Called Corsairs these would be in the order of 6,000 tons and manned by 20 crew with 6 Joint Strike Fighters or UCAVs aboard. They would go where the Nimitz class could not in the near future. With every two-bit country soon able to field cruise or nukes it does not make sense to subject a Nimitz to such danger.

It remains to be seen if this proposal will get past the special interests and the carrier officers who influence much of the navy. There is certain to be much debate.

March 5th The Ronald W Reagan was christened today by Nancy Reagan. It is due to be added to the fleet in 2003 replacing the Constellation.

February 16th 24 aircraft including F/A-18’s from the Truman attacked 20 Iraq radar sites around Bagdad. The sites, although not in the no-fly zones, have been sending signals to missile sites in the northern and southern regions. This has been possible due to Chinese involvement in laying fibre optic cable from the radar to the missile sites.

Although the radars were heavily damaged the AGM-130 Joint StandOff Weapon (JSOW), used by navy aircraft, did not perform well often missing their targets by several hundred meters. An enquiry is under way to find the causes. However, the sites are ‘sufficiently shredded’ for the weapon to be considered effective.

Secretary of State Colin Powell has queried the Chinese about there involvement, in what would be a clear breach of UN sanctions. They have denied the allegations.

January 31st The Ronald Reagan will be christened on March 4th at Newport News. It's final expected cost of building (minus reactors) will be between $2.51bill and $2.88bill. The ship is expected to be delivered to the navy in 2003.

January 31st A contract to Newport News for $3.8bill has been let to build CVN-77 (Lexington?), this is minus the reactors and various other components. Expected delivery is 2008.

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
$3.8bill contract let for building 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

PCU Ronald Reagan (CVN-76)
Future Homeport: NAS North Island
Under Construction
Commissioning: 2002

USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75)
...more
CVW-3 AC Med/Gulf Cruise 2000/01
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2000/2001: Deployed November 28, Souda Bay Crete December 20 - 24, Gulf January 16 - March 6
Schedule:

USS John C Stennis (CVN-74)
CVW-9 NG / CCG 7

...more
2000: Deployed January 5, EastPac January 18, Hong Kong February 8-12, Gulf March 7-13, Bahrain March 20, Gulf April 3, Jebel Ali April 12, May 1, Hobart June 12-16, Pearl Harbour June 27, Homecoming July 3
Schedule:

USS George Washington (CVN-73)
CVW-17 AA
Med/Gulf Cruise 2000
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2000: Deployed Med June 21, Gibralta July 4, Antalya, Turkey July 11 - 15, Suez 17, Gulf July 23 - September 5, Port Said September 30, Corfu October 5 - 8, Ionian Sea October 10, off Crete October 14, off Cypres October 20, Dubrovnik October 30-November 3, Trieste November 6, Naples November 20
Schedule: Homecoming December

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
CVW-14 NK
WestPac Cruise 2000
2000/2001: Deployment August 17, WestPac September 5, Gulf October 2 - December 29, Perth January 12 - 16, Hobart January 21, Homecoming Everett February 12
Milestones: 72000th Trap June 19 1998
Schedule: SanDig February 10, WestPac Cruise June 2002

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
CVW-1 AB
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk br> 2000: Overhaul(PIA) January 10 - July 2, Norfolk July 2, Atlantic July 28, October 2,Fort Lauderdale October 5
Schedule:

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
CVW-11 NH
...more
Homeport: N.S. Everett
2001: Pacific February 26
Schedule: WestPac cruise July 2001

USS Eisenhower (CVN-69)
CVW-7 AG / CCDG 8
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk

2001: Atlantic February 26
  Schedule:

USS Nimitz (CVN-68)
Schedule: Gulf 2003
Milestones: May 9, 2000, Celebrates 25th Anniversary

USS John F Kennedy (CV-67)
CVW-1 AB / CCG 6
2001: Atlantic February 26
Schedule:

USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
CVW-8 AJ
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2000: Norfolk April 20, Atlantic May 1, NAS Pensacola June 9-13, Atlantic October 2, Fort Lauderdale October 5
Schedule: Med Cruise March 2001

USS Constellation (CV-64)
CVW-2 NE

2000:  North Island April 10, July 7, Seattle August 4 - 7, Pacific October 2, San Francisco October 6, Pacific November 6
Schedule:

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
CVW-5 NF
Spring Cruise 2001
Planned De-commissioning 2008
2001: Deployed March 2 - 3.5 months.

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