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Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
UK and US aircraft carriers sail through pacific
UK and US aircraft carriers have been pictured steaming through the Pacific in a display of combined military might amid growing tensions with Beijing. As part of its eight-month mission to the Far East, HMS Prince of Wales joined USS George Washington in the Timor Sea on Friday, July 18 in a bid to help reaffirm Britain's Indo-Pacific commitments. The 65,000-tonne leviathan - the biggest warship ever built for Britain - sailed alongside the large US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier during Talisman Sabre 2025. Jaw-dropping images capture the moment the U.S. Navy aircraft, attached to a Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, was joined by Britain's vast £3.5billion vessel, while U.S. warplanes also roared overhead. The maritime mission acts as a symbolic show of unity and collaboration amid China's growing military expansion in the Pacific, alongside its significant role in the global commercial shipbuilding market. Marking the first time that nuclear-powered aircrafts from both the UK and the U.S. have operated together in a coordinated maritime formation, it serves as a symbol of allyship between the powerful nations. The maritime juggernaut is currently embarking on an eight-month global deployment under the UK Carrier Strike Group having left home shores in April. As a multinational operation that incorporated 19 nations and more than 35,000 personnel, the Royal Navy ship was also joined by two British ships - the destroyer HMS Dauntless and the tanker RFA Tidespring. Allied ships from Australia (HMAS Sydney ), Norway (HNoMS Roald Amundsen) and Canada (HMCS Ville de Quebec), also sailed alongside the UK ship. As part of the U.S. Navy aircraft, F-35C stealth jets were also seen flying above the U.S.-U.K carrier strike group, while the Prince of Wales carried two dozen F-35B fighter jets. While the Government has not confirmed the precise route of 'Operation Highmast' - the codename for the deployment - the Navy has not ruled out sailing through the contentious 110-mile wide Taiwan Strait. It also comes amid mounting fears that China is planning to launch a full-scale invasion of the island, with Beijing 's military having already drilled huge D-Day style assaults of Taiwan using soldiers, marines, warships and its air force. Meanwhile, Russia has continued to test Britain's defence capabilities, with Royal Navy warships and helicopters shadowing five Russian vessels in UK waters over the first week of July alone. Plymouth- based frigate HMS Iron Duke, Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Tyne and Wildcat aircraft from 815 Naval Air Squadron were dispatched on three separate operations in the North Sea and English Channel between July 1 and July 8. The deployment of HMS Prince of Wales marked the fourth time a European member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has dispatched an aircraft carrier to the Indo-Pacific in 2021. Commodore James Blackmore (pictured), Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said that the exercise on Friday, July 18, serves as a 'real demonstration of the UK and our partners' warfighting capabilities'. Meanwhile, John Healey, the UK's Defence Secretary, said: 'Our commitment to the Indo-Pacific is unwavering, as this huge military exercise demonstrates. 'We will continue to work alongside our closest allies to maintain the security and stability that underpins global prosperity.' The Royal Navy said that the exercise was undertaken as a mark of 'allies demonstrating their commitment to the collective security of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region'. The U.S. Navy described Talisman Sabre as 'the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States', adding that it helps to 'advance a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and partners'. They also said that the exercise seeks to 'enhance our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns.' It has been undertaken as part of Operation Highmast, a 2025 mission commanded by Commodore James Blackmore and his staff from aboard HMS Prince of Wales. Between now and December, the mighty fleet will conduct a series of drills and operations with air, sea and land forces of a dozen allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South-east Asia, Japan and Australia. The goal is to reaffirm the UK's commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies and showcase British trade and industry. Concerns had previously been raised that the mission could potentially see the naval flotilla clashing with China when it reached the contested waters of the Indo-Pacific, while the Navy also has not ruled out the possibility of sailing through the contentious 110-mile-wide Taiwan Strait. A report released in early July claimed that Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, was gearing up for a potential conflict with Russia by reserving space for ships carrying military supplies. Boudewijn Siemons, chief executive of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, told the Financial Times that it was planning how to manage if the port was flooded by British and US vehicles and supplies if needed. Meanwhile, China has been rapidly expanding it's navy, building the equivalent of the entire Royal Navy in just four years - with the pace of shipbuilding outstripping even the US. In April, the commander of the British-led carrier strike group insisted the Royal Navy stands ready to defy China - and that it is prepared for any sort of military operation. Ahead of the UK task group's deployment, Commodore Blackmore said: 'I will deliver whatever mission I am ordered to go and do – that's my role. 