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USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)
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USS Ronald Reagan |
| Career (USA) |
 |
| Name: |
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) |
| Ordered: |
8 December 1994 |
| Laid down: |
12 February 1998 |
| Launched: |
4 March 2001 |
| Commissioned: |
12 July 2003 |
| Homeport: |
Naval Air Station North Island, Coronado, California |
| Fate: |
Active in service as of 2008 |
| General characteristics |
| Class and type: |
Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, Ronald Reagan subclass |
| Displacement: |
Approximately 97,000 short tons (88,000 MT) full load |
| Length: |
Overall: 1,092 feet (332.8 m)
Waterline: 1,040 feet (317.0 m) |
| Beam: |
Overall: 252 ft (76.8 m)
Waterline: 134 ft (40.8 m) |
| Draft: |
Maximum navigational: 37 ft (11.3 m)
Limit: 41 ft (12.5 m) |
| Propulsion: |
2 × Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors
4 × steam turbines
4 × shafts
260,000 shp (194 MW) |
| Speed: |
30+ knots (56+ km/h) |
| Range: |
Essentially unlimited |
| Complement: |
Ship's company: 3,200
Air wing: 2,480 |
Sensors and
processing systems: |
SPS-48E 3-D air search radar
SPS-49A(V)1 2-D air search radar
Mk 23 target acquisition radar
2 × SPN-46 air traffic control radars
SPN-43B air traffic control radar
SPN-44 landing aid radars
3 × Mk 91 NSSM guidance systems
3 × Mk 95 radars |
Electronic warfare
and decoys: |
SLQ-32A(V)4 Countermeasures suite
SLQ-25A Nixie torpedo countermeasures |
| Armament: |
2 × Mk 29 Sea Sparrow
2 × RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile
|
| Armor: |
Unknown |
| Aircraft carried: |
90 fixed wing and helicopters |
| Motto: |
Peace Through Strength |
| Nickname: |
Gipper |
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) is a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered supercarrier in the service of the United States Navy. The ninth ship of her class, and the Navy's newest aircraft carrier,[1] she is named in honor of former President Ronald Reagan.
Building, christening, and commissioning
Traditionally, few ships of the United States Navy were named after a person who was alive at the time of the christening, but recently the number has increased; the list includes Carl Vinson, Hyman G. Rickover, Arleigh Burke, John C. Stennis, Bob Hope, Ronald Reagan, Nitze, Jimmy Carter, and George H. W. Bush. The Ronald Reagan was the first aircraft carrier to be named in honor of a living former president.[2] Unlike most of the other men honored by inclusion in this group, Reagan was not associated with the United States Navy apart from his term as Commander-in-Chief, though one of his key initiatives in office was the 600-ship Navy program.
The contract to build the Reagan was awarded to Northrop Grumman Newport News and Dry Dock Company in Newport News, Virginia on 8 December 1994, and her keel was laid down on 12 February 1998. The budget for the ship had to be increased several times and ultimately $4.5 billion was spent on its construction.[3] She was launched on 4 March 2001, christened by Reagan's wife Nancy the same day, and commissioned on 12 July 2003, with Captain J. W. Goodwin in command. Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynne Cheney were both present at the ceremony, as well as Nancy Reagan, who gave the ship's crew the traditional first order as an active unit of the Navy: "Man the ship and bring her to life." Ronald Reagan made her maiden voyage on 21 July 2003. Mementoes were released on the occasion, including Ty Inc.'s commemorative beanie baby named the "USS Ronnie Ty" in honor of the commissioning.[4]
President Reagan, who did not attend either the launch or the commissioning due to Alzheimer's disease, died eleven months later. At the end of the graveside services, the ship's commanding officer at that time, Rear Admiral James Symonds, presented the flag that draped the former president's casket to Mrs. Reagan at her request. This was also the flag that had flown over Capitol Hill on 20 January 1981, when the president was inaugurated. At a later date, Admiral Symonds also presented Mrs. Reagan the flag that had been flying over Ronald Reagan when the former president died.
