.jpg) USSTheodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) transits the Pacific Ocean on 25 January 2020 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Namesake | Theodore Roosevelt |
| Ordered | 30 September 1980 |
| Builder | Newport News Shipbuilding |
| Cost | $4.5 billion (2007 dollars) |
| Laid down | 31 October 1981 |
| Launched | 27 October 1984 |
| Christened | 27 October 1984 |
| Acquired | 17 October 1986 |
| Commissioned | 25 October 1986 |
| Home port | San Diego |
| Identification |
|
| Motto |
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| Nickname(s) | |
| Status | in active service |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Nimitz-classaircraft carrier |
| Displacement | 104,600long tons (106,300 t)[1] |
| Length |
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| Beam |
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| Draft |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 30knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)+[2] |
| Range | Unlimited distance; 20–25 years |
| Endurance | Limited only by food and supplies |
| Complement |
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| Sensors & processing systems |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys |
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| Armament |
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| Armor | 63.5 mm Kevlar armor over vitals[3] |
| Aircraft carried | 90 fixed wing and helicopters |
USSTheodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is the fourthNimitz-class,nuclear-powered,aircraft carrier in theUnited States Navy. She is named in honor ofTheodore Roosevelt, the 26thpresident of the United States and a proponent of naval power. She is thefourth ship named in honor of Theodore Roosevelt, three bearing his full name and a fourth with just hislast name. Another three U.S. Navy ships have "Roosevelt" in their names in honor of members of theRoosevelt family. This carrier's radiocall sign is "Rough Rider", the nickname of President Roosevelt'svolunteer cavalry unit during theSpanish–American War. She was launched in 1984, and saw her first action during theGulf War in 1991. As of August 2024, she is deployed withCarrier Air Wing 11 andCarrier Strike Group 9, which includes theTiconderoga-class cruiserUSS Lake Erie, and theArleigh Burke-class destroyersUSS John S. McCain,USS Halsey, andUSS Daniel Inouye.
Initially, PresidentGerald Ford cancelled the order for CVN-71 in 1976 and substituted twoCVV-type medium-sized, conventional-powered carriers that were expected to operateV/STOL aircraft. The existing T-CBL design formed the basis for the new CVV, serving as a replacement for the agingMidway-class carriers, while capable of operating all existing conventional carrier aircraft. This capability to operate conventional aircraft proved important as thehoped-for supersonic V/STOL fighters did not come to fruition at the time. In any case, construction of the proposed CVV medium-sized carrier never took place.[4][5]
Authorization for CVN-71 was further delayed when PresidentJimmy Cartervetoed the 1979 Fiscal Year Department of Defense authorization bill because of the inclusion of thisNimitz-class nuclear supercarrier in the Navy ship-building program.[5][6] As a result of theIran hostage crisis, which required the increased deployment of U.S.carrier battle groups to theIndian Ocean, President Carter reversed his stand onNimitz-class nuclear supercarriers, and CVN-71 was subsequently authorized under the 1980 Fiscal Year authorization bill for the U.S. Department of Defense.[6]
Theodore Roosevelt was the first aircraft carrier to be assembled using modular construction, wherein large modules are independently constructed in "lay-down" areas, prior to being hoisted into place and welded together. Modular construction, made possible through the use of a huge gantry crane capable of lifting 900 tons, cut 16 months offTheodore Roosevelt's construction time, and the technique has been used on every aircraft carrier since.Theodore Roosevelt and thoseNimitz-class vessels completed after her have slight structural differences from the earlier carriers (USS Nimitz,USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, andUSS Carl Vinson) and improved protection for ordnance storage in hermagazines.[7]
Theodore Roosevelt's history began on 30 September 1980, when a contract was awarded for "Hull 624D" toNewport News Shipbuilding. Herkeel was laid down on 31 October 1981, with Secretary of DefenseCaspar Weinberger initiating the first weld. On 3 November 1981, Secretary of the NavyJohn F. Lehman announced that the carrier would be named for Theodore Roosevelt. The vessel'sPre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) was formed in February 1984, with Captain Paul W. Parcells named as commanding officer. On 27 October 1984, the ship was officiallychristened by Mrs. Barbara Lehman, wife of Secretary Lehman. On 25 October 1986,Theodore Roosevelt wascommissioned to active service at Newport News.[8]
