USS George (CVN-77) is the tenth and final supercarrier of the United States Navy. She is named for the 41st president of the United States and 11th director of central intelligence George H. W. Bush, who was a naval aviator during World War II. The vessel's callsign is Avenger, named after the TBF Avenger aircraft flown by then-Lieutenant Bush in World WarII. Construction began in 2003 at Northrop Grumman, in Newport News, Virginia, and was completed in 2009 at a cost of $6.2billion. Her home port is Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia.
Naming
George H. W. Bush became one of the U.S. Navy's youngest pilots when he received his Naval Aviator wings and naval commission on , three days before turning 19. He flew torpedo bombers off on active duty from August1943 to September1945 during World WarII. On , during a mission over the Pacific, Japanese anti-aircraft fire hit his plane. The Navy submarine rescued him. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for courageous service in the Pacific Theater.
USS George is the second United States aircraft carrier to be named after a naval aviator ( was the first) and the second, following , to be named after a then living former president (Ronald Reagan was christened in 2001 while Reagan was still alive).
Ship's seal Each element of the seal is significant for its relevance to the ship's namesake, naval aviation, naval service, and the nation. There are six prominent features of the seal, beginning with the 41white stars, symbolizing the ship's namesake (the 41stpresident). The rays of light that appear on the seal's horizon represent Bush's concept of a "thousand points of light", wherein he urged Americans to find meaning and reward by serving a purpose higher than themselves. The graphic depiction of the aircraft carrier reflects the carrier, as both a symbol and instrument of American strength as a force for freedom. Above the carrier are the overhead profiles of a TBM Avenger torpedo bomber (representing Bush's days as a Navy pilot), an F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter, and an F-35C Lightning II, superimposed one upon the other in reverse chronological order of the individual aircraft's service entry date, and in diminishing scale so each outline is contained within that of the newer aircraft.
Fouled anchors and shields, centered on naval aviators wings, honor the ship's namesake's aviation history. Finally, the motto "Freedom at Work" is adapted from Bush's inaugural speech, during which he said, "We know what works: Freedom works. We know what's right: Freedom is right."
Description George H. W. Bush measures and displaces over 100,000tons, making her one of the world's largest warships (though she is slightly shorter than ). Her top speed exceeds ; powered with two nuclear reactors, she can operate for more than 20years without refueling.
Several features differentiate CVN-77 from other ships in the Nimitz class.
Hull New features include a bulbous bow design that provides more buoyancy to the forward end of the ship and improves hull efficiency, curved flight deck edges to reduce radar signature, a new underwater hull coating system, deck modernized coverings to reduce ship weight by 100tons, low solar absorptive and anti-stain paint, a less cluttered hangar bay, and a new propeller design.
Island
George H. W. Bush is the second carrier to have a modernized island, which includes a new radar tower (enclosed to reduce radar signature), navigation system upgrades, communication systems enhancements, and armored windows. The island is smaller and has been repositioned further aft to improve flight deck access and reduce signature and electronic self-interference.
Air operations New air operations design features include an updated aviation fuel storage and distribution system, semi-automated refueling and servicing with new deck locations to provide faster, more efficient aircraft pit stops, requiring fewer people, modernized aircraft launch, and recovery equipment, and redesigned jet blast deflectors.
Environmental Environmental upgrades have also been designed into the ship, including a vacuum collection/marine sanitation device (VC/MSD), a new marine sewage system that uses sea water in lieu of fresh water for lower maintenance costs. Many older ships in the U.S.Navy utilize a gravity-driven collection holding and transfer (CHT) system to handle sewage waste. Newer U.S.Navy ships, including now CVN-77, collect sewage waste by vacuum, allowing for greater flexibility in piping installation, smaller pipe sizes overall and reducing water consumption. The collection tanks of George were modified to accommodate both the VCHT (Vacuum CHT) equipment and the elements of a marine sanitization device to treat the waste prior to discharge. George is the only aircraft carrier in the U.S.Navy to combine the two technologies.