'My part of the bargain is being ready for all eventualities from a combat capability, from a defence engagement capability, from a partners and allies capability, so I'm ready to exercise whatever the Government or the Ministry of Defence asks me to do.' Adding that the deployment will send a 'powerful message' to allies and potential adversaries, he added: 'It's about supporting key trade routes that exist from the Indo-Pacific region to the UK, and supporting partners and allies in the region, showing that we are there as a capable and credible force should it be required. 'That in a time of crisis, we can come together and fight together and show that we have a capability that we mean business with. 'Working closely with partners from across the globe, Operation Highmast will demonstrate credible deterrence and our support to Nato and the rules-based international order. 'This will reaffirm that the UK is secure at home and strong abroad and reinforce the UK's commitment to the Indo-Pacific.' The 2021 deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group spearheaded by HMS Prince of Wales's sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth - did not traverse the strait. It led to accusations from Tory MPs that Britain was seeking to cosy up to Beijing. Should the strike group again avoid the territory, similar accusations could arise. On April 22 2025, crowds cheered as HMS Royal Prince of Wales departed her home of Portsmouth, alongside her escort ship, HMS Dauntless. Banners and flags were waved by members of the public from the walls and beach of Portsmouth harbour with sailors aboard the 65,000-tonne warship waving back to cheers from the crowds as they passed. In a tribute to the Pope Francis, HMS Prince of Wales's ensign flag on its flight deck was at half-mast as a 'sign of a respect' to the late pontiff, a navy spokesman confirmed.
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Britain and America's show of strength to China: UK and US aircraft carriers steam through Pacific in display of combined military might amid mounting tensions with Beijing
UK and US aircraft carriers have been pictured steaming through the Pacific in a display of combined military might amid growing tensions with Beijing. As part of its eight-month mission to the Far East, HMS Prince of Wales joined USS George Washington in the Timor Sea on Friday, July 18 in a bid to help reaffirm Britain's Indo-Pacific commitments. The 65,000-tonne leviathan - the biggest warship ever built for Britain - sailed alongside the large US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier during Talisman Sabre 2025. Jaw-dropping images capture the moment the U.S. Navy aircraft, attached to a Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, was joined by Britain's vast £3.5billion vessel, while U.S. warplanes also roared overhead. The maritime mission acts as a symbolic show of unity and collaboration amid China 's growing military expansion in the Pacific, alongside its significant role in the global commercial shipbuilding market. Marking the first time that nuclear-powered aircrafts from both the UK and the U.S. have operated together in a coordinated maritime formation, it serves as a symbol of allyship between the powerful nations. The maritime juggernaut is currently embarking on an eight-month global deployment under the UK Carrier Strike Group having left home shores in April. As a multinational operation that incorporated 19 nations and more than 35,000 personnel, the Royal Navy ship was also joined by two British ships - the destroyer HMS Dauntless and the tanker RFA Tidespring. Allied ships from Australia (HMAS Sydney), Norway (HNoMS Roald Amundsen) and Canada (HMCS Ville de Quebec), also sailed alongside the UK ship. As part of the U.S. Navy aircraft, F-35C stealth jets were also seen flying above the U.S.-U.K carrier strike group, while the Prince of Wales carried two dozen F-35B fighter jets. While the Government has not confirmed the precise route of 'Operation Highmast' - the codename for the deployment - the Navy has not ruled out sailing through the contentious 110-mile wide Taiwan Strait. It also comes amid mounting fears that China is planning to launch a full-scale invasion of the island, with Beijing 's military having already drilled huge D-Day style assaults of Taiwan using soldiers, marines, warships and its air force. Meanwhile, Russia has continued to test Britain's defence capabilities, with Royal Navy warships and helicopters shadowing five Russian vessels in UK waters over the first week of July alone. Plymouth- based frigate HMS Iron Duke, Portsmouth-based patrol ship HMS Tyne and Wildcat aircraft from 815 Naval Air Squadron were dispatched on three separate operations in the North Sea and English Channel between July 1 and July 8. The deployment of HMS Prince of Wales marked the fourth time a European member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has dispatched an aircraft carrier to the Indo-Pacific in 2021. Commodore James Blackmore, Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said that the exercise on Friday, July 18, serves as a 'real demonstration of the UK and our partners' warfighting capabilities'. Commodore James Blackmore (pictured), Commander of the UK Carrier Strike Group, said that the exercise on Friday, July 18, serves as a 'real demonstration of the UK and our partners' warfighting capabilities' The Royal Navy said that the exercise was undertaken as a mark of 'allies demonstrating their commitment to the collective security of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region' Meanwhile, John Healey, the UK's Defence Secretary, said: 'Our commitment to the Indo-Pacific is unwavering, as this huge military exercise demonstrates. 