After sea trials and pre-deployment workups,Theodore Roosevelt started her maiden deployment on 30 December 1988 withCarrier Air Wing Eight (CVW-8) embarked. The ship patrolled theMediterranean Sea prior to returning on 30 June 1989. She was awarded the 1989Battle "E" fromCommander, Naval Air Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet on 20 March 1990.[citation needed]
On 28 December 1990,Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 deployed forOperation Desert Shield, arriving in thePersian Gulf on 16 January 1991. With the commencement of Operation Desert Storm on 15 January 1991,Theodore Roosevelt began combat operations; eventually flying over 4,200 sorties, more than any other carrier, and dropping more than 4,800,000 pounds (2,177,243.4 kg) of ordnance before the cease-fire on 28 February.[citation needed]
WhenIraqi forces turned on theKurds,Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 were among the first coalition forces inOperation Provide Comfort, flying patrols over northern Iraq. After a 189-day deployment, with 176 days at sea,Theodore Roosevelt returned to Norfolk on 28 June 1991. On 14 February 1992, the ship won her second Battle "E". This was followed by the award of theBattenberg Cup for 1991 as the Atlantic Fleet's premier ship.[9]
Theodore Roosevelt began her third deployment on 11 March 1993, again with CVW-8 embarked. Also embarked was a Special PurposeMarine Air-Ground Task Force (SPMAGTF), in a test of the concept of embarking a multi-purpose Marine force in a carrier. While the ship was still in theVirginia Capes operating area, PresidentBill Clinton flew aboard for several hours for his first visit to a U.S. Navy ship.[9]Theodore Roosevelt operated in theAdriatic as CVW-8 planes enforcedOperation Deny Flight in the U.S. no-fly zone overBosnia. In June, on the way to only her second port visit,Theodore Roosevelt was ordered instead to transit theSuez Canal en route to theRed Sea to participate inOperation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone over Iraq. Deployed for 184 days,Theodore Roosevelt spent 169 days under way prior to return in September 1993. For the accomplishments of her crew, the ship received her secondMeritorious Unit Commendation.[citation needed]
From November 1993 to April 1994,Theodore Roosevelt conducted a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) atNorfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY), completing ahead of schedule. On 10 March 1994,Theodore Roosevelt received her third Battle "E". Then on 3 June,Theodore Roosevelt was awarded her second Battenberg Cup as the best ship in the Atlantic Fleet.[citation needed]
Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 began their fourth deployment in March 1995, operating in the Red Sea in support of Operation Southern Watch over Iraq, and Operations Deny Flight andSharp Guard over the skies of Bosnia and in the Adriatic operating areas. Deny Flight evolved intoOperation Deliberate Force, as CVW-8 aircraft ledNATO strikes against strategic Bosnian Serb targets in Bosnia-Herzegovina. TheTheodore Roosevelt Battle Group returned to Norfolk, Virginia in September 1995 and was awarded theNavy Unit Commendation for its Bosnia operations.[9]
On 14 October 1996,Theodore Roosevelt collided withUSS Leyte Gulf, aTiconderoga-classguided missile cruiser, while conducting operations off the coast of North Carolina. The incident occurred as the carrier, without prior warning, reversed her engines whileLeyte Gulf was behind her and collided with the cruiser's bow. There were no injuries reported,[10] butTheodore Roosevelt suffered more than $7 million damage to her stern, while damages toLeyte Gulf's bow were assessed at $2 million.[11]
Theodore Roosevelt deployed for her fifth deployment on 25 November 1996, withCVW-3 embarked, in support of Operation Southern Watch in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. The ship returned from deployment in May 1997. On 8 July 1997,Theodore Roosevelt entered theNewport News Shipbuilding yard for a one-year Extended Drydock and Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA), her first major overhaul since commissioning.Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport ofNorfolk Naval Station on 2 July 1998.[citation needed]
From 1 February to 4 March 1999Theodore Roosevelt participated in exercise JTFEX / TMDI99 along with theBrazilian Navy and several NATO navies. During the exercise,Theodore Roosevelt was mock-sunk,[12] along with eight other U.S. ships, many of which were the carrier's escorts, by the submarineHNLMS Walrus of theRoyal Netherlands Navy.[citation needed]
