What You Need to Know: The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the final Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, recently departed Norfolk Naval Shipyard after completing a nearly year-long Planned Incremental Availability (PIA). The upgrades improved the ship's safety, communications, and combat systems, preparing it for deployment in 2025.
-As a floating base for over 6,000 sailors and Marines, CVN-77 features modernized design elements, including a bulbous bow and advanced radar tower. Named after President George H.W. Bush, a WWII naval aviator, its seal symbolizes the evolution of naval aviation.
-With enhancements ensuring service through the 2050s, Bush honors its namesake's legacy with its motto, "Freedom at Work."
Ten months ago, the U.S. Navy's tenth and final Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) arrived at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) and began an overhaul to improve safety on the warship and receive upgrades to its communications and combat systems.
The nearly year-long effort has been completed, and in a post on Facebook on Tuesday, the warship's communications team announced its departure from Norfolk to begin a series of tests in advance of CVN-77's next deployment in 2025.
"Full Speed Ahead," the Facebook post stated.
"We departed the shipyard to get our warship and our crew back underway where we will test systems and equipment for future operations," it added. "Thanks to the ownership and service of our Sailors and counterparts at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. We are back in the game!"
The recently completed PIA follows extensive maintenance and upgrades that were completed during the Covid-19 pandemic. All of these ongoing efforts are to ensure that USS George H.W. Bush will remain in service through the 2050s.
To date, ten U.S. Navy aircraft carriers have been named after a president of the United States, while an eleventh (a second carrier named for the late John F. Kennedy) is now under construction. However, just one of those flattops was also named for a naval aviator – USS George H.W. Bush.
Fittingly, the vessel's call sign is "Avenger," after the TBM Avenger aircraft that then-Lt. Bush flew during the Second World War. As Maya Carlin previously wrote for The National Interest, "Back in 1943, Bush became one of the youngest aviators to receive his wings just shy of turning nineteen years old."
Moreover, CVN-77 is only the second carrier to be named for any naval aviator – with the USS Forrestal (CN-59) being the first.
The motto of the USS George H.W. Bush is "Freedom at Work," which was adapted from President Bush's inaugural address, in which he said, "We know what works: Freedom works. We know what's right: Freedom is right." Today, the 10th and final Nimitz-class carrier ensures that freedom remains a right for every American.
The ship, which was modularly constructed, was officially christened on October 7, 2006. It was a notable event as the former president became the first to attend such a ceremony for his namesake vessel. She was delivered to the Navy in May 2009.
As with the sister carriers of the Nimitz class, USS George H.W. Bush measures 1,092 feet (333 m) and displaces more than 100,000 tons, making her one of the world's largest warships in the world today. Yet, there are also several notable differences from the previous flattops of the Nimitz class. CVN-77 features a bulbous bow design, which reportedly provides more buoyancy to the forward end of the ship and improves hull efficiency. Additionally, the flight deck has curved edges that were designed to reduce the radar signature.
CVN-77 was also the second carrier after USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) to feature a modernized island with a new radar tower. That island is smaller and has been repositioned much further aft, which is meant to improve flight deck access while reducing signature and electronic self-interference.
USS George H.W. Bush is a floating military base – home to a crew of more than 6,000 sailors and marines including 3,200 crew with 160 officers and 2,500 making up the aircrew. The warship also accommodates the carrier battle group's flag officer and about seventy additional crewmembers.
On December 12, 2021, an F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) aircraft, assigned to the "Rough Riders" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125, landed for the first time aboard the carrier, while underway in the Virginia Capes Operations Area.
Conducting air operations with F-35Cs aboard USS George H.W. Bush was seen to hold special significance for the vessel. The warship's seal features an emblazoned P-3 Avenger, the aircraft flown by President George H.W. Bush in World War II, superimposed over an F/A-18 Super Hornet, which in turn is superimposed on an F-35C. At the time of the ship's commissioning, that seal was to represent the past, present, and future of Naval Aviation.
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: Editor@nationalinterest.org.
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