'We will continue to work alongside our closest allies to maintain the security and stability that underpins global prosperity.' The Royal Navy said that the exercise was undertaken as a mark of 'allies demonstrating their commitment to the collective security of the Indo-Asia-Pacific region'. The U.S. Navy described Talisman Sabre as 'the largest bilateral military exercise between Australia and the United States', adding that it helps to 'advance a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening relationships and interoperability among key allies and partners'. They also said that the exercise seeks to 'enhance our collective capabilities to respond to a wide array of potential security concerns.' It has been undertaken as part of Operation Highmast, a 2025 mission commanded by Commodore James Blackmore and his staff from aboard HMS Prince of Wales. Between now and December, the mighty fleet will conduct a series of drills and operations with air, sea and land forces of a dozen allies in the Mediterranean, Middle East, South-east Asia, Japan and Australia. The goal is to reaffirm the UK's commitment to the security of the Mediterranean and Indo-Pacific region, demonstrate collective resolve with our allies and showcase British trade and industry. Concerns had previously been raised that the mission could potentially see the naval flotilla clashing with China when it reached the contested waters of the Indo-Pacific, while the Navy also has not ruled out the possibility of sailing through the contentious 110-mile-wide Taiwan Strait. A report released in early July claimed that Rotterdam, Europe's largest port, was gearing up for a potential conflict with Russia by reserving space for ships carrying military supplies. Boudewijn Siemons, chief executive of the Port of Rotterdam Authority, told the Financial Times that it was planning how to manage if the port was flooded by British and US vehicles and supplies if needed. Meanwhile, China has been rapidly expanding it's navy, building the equivalent of the entire Royal Navy in just four years - with the pace of shipbuilding outstripping even the US. In April, the commander of the British-led carrier strike group insisted the Royal Navy stands ready to defy China - and that it is prepared for any sort of military operation. Ahead of the UK task group's deployment, Commodore Blackmore said: 'I will deliver whatever mission I am ordered to go and do – that's my role. 'My part of the bargain is being ready for all eventualities from a combat capability, from a defence engagement capability, from a partners and allies capability, so I'm ready to exercise whatever the Government or the Ministry of Defence asks me to do.' Adding that the deployment will send a 'powerful message' to allies and potential adversaries, he added: 'It's about supporting key trade routes that exist from the Indo-Pacific region to the UK, and supporting partners and allies in the region, showing that we are there as a capable and credible force should it be required. The ship's company on the aircraft carrier appeared in high spirits as they waved to the crowds gathered in Portsmouth in April Banners and flags were waved by members of the public from the walls and beach of Portsmouth harbour with sailors aboard the 65,000-tonne warship waving back to cheers from the crowds as they passed. Pictured: Royal Navy sailors ahead of HMS Prince of Wales setting sail 'That in a time of crisis, we can come together and fight together and show that we have a capability that we mean business with. 'Working closely with partners from across the globe, Operation Highmast will demonstrate credible deterrence and our support to Nato and the rules-based international order. 'This will reaffirm that the UK is secure at home and strong abroad and reinforce the UK's commitment to the Indo-Pacific.' The 2021 deployment of the UK Carrier Strike Group spearheaded by HMS Prince of Wales's sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth - did not traverse the strait. It led to accusations from Tory MPs that Britain was seeking to cosy up to Beijing. Should the strike group again avoid the territory, similar accusations could arise. On April 22 2025, crowds cheered as HMS Royal Prince of Wales departed her home of Portsmouth, alongside her escort ship, HMS Dauntless. Banners and flags were waved by members of the public from the walls and beach of Portsmouth harbour with sailors aboard the 65,000-tonne warship waving back to cheers from the crowds as they passed. In a tribute to the Pope Francis, HMS Prince of Wales's ensign flag on its flight deck was at half-mast as a 'sign of a respect' to the late pontiff, a navy spokesman confirmed.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BWXT Announces $2.6 Billion in Contracts for Naval Nuclear Reactor Components
