Aircraft carrier George W. Bush is the tenth and last in a series of super-aircraft carriers of the Nimitz class. It received its name in honor of the 41st President of the United States and former CIA Director George W. Bush. In addition, Bush was a naval aviator during World War II.
The construction of the aircraft carrier began in 2003 at the Northrop Grumman shipyard, the largest dry dock in the western hemisphere, and was completed after six years. The port of registry of the giant ship was the Norfolk Naval Base.
Name history
George W. Bush received a U.S. pilot certificate on June 9, 1943, and already in August went to active duty, where he remained until September 1945. During a combat mission over the Pacific Ocean, where the United States conducted military operations with Japan, he was shot down by anti-aircraft guns and crashed. The crew of the Finback submarine saved the young officer from the cold water. For his service, Bush was awarded the “Cross” for flying combat merit and three medals “For Courageous Service at the Pacific Theater”.
Thus, the US aircraft carrier George W. Bush is the second ship of this class, named after the naval aviator, as well as the second named after the former president during his lifetime.
Aircraft carrier George W. Bush: specifications
The aircraft carrier project, which was used to build the George W. Bush, is one of the largest in the history of shipbuilding. Its length reaches 332 meters, and the displacement exceeds 100,000 tons.
Receiving power from three nuclear reactors installed on its board, an aircraft carrier can operate without refueling for 20 years in a row, while developing a speed of up to 20 knots.
Despite the fact that aircraft carriers of the Nimitz class have much in common, the latter of them has a number of significant structural differences from their predecessors.
Nuclear Aircraft Carrier George W. Bush: Design Features
The first noticeable feature that distinguishes an aircraft carrier from others is the curved flight deck in a special way, the design of which, according to the designers, should reduce the radar visibility of the ship.
The underwater part of the ship is covered with a new type of material, the exact composition of which is unknown. However, the developers claim a decrease in the total weight of the vessel thanks to this material by 100 tons. A new type of coating is also used on the flight deck to improve grip on the aircraft landing gear.
The island on which the captain’s bridge, radio room and weapons control systems are located has also changed significantly: new low-visibility radar towers, armored windows and advanced communication systems have appeared. The island is slightly shifted to the aft, to increase the space for takeoff and landing of aircraft and thereby reduce their thermal footprint left in the air during takeoff.
The aircraft carrier "George W. Bush" has updated fuel storage and distribution systems, which are used to supply ninety aircraft and helicopters. For takeoff and landing, new launch and landing systems are used. All this, together with semi-automated fuel distribution systems, reduces the number of staff.
The history of the aircraft carrier
The solemn ceremony of laying the ship worth six billion dollars took place in September 2003 in the presence of former US President and his wife Barbara Bush. The President left a chalk autograph on a metal plate, onto which metal plates were welded, which are now permanently attached to the ship.
The ship was built in a modular type, that is, at first large modules were assembled, including several compartments. Then, using a large crane, they were installed in a dry dock, where they were fastened. In June 2006, a captain’s bridge was installed on the structure, the weight of which reaches 700 tons, and two years later, on August 11, 2008, crew members boarded the aircraft carrier.
First use
After commissioning and sea trials, the George Bush aircraft carrier was assigned and became part of the Second Carrier Strike Group under the command of Nora Tyson. The aircraft carrier group set off for its first operation in 2011. Having crossed the Atlantic Ocean, the ships reached the coast of Great Britain to take part in joint exercises called the Saxon Warrior.
In 2012, the aircraft carrier embarked on a four-month overhaul and modernization, after which new sea trials began.
In 2013, unmanned aerial vehicles were tested on an aircraft carrier, which were supposed to take off and land on its deck. In addition, one of the drones was sent to the Norfolk military base, where he made a successful landing. After it was recognized that the tests were successful, the drones entered the aircraft carrier group.
Black Sea Campaign
In February 2014, an aircraft carrier with escort ships crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and headed for the Greek port of Piraeus on a planned visit. And on March 5th he headed to the shores of Turkey. At this time, tension between Russia and Ukraine began to grow. As a result of the referendum, Crimea was annexed to Russia.
In the port of Antalya, the entire carrier group and aircraft carrier George W. Bush stopped for several days. The Black Sea was at that moment 500 km from it. Initially, it was assumed that the aircraft carrier would remain in the Mediterranean for a few more months, but this did not happen, and the ships went to patrol the Persian Gulf, passing through the Suez Canal.
From the Persian Gulf, the nuclear-powered carrier George W. Bush attacked the Islamic State terrorist organization.
Unwavering determination
After a fourteen-month stay at the home port, where the team underwent further training, and the ship's equipment - diagnostics, the group went on regular duty. In early 2017, the aircraft carrier George W. Bush again headed to the shores of Iraq to continue the fight against terrorists in Iraq and Syria.
The aircraft carrier serves as the operational control center in the region, and also serves as a cover for ships from which missile strikes against terrorist centers are launched.