This new VC/MSD driven waste management system has, however, not been without problems. Reports began surfacing immediately after delivery in May2009 of issues with the ship's toilet system. As of November2011, the entire system has gone down at least twice, rendering all 423commodes in the ship's 130heads inoperable, with many more incidents that have rendered either half of the ship, or sections of the ship, without operating sanitary facilities. In one ship-wide incident, a repair crew spent 35non-stop hours attempting to return the system to working order. The system is said to suffer breakdowns when inappropriate materials such as feminine hygiene products are flushed down the toilets. During a four-month maintenance period in the dock in 2012, anti-clog measures were installed in the ship's toilet disposal systems.Shapiro, Michael Welles, "Naval Shipyard Tackles Toilet Clogs on the Bush While Ship Is in For Repairs", Newport News Daily Press, 29 September 2012
Electronics and communications New electronics and communications technology, space rearrangement, operational procedure changes, advanced sensor technologies and maintenance systems have been incorporated to reduce manning costs. A new zonal electrical distribution system will keep problems from affecting other parts of the ship. Automated material movement devices, semi-autonomous, gravity compensated weapons handling devices, damage control automation systems and components have also been installed. Medical and dental equipment have been upgraded, integrated display screens in Damage Control Central have been modernized to improve data integration and display, and equipment in general shops has been modernized to improve productivity.
History
The contract to build CVN-77 was awarded to Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding Newport News on . A naming ceremony was held on at Northrop Grumman Newport News, with former president George attending. Secretary of the Navy Gordon R. England, presided at the ceremony.
Construction Construction took place at the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard's Dry Dock12, the largest in the western hemisphere. The keel laying ceremony was held on , with former president George serving as the keynote speaker. Former First Lady Barbara Bush also attended with their daughter, Dorothy Bush Koch, the ship's sponsor. The former president authenticated the keel by chalking his initials onto a metal plate. His initials were then welded onto the plate, which was permanently affixed to the ship.
The ship was modularly constructed, where large sections are assembled and then lifted into place using a large crane. Major milestones in the construction include the bow placement in March2005, followed by the island placement on 8 July 2006. The island was lifted onto the flight deck in a ceremony called "stepping the mast" which dates from antiquity and consists of placing coins or other items of significance under the step or bottom of a ship's mast during construction. Since at least the construction of in the 1790s, this tradition has been passed on as a symbol of good luck for U.S.Navy ships. George participated in the event, placing his naval aviator wings underneath the island during the ceremony.
George H. W. Bush was christened on . Former president George attended the ceremony and became the first president in history to participate in the christening of his namesake ship. President George W. Bush also attended and honored his father during the ceremony as a special guest speaker. Other officials participating in the ceremony included Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Secretary of the Navy Donald Winter; Virginia Senators John Warner and George Allen, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, and Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Mullen.
Other construction milestones included catapult system testing on the ship's flight deck on . Former president George signaled the launch of two "dead loads" off the deck of the carrier. Dead loads are large, wheeled, steel vessels weighing up to simulating the weight of actual aircraft.
On , the Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) crew moved aboard the ship, the first meals were served in the galley, the U.S. flag was raised on the fantail for the first time, and the first watches were set. George left Northrop Grumman Ship Building for the first time on , proceeding a few miles down river to Norfolk Naval Station.
Commissioning
George H. W. Bush was commissioned 10 January 2009 at Norfolk Naval Station prior to her official delivery to the Navy, in a ceremony attended by approximately 15,000 people. Veterans of , the ship George H. W. Bush served on during World War II, were also present. President George W. Bush delivered the principal address, George H. W. Bush set the first watch, and ship's sponsor Dorothy "Doro" Bush Koch gave the order to "man our ship and bring her to life!" A GM-built Grumman TBM Avenger like the one then-Lieutenant junior grade George Bush flew in World War II performed a fly-over.
Northrop Grumman Corporation Builder's sea trials were completed on 16 February 2009, providing an opportunity to test systems, components and compartments at sea for the first time. The trials included high-speed runs and a demonstration of the carrier's other capabilities. Following builder's trials, the ship underwent acceptance trials on 10 April 2009, conducted by representatives of the U.S. Navy Board of Inspection and Survey, to test and evaluate the ship's systems and performance.
Delivery and shakedown George H. W. Bush was officially delivered to the Navy on 11 May 2009.
The first fixed-wing flights were conducted on 19 May 2009 when F/A-18 Super Hornets from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland began flight deck certification, which tests a carrier's ability to conduct air operations.
On 26 May 2009, former president George H. W. Bush and his daughter, Dorothy Bush Koch, flew aboard the carrier to observe flight operations during the ship's underway period in the Atlantic Ocean. USS George H. W. Bush successfully completed her first flight deck certification on that day.
George H. W. Bush returned to Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard on 18 June 2009 for post-delivery maintenance work, also known as the ship's post shakedown availability (PSA). A PSA is a typical availability in the early life of a carrier that allows the Navy and builder to resolve any items that came up during trials and delivery and make any last-minute changes and upgrades. Work includes the installation of a Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) handling system and a new fresh water purification system. Other changes include compartment reconfigurations, combat system and radar equipment upgrades, and minor repairs. The work was scheduled to last through early 2010.
Maiden 2011 deployment