LYNCHBURG, Va., July 17, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT) announced today the award of U.S. Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program contracts totaling approximately $2.6 billion, including future year options, for manufacturing naval nuclear reactor components. The contracts primarily support Virginia and Columbia-class submarines as well as some work for certain Ford-class aircraft carrier components. Products contracted with these awards will be delivered during the next six to eight years. "The BWXT team is proud to produce this essential hardware that allows the U.S. Navy to carry out its critical national security mission," said Gary Camper, BWXT's Nuclear Operations Group president. "That commitment to quality is the legacy that comes from our more than 70 years of service to the Navy." A naval nuclear reactor is a highly complex assembly requiring several large, heavy components, numerous smaller, finely machined components, and highly enriched uranium fuel. BWXT manufactures and assembles these parts into a naval nuclear reactor. BWXT facilities in Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee and Virginia contribute to the process. These contracts build on the $2.1 billion in awards announced in February. Forward-Looking Statements BWXT cautions that this release contains forward-looking statements, including statements relating to the performance, timing, impact and value, to the extent contract value can be viewed as an indicator of future revenues, of the contracts for the manufacture of naval nuclear reactor components. These forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including, among other things, modification or termination of the contracts, funding of current and future work and delays in performance. If one or more of these or other risks materialize, actual results may vary materially from those expressed. For a more complete discussion of these and other risk factors, please see BWXT's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. BWXT cautions not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, except to the extent required by applicable law. About BWXT At BWX Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: BWXT), we are People Strong, Innovation Driven. A U.S.-based company, BWXT is a Fortune 1000 and Defense News Top 100 manufacturing and engineering innovator that provides safe and effective nuclear solutions for global security, clean energy, environmental restoration, nuclear medicine and space exploration. With nearly 10,000 employees, BWXT and its affiliated companies have 20 major operating sites in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. BWXT and its industry partners support the U.S. Department of Energy and National Nuclear Security Administration across more than a dozen major contracts in North America. For more information, visit Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. View source version on Contacts Media Contact John DobkenSenior Manager, Media & Public Relations202.428.6913 jcdobken@ Investor Contact Chase JacobsonVice President, Investor Relations980.365.4300 investors@ Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
17-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
China's Aircraft Carriers Push Into Waters Long Dominated by U.S.
As China girds for a deepening global rivalry with the United States, Beijing is testing how far its navy can operate from home, and how well its warships can work together on the open seas. In recent exercises involving two aircraft carriers, China gave a bold display of how it seeks to assert dominance in the western Pacific. From late May and for much of June in seas near Japan, the two Chinese carriers — the Liaoning and the Shandong — practiced takeoffs and landings of fighter jets and helicopters, as many as 90 or more times on some days, according to reports from the Japanese military's joint staff. Each carrier was protected by several warships. The exercises, which caused Japan to express 'serious concerns,' were a template for how China could use a growing collection of aircraft carriers to project armed power into the Pacific and try to overawe Asian neighbors aligned with Washington. This was the first time that two Chinese carriers had ventured together past the 'first island chain' — the barrier of islands east of China that includes the Japanese island of Okinawa, where U.S. Marines are based, and Taiwan — and toward Guam, a U.S. military hub, said Christopher Sharman, the director of the China Maritime Studies Institute at the U.S. Naval War College. Guam is part of what is called the 'second island chain,' which stretches from Tokyo to south of Palau. The Chinese naval activities near or past the second island chain signal that U.S. forces 'operating in the vicinity of Guam could be at greater risk,' Mr. Sharman said. Chinese aircraft carriers' moves in the Pacific The Liaoning The Shandong Japan Sea JAPAN Yellow Sea June 20 CHINA May 25 Okinawa June 7 July 3 Hong Kong June 10 June 7 South China Sea Guam Philippine Sea PHILIPPINES Palau 300 miles The Shandong The Liaoning CHINA July 3 Hong Kong PHILIPPINES May 25 June 20 Okinawa Philippine Sea JAPAN June 10 Guam June 7 500 miles The Shandong The Liaoning Japan Sea JAPAN Yellow Sea June 20 CHINA May 25 Okinawa June 7 July 3 Hong Kong June 7 June 10 South China Sea Guam Philippine Sea PHILIPPINES Palau 300 miles Source: Ministry of Defence of Japan The New York Times 'These aircraft carrier operations are a harbinger of what is to come,' said Mr. Sharman, a former U.S. Navy attaché in Beijing. China 'wants its carriers to be capable of operating independently at remote locations from the mainland, in both peacetime and wartime,' he said. 