USS Eisenhower to return to Norfolk Dec 19.

Two harbingers of WW III last week are now in the Atlantic headed home to Norfolk. The USS Eisenhower, subject of much speculation for being "off the coast of Syria" a couple of weeks ago, by virtue of having gone through the Suez canal, is now in the Atlantic and will be home in plenty of time for Christmas. Jerked from its 5th Fleet patrol early, there is some sort of problem with the flight deck that needs to be repaired. This leaves one CVN in the Gulf for now.

In a related issue, the USS Iwo Jima, LHD-7, and its Amphibious Ready Group, the subject of much speculation as it floated off the coast of Israel, is now also in the Atlantic. The Iwo Jima was supposed to be "an invasion force" to attack Hamas, or maybe was there to rescue American citizens from israel, or maybe was going to start WW III. The Navy's reason for this "sudden change" is a little more complex;

The Ike is returning early from what was to be a nine-month deployment because mechanical problems aboard a different aircraft carrier – the USS Nimitz – caused a change in the deployment schedule.

Carrier Air Wing Seven will return on Dec. 18th

The Nimitz was supposed to leave in January to relieve the Eisenhower from its duties in the Persian Gulf, but the Navy made the call last month that the Nimitz was not yet fit for sea.

For the Eisenhower to pick up the Nimitz’s slack, the carrier still needs to get its flight deck resurfaced and will be home for about two months while that work is done.

Source

This leaves half the carrier fleet non-deployable, 5 out of 10. Though we should be getting the Roosevelt back in service pretty soon now, the Eisenhower will be non-deployable when that happens for a few months. Those awiting another round of "three carriers in the Gulf; we're doomed!" will have to wait a few months because we're really stretched thin for the moment.

Thought we should review the currrent status of the carrier fleet

US Navy Carrier Strike Group Deployments: 11/28/12

*CVN-68 Nimitz is in home port Everett (11/21/12). Non-deployable. Powerplant issue.
CVN-69 Eisenhower is in the Atlantic (12/13/12).
*CVN-70 Vinson is in home port San Diego in DPIA (11/28/12). Non-deployable
*CVN-71 Roosevelt is at Newport News for RCOH & non-deployable, Avail: late 2012.
*CVN-72 Lincoln is at home port Norfolk for RCOH & non-deployable, Avail 2016.
CVN-73 Washington is in home port Yokosuka, Japan (11/21/12).
CVN-74 Stennis is in the 5th Fleet AOR (10/26/12).
CVN-75 Truman is in the Atlantic testing the XR-47B (12/13/12).
*CVN-76 Reagan is in Bremerton for DPIA & non-deployable until 2013.
CVN-77 Bush is in home port, Norfolk. (7/27/12).
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CVN-78 Ford construction at Newport News. Avail 2015, replaces Enterprise.
CVN-79 Kennedy construction at Newport News. Avail 2018, replaces Nimitz.
CVN-80 Enterprise, planned, Avail 2024, replaces Eisenhower.

RCOH=Refueling and Complex Overhaul, takes about four years.
DPIA=Docked Planned Incremental Availability, takes six months to a year.
RIMPAC= Rim of the Pacific. International exercise.
COMPUTEX=Composite Unit Training Exercise, pre-deployment Strike Group coordination.
* = Non-deployable

The above are all Carrier Strike Groups that normally travel with about 7-8 support ships including one cruiser, several destroyers (usually a squadron of 4), a fast attack supply ship, some frigates ,and a fast attack submarine or maybe two. The support ships are designed to protect the carrier. A CVN is about 100,000 tons displacement and can carry approximately 85 aircraft. CVNs are nuclear powered and run 25 years between refueling, which takes three to four years to complete.

Explanation of Areas of Responsibility (AOR)

3rd Fleet AOR – Eastern & Northern Pacific, Alaska, Bering Sea
4th Fleet AOR – Central & South America
5th Fleet AOR - The Middle East, Arabian Gulf, East Africa
6th Fleet AOR – The Mediterranean Sea, Europe
7th Fleet AOR – Asian Pacific. Indian Ocean to International Date Line

Below are the Amphibious Ready Groups/Marine Expeditionary Units. The main ship here is a "baby" carrier that is about half the size or less of a CVN, about 40,000 tons displacement. It is designed to hold helicopters and Harrier VTOL jets. These guys can pull off a minor invasion, if necessary. They usually carry a handful of tanks. Marines, by and large, are light infantry. LHA is a “Landing Helicopter Assault.” LHD is a “Landing Helicopter Dock.”

LHA-5 Pelelieu is in the 5th Fleet AOR (11/07/12)
LHD-1 Wasp is in home port Norfolk (11/21/12)
*LHD-2 Essex is in homeport, San Diego in drydock – non-deployable (11/28/12)
*LHD-3 Kearsarge is in port for emergency rudder repairs (8/29/12)
LHD-4 Boxer is in home port San Diego (11/21/12)
LHD-5 Bataan is underway in the Atlantic for training (11/28/12)
LHD-6 Bonhomme Richard is in the 7th fleet AOR (11/28/12)
LHD-7 Iwo Jima is in the Atlantic headed home (12/13/12).
LHD-8 Makin Island is in home port San Diego (11/21/12)
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LHA-6 America, under construction, Avail. 2014, Northrop Grumann, Pascagoula.
LHA-7 Tripoli, contracted Avail. 2018, HII Ingalls, Pascagoula. $2.3B

Official Status of the Navy: www.navy.mil... (This is not always accurate.)
Carrier Locations: gonavy.jp... (Usually very accurate.)

Recent decommissioned/inactivated carriers:

CV-59 Forrestal, 1955—1993, Newport, RI, Fate: scrap or sink
CV-60 Saratoga, 1956—1994, Newport, RI, Fate: scrap or sink
CV-61 Ranger, 1957—1993, Bremerton, WA, Fate: scrap or museum
CV-62 Independence, 1959—1998, Bremerton, WA, Fate: scrap or sink
CV-63 Kitty Hawk, 1961—2009, Bremerton; WA, Fate: reserve until 2015
CV-64 Constellation, 1961—2003, Bremerton, Fate: scrap or sink
CVN-65 Enterprise, 1962-2012, Norfolk, Fate: scrap
CV-66 America, 1965—1996, Fate: scuttled in live fire exercise, 2005
CV-67 John F Kennedy, 1968—2007, Philadelphia, Fate: donation hold

reply to post by schuyler


Good post, nothing like good ol fashioned facts to diffuse the baseless fear mongering.

reply to post by schuyler


She's getting a new anti-skid coating on the deck. It needs to be replaced every so often, usually between deployments.

Carl Vinson should be ready to sail early in 2013 from what I understand. I believe she's ready to go if they really need her to sail, but her PIA won't be completed if she does.