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Aircraft carriers

Since World War II, U.S. naval doctrine has been built around the aircraft carrier and the submarine, with surface vessels in a support role. The Tomahawk missile has changed that somewhat, but the carrier is still the queen of the fleet. The newest and most numerous carriers in the fleet are the eight nuclear-powered Nimitz class vessels.

Date deployed:
8 Nimitz-class carriers: Truman, Nimitz, Eisenhower, Roosevelt, Lincoln, Stennis, Vinson — CVNs 68-76
Air complement: 10 F-14 Tomcat fighters, 36 F/A-18 Hornet strike aircraft, 4 EA-6B Prowler attack aircraft, 4 E-2C Hawkeye command aircraft, 8 S-3A/B Viking anti-submarine aircraft, 3 SH-60F and 3 HH-60H Seahawk helicopters
Builder: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.
Power plant: Two nuclear reactors, four shafts
Length overall:1,092 feet
Flight deck width: 252 feet
Beam: 134 feet
Displacement: About 97,000 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots; 34.5+ mph
Aircraft: 85
Cost: about $4.5 billion each
1 Enterprise class: USS Enterprise, CVN 65
Air complement: 10 F-14 Tomcat fighters, 36 F/A-18 Hornet strike aircraft, 4 EA-6B Prowler attack aircraft, 4 E-2C Hawkeye command aircraft, 8 S-3A/B Viking anti-submarine aircraft, 3 SH-60F and 3 HH-60H Seahawk helicopters
Builders: Newport News Shipbuilding Co., Newport News, Va.
Power plant: Eight nuclear reactors, four shafts
Length overall: 1,101 feet, 2 inches
Flight deck width: 252 feet
Beam: 133 feet
Displacement: 89,600 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots; 34.5 mph
Aircraft: 85
Home port: Norfolk, Va.
Crew: Ship's company: 3,350; air wing 2,480
Armament: Sea Sparrow Missile launchers, Three Phalanx 20 MM CIWS mounts
Nov. 25, 1961
Cost: About $1 billion in 1961 dollars
3 Kitty Hawk class: Kitty Hawk, Constellation, John F. Kennedy -- CVs 63-64, 67
Air complement: 20 F-14 Tomcat fighters, 36 F/A-18 Hornet strike aircraft, 4 EA-6B Prowler attack aircraft, 4 E-2C Hawkeye command aircraft, 8 S-3A/B Viking anti-submarine aircraft, 3 SH-60F and 3 HH-60H Seahawk helicopters
Builders: New York and Newport News shipbuilding yards
Power plant: 8 Foster-Wheeler boilers; Westinghouse turbines
Length overall: 1,046 feet
Flight deck width: 252 feet
Beam: 133 feet
Displacement:89,600 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots; 34.5 mph
Aircraft: 85
Home port: Norfolk, Va.
Crew: Ship's Company: 2,900; air wing 2,480
Armament: Sea Sparrow Missile launchers, Three Phalanx 20 MM CIWS mounts
Date deployed: 1961-1968
Cost: About $1 billion in 1961 dollars

Ticonderoga class cruisers

With only a few older exceptions, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser is the Navy's primary large surface ship. Twenty-seven are now in the fleet with none under construction. These ships, once used to engage enemy surface units and to support amphibious landings, now have the power to launch dozens of Tomahawk cruise missiles thousands of miles into enemy territory.

Class: Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser
Power plant:4 General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 2 shafts, 80,000 shaft horsepower total.
Length: 567 feet
Beam: 55 feet
Displacement: 9,600 tons full load
Speed: 30+ knots
Aircraft: Two SH-2 Seasprite (LAMPS) in CG 47-48; Two SH-60 Sea Hawk (LAMPS III)

Destroyers

Several classes of guided-missile destroyers are still in service in the U.S. Navy, but the Arleigh Burke class is rapidly replacing older ships. Destroyers once served primarily to escort carriers, provide anti-aircraft defense and hunt submarines. Today, like larger cruisers, they're equipped with long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles.

Arleigh Burke class
Builders: Bath Iron Works, Ingalls Shipbuilding
Power plant: Four General Electric LM 2500-30 gas turbines; two shafts, 100,000 total shaft horsepower.
Length: 466 feet
Beam: 59 feet
Displacement: 8,300 tons full load
Speed: 31 knots; 35.7 mph
Aircraft: None. LAMPS III electronics installed on landing deck for coordinated DDG 51/helo ASW operations
Spruance class
Builder: Ingalls Shipbuilding
Power plant: Four General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines, two shafts, 80,000 shaft horsepower
Length: 563 feet
Beam: 55 feet
Displacement: Spruance - 9,100 tons full load
Speed: 33 knots; 38 mph
Aircraft:Spruance — Two SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters

Frigates

Frigates, traditionally a bit smaller and faster than destroyers, are likely to be phased out over the next generation. However, as late as 1987 the Navy was launching ships of the Oliver Hazard Perry class. These ships today serve primarily for anti-submarine warfare, patrol and anti-aircraft in carrier task forces. Britain has based frigates in the Gulf region.
Class: Oliver Hazard Perry
Power plant: Two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbine engines; 1 shaft, 41,000 shaft horsepower total.
Length: 445 feet; 453 feet with LAMPS III modification.
Beam: 45 feet
Displacement: 4,100 tons full load
Speed: 29+ knots; 33.4+ mph
Aircraft: Two SH-60 (LAMPS III)
Royal Navy Type 22 Frigates (HMS Cumberland)
Displacement: 4,600 tons
Crew: 259
Armament: 114 mm gun, Harpoon missile system, Seawolf missile system, Anti-submarine torpedo tubes, Goalkeeper gun system, close-range guns, Lynx helicopter
Royal Navy Type 23 frigates (HMS Grafton)
Displacement: 3,500 tons
Crew: 173
Armament: 114mm gun, Harpoon missile system, Vertical launch Seawolf missile system, Anti-submarine torpedo tubes, close-range guns, Lynx helicopter
Mine Countermeasures Ships

The U.S. task force group has 2 Avenger class mine countermeasures vessels, the USS Ardent and the USS Dextrous. These ships are designed to clear mines from vital waterways.

Power plant: Four diesels at 600 horsepower each, two shafts with controllable pitch propellers
Length:224 feet
Beam: 39 feet
Displacement: 1,312 tons full load
Speed: 14 knots; 16.1 mph

Attack submarines

Attack submarines are designed to seek and destroy enemy submarines and surface ships. Since the advent of the Tomahawk missile, however, they have become land-attack vessels as well.

Class: Los Angeles
Power plant: One nuclear reactor, two geared steam turbines, one shaft
Length: 360 feet
Beam: 33 feet
Displacement: Approx. 6,900 tons submerged
Speed: 20+ knots; 23+ mph

HMS Illustrious

The largest Royal Navy task force assembled since the 1982 Falklands War happened to be in the Arabian Sea when the attacks on the United States took place. Britain has extended their stay -- originally part of an exercise with the Gulf state of Oman that also included 22,000 British troops -- and has said they are available to support U.S. forces if needed.

The carrier HMS Illustrious leads this group, a small carrier by American standards carrying 13 Harrier jump jets. Amphibious assault ships bearing two Royal Marine commando brigades are also there, along with two nuclear submarines, including one armed with Tomahawk cruise missiles, and an array of destroyers and frigates.

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