The USS John C. Stennis is the fifth in the line of 10 Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carriers in service with the United States Navy. The Stennis provides a powerful air arm and limitless range making it a prime operator in US military global operations and can be called upon to accomplish a variety of military and political tasks as needed - either in the offensive, defense or deterrent role. As of this writing, the USS John C. Stennis is in active service with the United States Navy.
Layout and arrangement of the John C. Stennis follows basic Nimitz-class design. The island superstructure sits starboard while an angled starboard-to-port flight deck dominates the port side. A straight flight deck is featured up to the bow and four steam-powered catapults power aircraft into the air from the two forward straight decks and two from the angled deck. Four hangar elevators service the flight deck. Self-defense is provided by 2 x Mk 57 Mod3 Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile launchers, 2 x RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile missile launchers (RAM) and close anti-aircraft / anti-missile support provided by the three Mk 15 20mm Phalanx Close-In Weapon System(s) (CIWS). Her offensive arm is dominated by the various 90 or so aircraft types that she can put into the sky including fighter-bombers, anti-submarine and anti-ship elements to go along with interceptor and transport capabilities.
The John C. Stennis is a nuclear-powered vessel which, in essence, means that the vessel has unlimited range or range limited only by her reactor cores. She is powered by twin Westinghouse-brand A4W series reactors and 4 x steam powered turbines. These turn four large shafts at a rate of 260,000 shaft horsepower. A top speed of over 30 knots can be attained in ideal conditions. Her living quarters can support over 5,600 personnel including a large portion made up of the air wing. In all respects, the Stennis and her sister Nimitz-class ships are comparable to a small floating city.
The Stennis received her first deployment orders in 1998 which saw her land in the Persian Gulf, enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq. In 1999, USS John C. Stennis took to her sea trials and was back serving in the Persian Gulf by 2000, once again enforcing the no-fly zone in Iraq. Her next call to action was in serving against forces in Afghanistan a month following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11th, 2001. She concluded her operations there the following year and returned to the US. 2004 through 2005 saw various port stops, training exercises and goodwill visits. In 2007, the Stennis was back in service in the Persian Gulf returning to home port in August of that year.
The USS John C. Stennis was laid down in 1991 by Newport News Shipbuilding Company and launched in 1993. She was officially commissioned in 1995 and makes her homeport in Bremerton, Washington. The vessel and her crew fight under the motto of "Look Ahead" and the ship has taken on the affectionate nickname of "Johnny Reb". The Stennis is named after US Senator John C. Stennis (d.1995) whose work in the Senate covered some 40 plus years of service.
USS Nimitz (CVN 69); 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)
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
41.0 ft 12.50 m
Displacement
97,000 tons
Installed Power:
2 x Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors with 4 x steam turbines feeding 4 x shafts at 260,000shp.
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 57 Mod3 NATO RIM-7 Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missile launchers
2 x RIM-116 RAM (Rolling Airframe Missile) short-range surface-to-air missile launchers
3 x 20mm Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS (Close-In Weapon System)
Supported Types
(Not all weapon types may be represented in the showcase above)
90 aircraft of various makes and types including helicopters.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective naval campaigns / operations / periods.
The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. All written content, illustrations, and photography are unique to this website (unless where indicated) and not for reuse/reproduction in any form. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com.
Part of a network of sites that includes GlobalFirepower, a data-driven property used in ranking the top military powers of the world, WDMMA.org, the World Directory of Modern Military Aircraft, and SR71blackbird.org, detailing the history of the world's most iconic spyplane.
United States