Specifications
Ronald Reagan displaces approximately 95,000 tons of water fully loaded, has a top speed of over 30 knots (56 km/h), powered by two nuclear reactors driving four screws, and can sail for over 20 years before needing to refuel.[5] She is nearly as long as the Empire State Building is tall[6] at 1,092 feet (333 m) and is 134 feet (41 m) wide at the beam and has a flight deck 252 feet (77 m) wide. The flight deck covers over 4.5 acres (18,000 m²). She carries more than 5,500 sailors and over 80 aircraft. The ship is the winner of the 2006 Battle "E" for West Coast carriers.[7]
In the news
During her transfer from the Atlantic to the Pacific, she transited the Straits of Magellan. Her home port is Coronado, California. In 2006, Iran spied on the American aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan for 25 minutes without being detected before returning safely to its base.[8][9][10]
Commissioning ceremony of the USS Ronald Reagan, 2003
On 29 January 2006, a F/A-18 Hornet strike fighter attempting a night landing on the Ronald Reagan, crashed into the ocean about 200 km (120 miles) southeast of Brisbane, Australia. There was no damage to the ship and the pilot ejected safely, but U.S. officials declared the aircraft lost and unrecoverable.[11][12]
On 6 July 2006, the Ronald Reagan returned to Coronado from her maiden deployment where she conducted operations in support of the continuing war on terror. USS Ronald Reagan and the Reagan Carrier Strike Group (CSG) departed North Island, Coronado in San Diego on 27 January 2007 on an unscheduled surge deployment[13] to the Western Pacific, fulfilling the role of the forward deployed carrier Kitty Hawk while it undergoes $28.5 million of maintenance in Japan. On 20 April 2007, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and her CSG returned to Coronado.
A sailor from the Ronald Reagan, Jarrod Fowler, appeared on the popular television contest American Idol, but was eliminated in the second round.[14]The Reagan had held a "Reagan Idol" Contest, which Fowler won, and his name was submitted to the show. Fowler received a letter from Nancy Reagan congratulating him on his performance.[14]
USS Ronald Reagan conducts rudder checks in October 2007, as part of the ship's periodic inspection
On 7 November 2005 Captain James A. Symonds was relieved as Commanding Officer of CVN 76 by Captain Terry B. Kraft. Captain Kenneth J. Norton became the fourth commanding officer of the Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) 2 May, relieving Captain Terry B. Kraft in a ceremony aboard the ship, moored pier side at Naval Air Station North Island in Coronado, Calif. The current Executive Officer is Captain Kevin J. Couch. The Command Master Chief is James E. DeLozier. The current Commander, Carrier Air Wing Fourteen is Captain Richard W. Butler.
The San Diego Chargers held a practice aboard the Reagan.
On 15 December 2007, the carrier answered a distress call from a cruise ship off the coast of Baja California. A teenager whose appendix had ruptured while on a Mexican cruise was airlifted by an SH-60 helicopter to the Ronald Reagan, where an emergency appendectomy was performed by Navy medical personnel.[15]
On 19 May 2008, the carrier and its strike group departed Naval Air Station North Island for a scheduled deployment to an undisclosed location.[16]
As part of the goodwill efforts of the United States and its close relations with the Philippines, President George W. Bush ordered the carrier group to assist in rescue and retrieval operations in the Philippines on 24 June 2008. The order was made during a meeting with Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. The Asian country was devastated by Typhoon Fengshen, killing hundreds from the central island regions of the Philippines into the main island of Luzon. The typhoon also capsized a passenger ferry called, MV Princess of the Stars.[17]
References
- ^ "USS Ronald Reagan Departs on Third Deployment", United States Navy (20 May 2008). Retrieved on 2008-06-24.
- ^ "USS Ronald Reagan Commemorates Former President's 90th Birthday", CNN (4 March 2001). Retrieved on 2008-01-24.
- ^ CVN-76 Ronald Reagan
- ^ USS Ronnie Ty Bear
- ^ US Navy Aircraft Carrier Page
- ^ Judge, Clark (2006-08-11). "Chargers find whole new meaning for 'carrier'", CBS SportsLine.com, CBS. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
- ^ Ronald Reagan Awarded First Battle "E"
- ^ 5 minutes video
- ^ RIAN, Iranian drone plane buzzes U.S. aircraft carrier in Persian Gulf, 30 May 2006
- ^ Iran Uses UAV To Watch US Aircraft Carrier On Gulf Patrol
- ^ "US jet crashes off Queensland", Australian Broadcasting Corporation (2006-01-30). Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
- ^ "U.S. fighter jet crashes into the sea off Australia's east coast", Pravda.ru (2006-01-29). Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
- ^ USS Ronald Reagan Public Affairs (2007-01-27). "Ronald Reagan Strike Group Departs San Diego on Surge Deployment". Press release. Retrieved on 2007-04-19.
- ^ a b "Jarrod Fowler". Retrieved on 2007-04-21.
- ^ Burst appendix spurs Navy cruise rescue - Yahoo! News
- ^ SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Military - Reagan strike group departs San Diego
- ^ GMA NEWS.TV, US ship coming to help retrieve victims of sea tragedy
See also
External links
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