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Naval Warfare

USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)


Nuclear-Powered Aircraft Carrier [ 2009 ]



USS George H.W. Bush CVN-77 was commissioned in 2009 forming the final ship of the ten-strong Nimitz-class of aircraft carriers.



Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 12/08/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

VIEW SPECIFICATIONS [+]
When commissioned in 2009, the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) marked the last of theten-strong Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to enter service with the United States Navy (USN). The vessel was ordered on January 26th, 2001 and its construction headed by Northrop Grumman Newport News of Virginia. The keel was laid down on September 6th, 2003 and the carrier launched to sea on October 9th, 2006. She was formally commissioned on January 10th, 2009 and makes her homeport out of NS Norfolk in Virginia. She fights under the motto of "Freedom at Work" and carries the nickname of "Avenger". Her namesake is from George H.W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States.

As with the rest of the Nimitz-class vessels, Bush carries the traditional American carrier arrangement with a rear-set island superstructure fitted to the aft starboard side and a large surface area reserved for the flight deck. Four hangar elevators serve aircraft to the flight deck from below and the carrier showcases four steam catapults for launching. Retrieval of fixed-wing aircraft is by arrestor cables strewn across the angled receiving deck. The vessel can also support and sustain helicopter operations. The complete crew complement of the vessel reaches 5,680 personnel and includes 2,480 persons as part of the air wing.

Propulsion is by way of 2 x Westinghouse A4W series nuclear reactors giving the carrier essentially unlimited range. Each reactor carries a service life between 20 to 25 years before needing replacement/disposal. Her machinery also includes 4 x steam turbines that drive 4 x shafts while outputting 260,000 shaft horsepower. This is sufficient for reaching up to 30 knot speeds despite the size of the massive ship whose dimensions include a running length of 1,092 feet, a beam of 252 feet, and a draught of 37 feet.

USS George H.W. Bush features a combination air arm made up of multirole aircraft, special mission aircraft, and transports. This includes the McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F/A-18 "Hornet" and "Super Hornet" types as well as Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and Electronic Warfare Aircraft (EWA) platforms. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations can involve her helicopter component and transport is charged to both rotary-wing and fixed-wing systems in USN service.

While generally defended by her accompanying fleet of warships and her air arm, the Bush features ranged and point-defense armament through 2 x Mk 29 Evolved Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile launchers and 2 x RIM-116 Rolling Air Frame (RAM) short-range, surface-to-air missiles. Additionally, the RAM components can be supplanted by several 20mm Phalanx Gatling-style digitally-controlled cannons. Armor protection reaches up to 2.5" thick at her most critical facings.©MilitaryFactory.com
The Nimitz-class is outfitted with a bevy of processing systems and sensor equipment lead by the SPS-48E 3D and SPS-49A(V)1 2D air search radar suites. The SPQ-9B serves fire control and a pair of SPN-46 and an SPN-43C system serve air traffic control. The SPN-41 acts as an aid for landing of inbound aircraft. Three Mk 91 NSSM systems serve in the guidance role while three Mk 95 radars are also in play. Electronic warfare is handled by the SLQ-32A(V)4 series countermeasures suite and torpedo decoys are provided through the SLQ-25A "Nixie" system.

Bush's first deployment occurred during May of 2011 where she sailed the Atlantic to undertake joint exercises with the British during "Saxon Warrior". From England, the vessel steamed to Naples, Italy where she arrived in June of 2011.In August, her air wing supported actions centering on Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) until she returned to Norfolk for December. Upgrades then followed beginning in July of 2012 and trials of these systems were underway for December. On May 14th, 2013, USS George H.W. Bush recorded the first catapult-assisted carrier take-off of a UAV when the in-development Northrop Grumman X-47B was launched from her bow catapult. An arrested landing was then recorded on July 10th of that same year - helping to progress the groundbreaking program.

In March of 2014, Bush was moved into Turkish waters to oversee developments in the Ukrainian Civil War which saw the eventual takeover of the Crimean Peninsula by Russian forces. Bush then made her way through the Suez Canal to join the 5th Fleet in Persian Gulf waters. From June onwards, she formed the naval contingent off the coast of Iraq as ISIS forces moved their way towards Baghdad. Airstrikes then followed in August into September while continuing during October. Targets in Syria were eventually added as the ISIS reach had gone well beyond Iraq.©MilitaryFactory.com
Note: The above text is EXCLUSIVE to the site www.MilitaryFactory.com. It is the product of many hours of research and work made possible with the help of contributors, veterans, insiders, and topic specialists. If you happen upon this text anywhere else on the internet or in print, please let us know at MilitaryFactory AT gmail DOT com so that we may take appropriate action against the offender / offending site and continue to protect this original work.

December 2021 - The MQ-25A unmanned aircraft system has begun deck handling tests aboard the carrier USS George H.W. Bush.

Specifications



Service Year
2009

Origin
United States national flag graphic
United States

Complement
5,680
PERSONNEL


Class
Nimitz-class
Number-in-Class
10
VESSELS
Ships-in-Class


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)


National flag of the United States 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
1,092.0 ft
332.84 m
Beam
252.0 ft
76.81 m
Draught
37.0 ft
11.28 m
Displacement
114,000
tons


Installed Power: 2 x Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors with 4 x Steam turbines developing 260,000 shaft horsepower while driving 4 x Shafts.
Surface Speed
30.0 kts
(34.5 mph)
Range
Essentially Unlimited


kts = knots | mph = miles-per-hour | nm = nautical miles | mi = miles | km = kilometers

1 kts = 1.15 mph | 1 nm = 1.15 mi | 1 nm = 1.85 km
2 x Mk 29 "Evolved Sea Sparrow" surface-to-air missile launchers.
2 x RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers OR up to 4 x 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWSs).


Supported Types


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)
Up to 90 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft of various makes and models to suit a variety of mission roles.


Military lapel ribbon for the Cold War period
Military lapel ribbon for early warship designs
Military lapel ribbon for the Falklands War
Military lapel ribbon for the 1991 Gulf War
Military lapel ribbon for the Korean War
Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft
Military lapel ribbon for the Attack on Pearl Harbor
Military lapel ribbon for the Russian Invasion of Ukraine
Military lapel ribbon for the Vietnam War
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 1
Military lapel ribbon for the World War 2


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

Images Gallery



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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.
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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
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Image of the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77)
Image from the United States Department of Defense imagery database.

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