1 were to be, technologically, the first and second ships in an evolutionary series of carrier designs.
Compared to the baseline Nimitz-class design, CVNX-1 was to require 300 to 500 fewer sailors to operate and would feature an entirely new and less expensive nuclear reactor plant, a new electrical distribution system, and an electromagnetic (as opposed to steam-powered) aircraft catapult system. In large part because of the reduction in crew size, CVNX-1 was projected to have a lower life-cycle operation and support (O&S) cost than the baseline Nimitz-class design. CVNX-1 was to cost $2.54 billion to develop and $7.48 billion to procure, giving it a total acquisition cost of $10.02 billion.
In May 2002 Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld directed DOD offices to reexamine the need for 5 major defense acquisition programs, including CVNX-1. In response, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) began studying several alternatives to the Navy's carrier acquisition plan, including procuring smaller conventional carriers instead of large nuclear-powered carriers; procuring a repeat version of CVN-77 in FY2007 instead of CVNX-1; and skipping procurement of CVNX-1. In November and December 2002, after reviewing these alternatives, OSD decided to alter the design of CVNX-1 to incorporate additional advanced features originally intended for CVNX-2 (the name at the time for the next carrier after CVNX-1). These changes included a new and enlarged flight deck, an increased allowance for future technologies (including electric weapons), and additional manpower reductions. Compared to the baseline Nimitz-class design, the ship would now require 500 to 800 fewer sailors to operate” (Ref. L & N).
“To signify these changes the ship's name was changed from CVNX-1 to CVN-21. Incorporating the changes increased the ship's development cost by about $600 million and its procurement cost by about $700 million. OSD reportedly did not consider CVNX-1 sufficiently transformational; the CVN-21 proposal appears intended to increase the transformational content of the ship” (Ref. L & 3-N).
“The Navy in the latter months of 2002 proposed to fund the procurement of CVNX- 1/CVN-21 starting in FY2004 through the Navy's research and development account rather than the Navy's ship-procurement account, known formally as the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy (SCN) account. In December 2002, however, it was reported that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) objected to this proposal. As a result, the Pentagon is proposing to fund the procurement of CVN-21 through the SCN account” (Ref. L & 4-N).
CVNX Program multirole aircraft carriers (0+2 ships) - Ref. 47
Specifications unknown - evolved from Nimitz Class.
“Concept/Program: CVNX is a new carrier design intended to follow the Nimitz class in production. The design will be gradually evolved from the existing Nimitz design, rather than starting with a completely "clean sheet". Details are not yet determined, but the ships will feature much lower manning, new electronic systems, electromagnetic catapults, and a new propulsion plant. CVN 77, the final Nimitz class ship, will be a "transition" ship, and will include some of the CVNX technology” (Ref. 47).
Builders: Northrop Grumman Newport News, VA.
“Note that the new CVN-21 Class will have a redesigned nuclear power plant whose features will affect its RCOH. The new system is expected to make use of advances from the USA’s Seawolf and Virginia Class submarine reactors, in order to eliminate expensive reactor refueling completely, increase the reactors’ output, and drop the number of people required to operate them” (Ref. 47).
Navy CVN-21 Aircraft Carrier Program: Background and Issues for Congress
“Current Administration plans call for procuring the Navy's next aircraft carrier, called CVN-21, in FY2007. The Navy in early 2004 estimated that CVN-21 would cost a total of about $3.1 billion develop and $8.6 billion to procure, for a total acquisition cost of about $11.7 billion. Advance procurement "down payments" on this ship have been approved by Congress each year since FY2001” (Ref. M1).
“Skeptics, while acknowledging the operational value of large carriers, could question whether, in light of their cost, there might be more cost effective alternatives. Potential alternatives include, among other things, smaller carriers about the size of the LHA(R) amphibious assault ship, which might cost roughly $3 billion to procure; UAV/UCAV carriers (which would be designed to embark air wings composed mostly of unmanned air vehicles [UAVs] and unmanned combat air vehicles [UCAVs]); and small carriers, such as high-speed ships large enough to embark a small number of manned tactical aircraft each. A February 2005 report on potential Navy force architecture by DOD's Office of Force Transformation (OFT) proposed a medium-sized (57,000-ton) carrier based on a commercial-like ship hull design, and also a small (13,500-ton), high-speed catamaran carrier” (Ref. L & 7-N).
“Skeptics could argue that even though substantial funds have already been appropriated for CVN-21, not all of these funds have been expended, and that if large carriers are not cost effective compared to alternatives, Congress should not ³throw good money after bad² by continuing to fund CVN-21” (Ref. L & N).
“On August 19, 2004, the Department of Defense (DOD) reported that the estimated development cost for a 3-ship carrier program (CVN-21 plus two sister ships to be procured years after CVN-21) had increased by $728 million, to $4.33 billion. DOD now estimates that the program would have a total acquisition cost of about $36.1 billion ($4.33 billion for development and $31.75 billion for procurement), or an average of about $12 billion per ship.
If much of the $728-million increase in the estimated development cost is for the CVN-21 itself, then CVN-21's estimated acquisition cost may now be more than $12 billion. In mid-August 2004, it was reported that the Navy's draft FY2006-FY2011 shipbuilding plan would delay procurement of CVN-21 by one year, to FY2008.
Based o n past data for carrier construction programs, such a delay might increase the procurement cost of the ship by a few or several hundred million dollars, which could increase its total acquisition cost to well over $12 billion, and possibly something closer to $13 billion. This report will be updated as events warrant” (Ref. M1).