'That means training for longer periods of time and at increasing distances from China.' China's navy said last month that the two carriers and accompanying warships were practicing 'far-sea defense and joint operations.' The two carrier groups also squared off against each other in a simulated confrontation, said Xinhua, China's official news agency. Some jet fighters that took off from the carriers flew perilously close to Japanese surveillance aircraft, Japan's defense ministry said. The exercises were not just for show. Operating aircraft from carriers is demanding and risky, Mr. Sharman said. By training far out in the Pacific, the carriers and accompanying vessels gained 'valuable operating experience in unfamiliar waters, thereby providing the crew with skills that are applicable to future operations elsewhere in the world,' he said. In the coming years, China may deploy aircraft carriers and accompanying naval vessels to bolster its claims in the South China Sea or in territorial disputes with South Korea or Japan. China could also send carriers to more distant parts of the world as a show of force to defend its economic and security interests. China has only one significant overseas military base, in Djibouti, but carriers give it 'the option of carrying out myriad aviation missions anywhere its navy sails,' said Timothy R. Heath, a senior researcher at RAND, an organization that provides analysis for the Pentagon and other clients. 'The most important routes are those to the Middle East along the Indian Ocean.' Still, the carriers are not a guarantee of Chinese regional maritime dominance. In a toe-to-toe confrontation between China and the United States, each side's carriers could be vulnerable to the other's torpedoes or missiles. Given those risks, carriers may play a limited role, at least initially, in any potential clash over Taiwan, the self-governed island that China claims as its territory, several military experts said. And because Taiwan is close to mainland China's coast and its many air bases, the aircraft carriers would not be crucial for trying to dominate the skies in a war over the island, said Oriana Skylar Mastro, a fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University who studies Chinese military strategy. China could send its carriers farther out into the Pacific to fend off U.S. forces steaming to Taiwan's aid, though the carriers would then be much more exposed to U.S. attacks, Ms. Mastro said. But China could also deploy the carriers as part of an effort to choke Taiwan off from the world. 'Chinese aircraft carriers will be useful in imposing a blockade on Taiwan,' said Narushige Michishita, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies in Tokyo who studies China's military. 'Aircraft carriers can surveil large areas and put coercive pressure on both military and commercial ships and aircraft.' China now has three carriers, all running on diesel and generally less advanced than the United States' 11 nuclear powered carriers. By 2040, China may have six carriers, according to U.S. Navy estimates. China appears to be building a fourth carrier, which analysts say may use nuclear power. That would give it far greater range without the need to refuel. Side-by-side carriers These are China's three aircraft carriers, and how they compare to the world's largest aircraft carrier. Chengdu J-20 to scale The Liaoning Brought from Ukraine to China in 2002, this diesel aircraft carrier is a Chinese modernization of an unfinished Soviet vessel. 997 ft long The Shandong China's second carrier is very similar to The Liaoning, also an enhanced Soviet model, with a faster cruising speed of up to 31 knots. Its predecessor could cruise at up to 29 knots. 997 ft The Fujian This aircraft carrier enhanced China's capabilities to launch heavier and larger fixed-wing aircraft. However, like its predecessors, it is diesel powered. 1,037 ft F-22 Raptor to scale The USS Gerald R. Ford This is currently the largest aircraft carrier in the world, and is nuclear powered. China's new aircraft carrier is expected to be of a similar length, and may be nuclear powered. 1,106 ft long Chengdu J-20 to scale 997 ft long The Liaoning Brought from Ukraine to China in 2002, this diesel aircraft carrier is a Chinese modernization of an unfinished Soviet vessel. 997 ft The Shandong China's second carrier is very similar to The Liaoning, also an enhanced Soviet model, with a faster cruising speed of up to 31 knots. Its predecessor could cruise at up to 29 knots. 1,037 ft The Fujian This aircraft carrier enhanced China's capabilities to launch heavier and larger fixed-wing aircraft. However, like its predecessors, it is diesel powered. F-22 Raptor to scale 1,106 ft long The USS Gerald R. Ford This is currently the largest aircraft carrier in the world, and is nuclear powered. China's new aircraft carrier is expected to be of a similar length, and may be nuclear powered. Sources: Center for Strategic and International Studies and U.S. Navy Note: Artist impressions based on photos, models and diagrams of the carriers The New York Times Xi Jinping, China's top leader, appears to have decided that the country must have more carriers, and other big military assets, to cement its position as a global power. After the two Chinese carriers finished training in the Pacific this month, one of them, the Shandong, docked in Hong Kong, and selected members of the public were allowed to tour the vessel. 