December 2nd: WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The U.S. Navy announced Dec. 2 that USSS George Washington (CVN 73) will replace USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) as the forward-deployed aircraft carrier in the western Pacific and will arrive in Yokosuka, Japan, in 2008.

November 14th: ABOARD USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (NNS) -- Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing ((CVW) 8 stationed aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) continued support of Operation Steel Curtain (OSC) throughout the second week of November, conducting five consecutive days of strikes against terrorist targets in support of coalition troops in Iraq.

Coalition ground forces consisting of 1,000 Iraqi Army Soldiers and 2,500 U.S. Marines began the offensive Nov. 4 near the town of Husaybah near the Iraq/Syria border.

F-14 Tomcats assigned to Fighter Squadron (VF) 213 and VF-31, along with F/A-18s assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 15, have conducted several strikes on locations being used by Anti-Iraqi Force (AIF) personnel for strategic firing positions against U.S. Marines and coalition ground forces. Since Nov. 6, CVW 8 has flown nearly 400 sorties in support of OSC.

For more news go to NewsBytes 2004/5

Welcome to Carrier Aviation News, a regular newsletter that brings you the news around the Carrier Navy now in its 10th year. Want to contribute? then mail me David 'chuckles' McCandless (take out _at_) and maybe I can publish it here. Thanks to all those who have sent me mail and suggestions.

U.S. Carrier Locations

CVNX-80 to 89
10 more ships in this class planned

CVNX-79
Planned start 2009

CVNX-78
Planned start in 2006
$110mill R&D for 1999

CVN-77: George HW Bush
Under Construction
Keel Laid 6 September 2003
Named December 9 2002
Commissioning: 2009

USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
Google Map
Capt. James A. Symonds
Carrier Strike Group (CCSG) 7
CVW-14
Homeport: NAS North Island
Commissioned: 2002
2006:

USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75)
History   Google Map
Capt. Leo Falardeau
CVW-3 AC
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2006:  PIA January to October
Schedule: PIA January 2006 (10 Months)

USS John C Stennis (CVN-74)
History  GoogleMap
Capt. David H. Buss
CVW-9 NG / CCG 7
2006:
Milestones:
Schedule:

USS George Washington (CVN-73)
CAPT Garry R. White
CVW-17 AA
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2006: Norfolk
Schedule: 

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
Capt. Kendall L. Card
CVW-2

2006: 
Schedule:

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
CVW-8
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk  
2006:  Gulf January 1
Schedule:

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
History
Capt. Rick Wren
Homeport: N.S. Everett
2006:  RCOH
Schedule: 

USS Eisenhower (CVN-69)
Capt. Charles E Smith
CVW-7 AG / CCDG 8
Carrier Strike Group 8, Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2006:  
Schedule:

USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
Capt. Ted N. Branch
CVW-11, Carrier Strike Group 11, DESRON 23
Homeport: NS San Diego
2006: 
Schedule: 

USS John F Kennedy (CV-67)
GoogleMap
Capt. Ronald H. Henderson, Jr.
CVW-1 AB / CCG 6

2006:  
Schedule:

USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
Capt. Lawrence Rice
CVW-8 AJ

Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2006:
Schedule:  

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
GoogleMap
Capt. Ed McNamee
Carrier Strike Group 5
CVW-5 NF
Planned De-commissioning 2008
2006:  

Admiral Kuznetsov
  Sold

HMS Invincible (R 07)
  2005: Portsmouth

HMS Illustrious (R 06)
 2005:  Portsmouth

HMS Ark Royal (R08)
Commander TJ Chidley
Extended Readiness thru 2006
 2005:  Portsmouth

Queen Elizabeth (CVF 1)
100 million pounds awarded November 1999

Prince of Wales (CVF 2)