[Enchante]

??? article says there are ‘61’ aircraft on the USS Eisenhower

Is that accurate??? I thought that the Nimitz class carriers used to carry more like 80-85 in their air groups, and according to the website linked below there are ‘supposed’ to be 85.

Anyone know if (1) the ‘61’ is accurate, (2) if there is a good military reason for carrying less than 80-85, or (3) is this some economy measure due to the perilous state of the federal budget???

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=4200&tid=200&ct=4

Aircraft: 85

General Characteristics, Nimitz Class

Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, VA.
Date Deployed: May 3, 1975 (USS Nimitz).
Unit Cost: About $4.5 billion each.
Propulsion: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts.
Length: 1,092 feet (332.85 meters).
Beam: 134 feet (40.84 meters); Flight Deck Width: 252 feet (76.8 meters).
Displacement: Approximately 97,000 tons (87,996.9 metric tons) full load.
Speed: 30+ knots (34.5+ miles per hour).
Crew: Ship’s Company: 3,200 - Air Wing: 2,480.
Armament: Two or three (depending on modification) NATO Sea Sparrow launchers, 20mm Phalanx CIWS mounts: (3 on Nimitz and Dwight D. Eisenhower and 4 on Vinson and later ships of the class.).
Aircraft: 85.
Ships:
USS Nimitz (CVN 68), San Diego, CA
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), Norfolk, VA
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), Newport News, VA
USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), Norfolk, VA
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Everett, WA
USS George Washington (CVN 73), Yokosuka, Japan
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), Bremerton, WA
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), Norfolk, VA
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), San Diego, CA
USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), Norfolk, VA

[ken in texas]

Valid question... I suspect the 85 aircraft might be what it was designed to carry and service. Obviously, it can sail with fewer.

But I'm just an old AF weenie, just speculating.

Happy Memorial Day!!

[magslinger]

It might be because of the size of the aircraft. Back in the day (late seventies) we had a mix that included F-4's (63 ft in length) A-6's (54 ft) a-7's (46 ft). I couldn't find any source for width with the wings folded, but that would also be a major factor. Compare that to the Superhornet's length of 60 ft. Phantoms are just a touch bigger, but the Corsair II's are 3/4's their size.

During WWII fleet carriers held around 100 birds.

[SC Swamp Fox]

I sailed on the USS Saratoga (Forrestal class) in the 80s. I just added it up, we routinely deployed with 57 Aircraft.

A-6 (16)
A-7 (8)
F-14 (16)
EA-6B (4)
S-3 (4)
E-2 (4)
H-3 (4)
EA-3 (1) Joined us in the med.