October 30th: Lockheed won the $200 Bill. contract to build the Joint Strike Fighter, now known as the F-35. This includes 609 aircraft for the Marines, 480 for the U.S. Navy and 60 for the U.K. Navy. The first deliveries are due in 2005. The Boeing X-32 was the rival in the contract.

The Enterprise has entered the Med and is due home at Norfolk in mid-November.

October 18th: OBL: Dead Man Walking The war rolls on, ever heavier raids are now also being targeted on the Taliban forces. TR has apparently appeared on the line and Kitty Hawk has been outfitted with special forces. The Nimitz has transited to it's new homeport at Sandig with a reserve air wing (20) aboard.

For more news go to NewsBytes 2001

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 appropriated for 1998
$18mill appropriated 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
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2000/2001: WestPac Cruise 2000/01 : Deployed November 28 2000 - May 23 2001
Schedule:

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

...more
2000: WestPac Cruise 2000 :Deployed January 5 -  Homecoming July 3
Schedule:

USS George Washington (CVN-73)
CVW-17 AA
Med/Gulf Cruise 2000
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2000: Med/Gulf Cruise 2000 : Deployed Med June 21 - Homecoming December
Schedule: 

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)
CVW-14 NK
WestPac Cruise 2000
2000/2001: WestPac Cruise 2000 : Deployment August 17 - Homecoming Everett February 12
Milestones: 72000th Trap June 19 1998
Schedule: WestPac Cruise June 2002

USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71)
CVW-1 AB
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk  2001:  
Schedule:

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70)
CVW-11 NH
...more
WestPac cruise 2001
Homeport: N.S. Everett
2001:  
Schedule:  Refuel 2004

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

2001:  
  Schedule:

USS Nimitz (CVN-68)

2001: May 26 1998 -  June 28 2001 $1.85Bill Refuelling and modernisation. July - August CarQuals. SanDig October 
Schedule: Gulf 2003
Milestones: May 9, 2000, Celebrated 25th Anniversary

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

USS Enterprise (CVN-65)
CVW-8 AJ
Med-Gulf Cruise 2001
Homeport: N.S. Norfolk
2001: Deployment April 25 , Naples June 6-13,  North of Ireland June 29, Lisbon July 2, Ionian Sea July 11 - 18, SW Asia October 
Schedule:  Homecoming mid-November

USS Constellation (CV-64)
CVW-2 NE

2001:  WestPac/Gulf Cruise, Jebel Ali July 2 
Schedule:

USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63)
CVW-5 NF
Planned De-commissioning 2008
2001: .Deployed SW Asia October (less air wing)

Admiral Kuznetsov
  Sold

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