USS Enterprise (CVN-80)

Nuclear-Powered Supercarrier [ 2025 ]

The USS Enterprise CVN-80 is the third named ship of the now-three-strong class of American supercarrier.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 09/26/2016 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

Image courtesy of the United States Navy.

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USS Enterprise (CVN-80) forms the third "supercarrier" of the new Gerald Ford-class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the United States Navy. The vessel was named in December of 2012 and follows some eight other USN vessels to carry the "Enterprise" name. Construction will begin around 2018 by Huntington Ingalls Industries-Newport News Shipbuilding of Newport, Virginia. Commissioning is planned for sometime in 2025 or later. USS Enterprise (CVN-80) will join lead ship USS Gerald Ford (CVN-78) and sister-ship USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) once she raises her flag. Both remain under construction as of March 2014.

Once commissioned, USS Enterprise (CVN-80) is expected to relieve the aging USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), launched in 1975 and commissioned in 1977.

As designed, the USS Enterprise will feature a displacement of 100,000 tons and length measuring 1,100 feet with a beam of 134 feet and draught to 39 feet. Propulsion will come from a pair of A1B series nuclear reactors (of all-new design for improved power and efficiency) which will grant her essentially unlimited range and provide speeds in excess of 30 knots in ideal conditions. The listed shelf-life of the nuclear reactors is between twenty and twenty-five years. The vessel's entire complement will number 4,660 personnel including a large air wing. Construction of the vessel will also incorporate radar-reducing features.

The general profile of USS Enterprise will follow tried-and-true USN tradition with a starboard side island superstructure and stern-to-portside landing area. Catapults will be featured over the forecastle and to portside. The island superstructure will reside somewhat aft of amidships to allow for a clearer, unobstructed forward flight deck - presenting something of a new challenge to incoming naval aviators.

The air wing itself will support more than seventy-five aircraft of various types including fixed-wing and rotary-wing systems. This will allow the USS Enterprise to retain the capabilities enjoyed by many American carriers over the years, able to mount air defense, strike, rescue and enforcement sorties anywhere in the world. Resupply at-sea can be handled by vessels or helicopter and fixed-wing transports. The flight deck will measure 1,092 feet by 256 feet and feature multiple elevators to access the hangar deck below. An Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) will replace the steam catapults of old. The arresting gear will also be of an all-new design. There will also be improved support for launching Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), a noticeably emerging trend in naval warfare.

Point self-defense will be through a digital fire control system with management of RIM-162 ESSM and RIM-116 RAM anti-aircraft missile launchers. Close-in defense will be through 2 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

2025

Origin

United States

Complement

4,660
PERSONNEL

Class

Gerald R. Ford-class

Number-in-Class

3
VESSELS

Ships-in-Class

USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78); USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79); USS Enterprise (CVN-80)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Flag Ship / Capital Ship
Serving in the fleet Flag Ship role or Capital Ship in older warship designs / terminology.

Length

1,100.0 ft
335.28 m

Beam

252.0 ft
76.81 m

Draught

39.0 ft
11.89 m

Displacement

112,000
tons

Installed Power: 2 x A1B nuclear reactors.

Surface Speed

30.0 kts
(34.5 mph)

Range

Essentially Unlimited

2 x RIM-162 Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) medium-range anti-aircraft missile launchers.

2 x RIM-116 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) short-range anti-aircraft missile launchers.

2 x 20mm Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon Systems)

4 x 12.7mm Browning M2 heavy machine guns

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft medium machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft heavy machine gun

Graphical image of an aircraft Gatling-style rotating gun

Graphical image of an air-to-air missile weapon

Graphical image of a medium-range air-to-air missile

(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)

Approximately 75 fixed-wing, rotary-wing and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) aircraft of various types.

Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period

Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs

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Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine

Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War

Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1

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Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective naval campaigns / operations / periods.

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Image courtesy of the United States Navy.

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