'Politically, they are one of the ultimate status symbols for any country,' Mr. Heath, the researcher at RAND, said of aircraft carriers. China's enthusiastic publicity about the carrier maneuvers in the Pacific indicated that its 'leadership highly values the political symbolism of owning such a powerful warship,' Mr. Heath said. Decades ago, Chinese leaders had resisted acquiring aircraft carriers, deciding that they were too costly at a time when China's economy was much smaller. That began to change after 1996, when the United States deployed two carrier battle groups to the waters near Taiwan to deter Beijing from further escalating tensions with the island. China had been firing ballistic missiles near Taiwan's main ports, hoping to scare voters inclined to support President Lee Teng-hui, who Beijing saw as pushing pro-independence policies. Two years after that crisis, a Chinese businessman bought a rusting, unfinished ex-Soviet carrier that was owned by Ukraine. China later bought and finished the ship, which debuted in 2012 as its first carrier, called the Liaoning. These days, budget limits are not such a worry for China's navy. But its leaders are not rushing headlong into carrier expansion. The Shandong — China's second carrier and its first built at home — was launched in 2017. The latest, the Fujian, was launched in 2022 and has still not been placed into active service. The Fujian uses an electromagnetic catapult system to launch aircraft, which is more technically challenging than using a deck with a ski slope-like ramp, but makes it possible to fly heavier, better-armed planes. 'Chinese carrier operations are still in a rudimentary phase,' said Mr. Michishita, of the institute in Tokyo. China, he said, is 'taking a steady step-by-step approach to improve their capabilities.' Kiuko Notoya in Tokyo contributed reporting.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Navy's carrier fleet faces temporary reduction through 2027 as new ships hit development snags
The U.S. Navy will drop from 11 to 10 aircraft carriers for about a year once the USS Nimitz is decommissioned next year, as recent budget documents show a new carrier will be delayed from its original delivery date. According to the Department of Defense Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget estimates, Newport News Shipbuilders was expected to deliver the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN-79) to the Navy by July 2025, but that has since shifted to March 2027. "The CVN 79 delivery date shifted from July 2025 to March 2027 (preliminary acceptance TBD) to support completion of Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) certification and continued Advanced Weapons Elevator (AWE) work," FY 2026 shipbuilding budget book reads. Both the Advanced Arresting Gear certification and Advanced Weapons Elevator work are systems that were incorporated into the Ford class carriers. Inside America's 6Th-gen Arsenal: B-21, F-47, And The Future Of Air Dominance HII's Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia told USNI News that it is taking lessons learned and applying them with the new ships in its class. Read On The Fox News App "Specifically, John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) construction was fairly advanced when many Ford lessons were realized, precluding timely implementation of lessons learned for Kennedy," Todd Corillo, HII company spokesperson, told the publication. "In contrast, Enterprise (CVN 80) and Doris Miller (CVN 81) have been able to incorporate, leverage and capitalize on Ford lessons learned earlier in the construction process." Also being shifted was the delivery of the USS Enterprise (CVN-80), which was expected to be delivered in September 2029, but has since been pushed back to July 2030. Uss Nimitz Carrier Strike Group Sailing Toward Middle East Ahead Of Schedule, Us Official Says "The CVN 80 delivery date shifted from September 2029 to July 203 due to delays in material availability and industry/supply chain performance," the document's footnotes read. USNI reported that the Navy originally planned to pursue a dual-phase delivery approach for the Kennedy but has since switched to a single-phase delivery, which added two additional years of work to the vessel's design and construction contract. Under the new plans, the Kennedy would be outfitted to handle the fifth-generation F-35C Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II and be outfitted with the new Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, USNI reported. Second Navy Fighter Jet Goes Overboard From Truman Aircraft Carrier, Pilots Ejected Officials originally thought the dual-phase approach would save the Navy money when it came to construction costs and by minimizing the downtime between the Nimitz decommissioning and Kennedy delivery. These delays come as the USS Nimitz prepares to be decommissioned. Commissioned on May 3, 1975, the Nimitz is the oldest active aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. It is currently on its final sea voyage in the Middle East, as the Nimitz is scheduled to be decommissioned in 2026. The deployment is significant because the Nimitz was also deployed in 1980 when its helicopters were part of the failed U.S. effort known as Operation Eagle Claw to rescue the American hostages being held at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The U.S. has been in a shadow war against Iran ever since. Fox News Digital's Danielle Wallace contributed to this article source: Navy's carrier fleet faces temporary reduction through 2027 as new ships hit development snags
