February 18th: The USS Eisenhower Battlegroup departed for their Gulf/Med cruise today from Norfolk.

January 17th: The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS ILLUSTRIOUS will sail on Monday 17th January to lead a naval task group on a routine training deployment to the Gulf. A series of goodwill visits are also to be undertaken.

Accompanying HMS ILLUSTRIOUS will be some ten ships. They comprise HMS GLOUCESTER, a Type 42 destroyer; HMS MONMOUTH, a Type 23 frigate; the TLAM-capable submarine, HMS TRIUMPH; the supply ship RFA FORT GEORGE and, a four ship MCM group. - Nick Braybrooke

Welcome to Carrier Aviation News, a regular newsletter that brings you the news around the Carrier Navy now in its 4th year. Want to contribute? then mail me David McCandless and maybe I can publish it here. Thanks to all those who have sent me mail and suggestions.

U.S. Carrier Locations

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

CVN-77
Planned start in 2001
$213mill for 1999
Only $50mill appropiated for 1998
$18mill appropiated for R&D 1997, a further $300m may be found in the current budget
Commissioning: 2008

Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
Under Construction
Commissioning: 2002

USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75)
...more
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
1998: Builders Sea Trials June9-12, Atlantic August19-26, CarQuals West Atlantic November2-18, Atlantic August 30, Nova Scotia October 4, Atlantic November1, December 3 - December 16
Schedule: Med Cruise August 2000

USS John C Stennis (CVN-74)
CVW-9 NG
WestPac Cruise 2000
...more
2000: Deployed January 5, EastPac January 18, Hong Kong February 8-12

Schedule: WestPac cruise January 2000

USS George Washington (CVN-73)
CVW-17 AA
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
. 1999: West Atlantic May, Atlantic July19-August 16, Fort Lauderdale October 4, Atlantic October 12, November1, December 1 - December 16
Schedule:

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
CVW-14 NK
1999: Everett Wash. May, San Francisco October 12
Milestones: 72000th Trap June 19 1998

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
CVW-8 AJ
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk

Med Cruise '99
1999: (JTFEX) 99-1, Feb. 12 - March 2, 1999, Depolyment March 26 Med Cruise '99, Adriatic Operation Allied Force April 6 - June23, Gulf July 19-August 23, Indian Ocean August 30, Rhodes September 4-8, Med September 14, Bermuda September 21 (tiger), Norfolk
Schedule:

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
CVW-11 NH
...more
Homeport: N.S. Everett
1999: .EastPac August 2, San Diego September 3-7, Pacific (CarQuals) September 8-14, Bremerton September 20
Schedule: overhaul October

USS Eisenhower (CVN-69)
CVW-7 AG
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
Med/Gulf Cruise '2000
2000: Deployed to Gulf February 18
Schedule:

USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
Schedule: from May 29 1998 Refueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) at Newport News(33 months) to February 2001

USS John F Kennedy (CV-67)
CVW-1 AB
Med Cruise '99-'00
1999: deployed September 17 Med Cruise '99, Atlantic October 4, Med October 12, Gulf November 29 - January 19
Schedule:

USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
CVW-3 AC
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
1999: Newport News, Overhaul
Schedule:

USS Constellation (CV-64)
CVW-2 NE
WestPac '99
1999:  Sea of Japan July 9, WestPac August 2-16, Indian Ocean August 23, Gulf August 30 - November1, Indian Ocean November 29
Schedule:

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
CVW-5 NF
WestPac Cruise '99
Planned De-commissioning 2008
1999: South China Sea March2, Gulf June, Indian Ocean July 19, WestPac July 26, Indian Ocean August 2-16, Pacific Ocean August 23, November1

Admiral Kuznetsov
  Malta,'extended trials'

HMS Invincible (R 07)
  1999: Refit Portsmouth October

HMS Illustrious (R 06)
 2000:  Deployed to Gulf January 17, Atlantic January 19

HMS Ark Royal (R08)
 1999:  Rosyth naval base major Refit October

CVF 1 / 2
100 million pounds awarded November 1999