WHAT’S IN A BATTLEGROUP

Carriers normally travel in a fleet of ships called a battle group. These groups

U.S.S. George H.W. Bush

have the aircraft carrier as a focal point and are formed to support and protect
the main ship.

Guided missile cruiser: Guided missile destroyer:

Multimission ship Multimission ship capable
capable of attacking of attacking submarines,
submarines, ships, ships, aircraft and ground
aircraft and ground targets.
Size comparison targets (2 per group).
During World War II, George Herbert Walker Bush flew torpedo bombers
off the U.S.S. San Jacinto. How that ship compares to the former
president’s new namesake and a well-known Houston landmark: Support ship:
Supply vessel Frigate:
U.S.S. George H.W. loaded with oil, Small tough ship
Bush (CVN 77) ammunition and performs primary
food for all the anti-sub duty.
ships in the
group.
1,092 feet
U.S.S. San Jacinto
(CVL 30) Aircraft carrier: Destroyer: Attack submarine:
Main ship armed with its own Fast ship armed with Seek and destroy
Astrodome air wing and several missile missiles, torpedoes, enemy subs and
Navy pilot George Bush, 1942 622 feet 710 feet launchers and defensive guns and helicopters surface ships (2
artillery anti aircraft-missile (2 per group). per group).
systems.
LANDING OPERATIONS TAKEOFF OPERATIONS
Full power Window of opportunity Arresting cables Jet bast deflector Steam catapult Second catapult Wind
Planes accelerate to full Pilots have almost no margin for Planes hit the deck at Directs plane’s jet Hurls plane from Deck crew can Prior to launching, aircraft
throttle as they land in error. All landings have to be perfect 160 mph. A hook heat upward. deck. The aircraft prepare two jets carrier turns into the wind
case of missed landing within a few feet of tolerance. mounted under the accelerates to for launch ate to increase plane’s
Flight aircraft catches cable 160 mph in 2.3 the same time. airspeed during takeoff.
deck and shock absorbers seconds.
on cable stop the
plane in 320 feet. Optical
landing
system

Launch rate:
One jet every
20 seconds.

Sea Stern
Sparrow
launcher

Landing rate:
One jet every
45 seconds. Landing
radar
Bridge

Propellers Improved “island” Nuclear reactors Aircraft elevators

New design from previous
Nimitz class carriers with
an optimized shape. The
four bronze propellers
weigh 60,000 pounds each.
Includes a modified main
mast design, transparent
armor windows and many
communication and
systems upgrades.
Designed to power the
ship for 20 years without
refueling; can move the
102-ton ship to a top
speed of 34.5 mph.
Each have a surface
of 4,000 square feet;
bring planes to the
flight deck from the
hangar below.
Bow
Sea Sparrow missile launcher
Short range anti-aircraft and
Note: planes not to scale
anti-missile system.

CARRIER AIR WING

A Nimitz-class carrier air
wing typically includes 48
fighters: 12 F/A-18E/F 36 F/A-18
Hornets, 36 F/A-18 Hornets,
four E-2C Hawkeyes, and
four EA-6B Prowlers, six 12 F/A-18 4 EA-6B Prowler 6 S-3B Viking
combat helicopters ( four
SH-60F and two HH-60H
Seahawks ) and six S-3B
4 E-2C Hawkeye 4 HH-60H Seahawk 2 SH-60F
Viking anti submarine
aircraft.

Sources: Northrop Grumman; McClatchy Tribune; Federation of American Scientists CHRONICLE