“CVN-21 (also called CVN-78) is the next planned aircraft carrier after CVN-77. CVN-21 simply means aircraft carrier for the 21st Century. In August 2004 DOD began describing the CVN-21 program as a 3-ship program encompassing CVN-21 and two similar follow-on ships (CVN-79 and CVN-80) to be procured in later years. On August 19, 2004, DOD reported that the estimated development cost for the 3-ship program had increased by $728 million, to $4.33 billion. DOD estimates that the 3-ship program would have a total acquisition cost of about $36.1 billion ($4.33 billion for development and $31.75 billion for procurement), or an average of about $12 billion per ship” (Ref. L & 8-N).
Affordability, Cost Effectiveness, and Potential Alternatives.
“With an estimated average acquisition cost of about $12 billion per ship, would the 3 carriers in the CVN-21 program be affordable and cost effective? Supporters could argue that in spite of their cost, carriers are flexible platforms that in recent years have proven themselves highly valuable in various U.S. military operations, particularly where U.S. access to overseas bases has been absent or constrained.
Carriers, they could argue, have been useful not only for operating strike fighters and other tactical aircraft, but also for embarking Army forces (as during the 1994 Haiti crisis) and special operations forces (as in the 2001-2002 war in Afghanistan). Supporters could also argue that Congress is already heavily committed to procuring CVN-21, having approved more than $3.8 billion of the ship's total acquisition cost from FY2001 through FY2005” (Ref. L & 8-N).
Legislative Activity in FY2005 - L & 9 of N
USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77)
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USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77)
“The George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) is the 10th and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier. This evolutionary ship will pave the way to a new class of carriers. Named after the nation’s 41st President, this powerful warship of the 21st century will feature numerous improvements and modernizations. Learn more about this state-of-the-art ship at Reference I.
“Northrop Grumman christened the nation’s 10th and final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, George H. W. Bush (CVN-77), on October 7, 2006. The ship’s namesake and 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, attended the ceremony and became the first president in the shipyard’s 120-year history to participate in the christening of his namesake ship.
Several members of the Bush family were on hand for the special occasion, including the former president’s wife Barbara and their daughter, Doro Bush Koch. Mrs. Koch serves as the ship’s sponsor and performed the traditional honor of breaking a bottle of American sparkling wine across the ship’s bow during the ceremony.
Lieutenant Junior Grade George Bush, USNR – Ref. D
LTJG George Bush's citation for the Distinguished Flying Cross
Vice President Bush Calls WW II Experience 'Sobering.'; Naval Aviation News 67 (Mar-Apr 1985): 12-15.
George Bush in World War II: A Short Bibliography; Christman, Timothy J.
Upon hearing of the Pearl Harbor attack, while a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., George Bush decided he wanted to join the Navy to become an aviator. Six months later, after graduation, he enlisted in the Navy on his 18th birthday and began preflight training at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After completing the 10-month course, he was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve on 9 June 1943, several days before his 19th birthday; making him the youngest naval aviator then.
After finishing flight training, he was assigned to Torpedo Squadron (VT-51) as photographic officer in September 1943. As part of Air Group 51, his squadron was based on USS San Jacinto CVL-30, former CV-30, Reprisal & light cruiser Newark (CL-100) in the spring of 1944. San Jacinto was part of Task Force 58 that participated in operations against Marcus and Wake Islands in May, and then in the Marianas during June.
On 19 June, the task force triumphed in one of the largest air battles of the war. During the return of his aircraft from the mission, Ensign Bush's aircraft made a forced water landing. The destroyer, USS Clarence K. Bronson, rescued the crew, but the plane was lost. On 25 July, Ensign Bush and another pilot received credit for sinking a small cargo ship.
After Bush was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade on 1 August, USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) commenced operations against the Japanese in the Bonin Islands. On 2 September 1944, Bush piloted one of four aircraft from VT-51 that attacked the Japanese installations on Chi Chi Jima. For this mission his crew included Radioman Second Class John Delaney, and Lieutenant Junior Grade William White, USNR, who substituted for Bush's regular gunner. During their attack, four TBM Avengers from VT-51 encountered intense antiaircraft fire. While starting the attack, Bush's aircraft was hit and his engine caught on fire.
He completed his attack and released the bombs over his target scoring several damaging hits. With his engine on fire, Bush flew several miles from the island, where he and one other crew member on the TBM Avenger bailed out of the aircraft. However, the other man's chute did not open and he fell to his death. It was never determined which man bailed out with Bush. Both Delaney and White were killed in action. While Bush anxiously waited four hours in his inflated raft, several fighters circled protectively overhead until he was rescued by the lifeguard submarine, USS Finback (SS-230). For this action, Bush received the Distinguished Flying Cross. During the month he remained on Finback, Bush participated in the rescue of other pilots.
Subsequently, Bush returned to San Jacinto in November 1944 and participated in operations in the Philippines. When San Jacinto returned to Guam, the squadron, which had suffered 50 percent casualties of its pilots, was replaced and sent to the United States. Throughout 1944, he had flown 58 combat missions for which he received the Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, and the Presidential Unit Citation awarded San Jacinto.
Because of his valuable combat experience, Bush was reassigned to Norfolk and put in a training wing for new torpedo pilots. Later, he was assigned as a naval aviator in a new torpedo squadron, VT-153. With the surrender of Japan, he was honorably discharged in September 1945 and then entered Yale University.
Former Lieutenant George Herbert Walker Bush, U.S. Naval Reserve
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