Theodore Roosevelt began her sixth deployment on 26 March 1999 with CVW-8 embarked. They were immediately called to duty in theIonian Sea to support NATO'sOperation Allied Force.Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 aircraft conducted airstrikes for two months over the skies ofKosovo against Serbian positions.Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-8 were then dispatched to support Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the "no-fly zone" overSouthern Iraq.Theodore Roosevelt returned to herhome port of Norfolk, Virginia, on 24 September 1999.[citation needed]
On 10 January 2000,Theodore Roosevelt entered a Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard,Portsmouth, Virginia for a six-month maintenance period.[citation needed]
After theSeptember 11 attacks,Theodore Roosevelt began her seventh deployment on 19 September 2001 withCarrier Air Wing One (CVW-1). On 15 October 2001,Theodore Roosevelt and CVW-1 entered theNorth Arabian Sea, joining the already-presentEnterprise andCarl Vinson in conducting attacks against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan forOperation Enduring Freedom.[13] Between departing Norfolk on 19 September 2001 and arriving in Bahrain for a liberty call on 27 February 2002,Theodore Roosevelt spent 160 consecutive days at sea, breaking the record for the longest period underway sinceWorld War II.[14]Theodore Roosevelt returned to her homeport 27 March 2002 and was awarded theNavy Unit Commendation, 2001 Battenberg Cup, and 2001 Battle "E".[15] From April to October 2002,Theodore Roosevelt conducted a Planned Incremental Availability maintenance period at Norfolk Naval Ship Yard.[citation needed]
Theodore Roosevelt got underway on 6 January for a scheduled month-long training period in thePuerto Rican Operating Area. Near the end of January,Theodore Roosevelt received orders to proceed across the Atlantic to the Mediterranean Sea.Strike Fighter Squadron 201, based at Naval Air StationNaval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, was ordered to active duty as a unit of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, the firstNaval Reserve squadron to deploy aboard an aircraft carrier since theKorean War.[16]Theodore Roosevelt arrived on station in the Eastern Mediterranean in February. On 22 March 2003Theodore Roosevelt, along withUSS Harry S. Truman, began launching air strikes into Iraq in support ofOperation Iraqi Freedom.[17]Theodore Roosevelt returned home on 26 May and was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation, theNavy Unit Citation, and theGlobal War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.
On 19 February 2004,Theodore Roosevelt entered a ten-month Docked Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA) at NNSY in Portsmouth.[18] Major systems overhauled included AC systems, Steam and CHT (sewage) systems, 1MC (announcing) systems, communication, navigation, and detection suites, weapons elevator overhauls, propeller replacement, hull cleaning and painting, and sea valve replacement.Theodore Roosevelt came out of dry-dock in August and completed the maintenance availability on 17 December 2004.[19]
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On 1 September 2005,Theodore Roosevelt deployed with CVW-8 embarked for a routine six-month mission to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF),[20] transiting the Suez Canal on 27 September[21] and launching OIF missions beginning 6 October.[22] This deployment was the last cruise for theF-14 Tomcat before its retirement in 2006.Theodore Roosevelt carried two Tomcat squadrons,VF-31 (Tomcatters) andVF-213 (Black Lions).[23]Theodore Roosevelt returned to home port on 11 March 2006. Shortly after this cruise,Theodore Roosevelt earned the"Jig Dog" Ramage Carrier and Carrier Air Wing Operational Excellence Award, which is a Navy-wide award that is selected jointly by Type Commanders (TYCOM) and is presented to the Carrier/Air Wing team with the best performance as an integrated unit.[citation needed]
On 7 March 2007,Theodore Roosevelt began a nine-month Planned Incremental Availability (PIA) in Norfolk, which saw the addition ofRAM-116 missiles among other upgrades.[24] The ship returned to Naval Station Norfolk on 28 November 2007.[citation needed]
CVW-8 andTheodore Roosevelt participated in Joint Task Force Exercise 08-4 Operation Brimstone off the coast ofNorth Carolina between 21 and 31 July 2008. The British aircraft carrierHMS Ark Royal, the amphibious assault shipIwo Jima with associated units and the Brazilian frigateGreenhalgh and the French submarineAméthyste also participated in the event.[25]
Theodore Roosevelt left Norfolk on 8 September 2008 for a scheduled deployment to the Middle East withCarrier Air Wing Eight embarked.[26] On 4 October 2008, the ship stopped atCape Town, South Africa. This was the first visit to Cape Town by a nuclear-powered vessel since the German cargo shipOtto Hahn in the 1970s.[27] Due to poor weather, approximately half of the ship's crew was unable to go ashore onliberty. Much of the crew that made it ashore were unable to return toTheodore Roosevelt due to the increasingly poor weather. The remaining crew was forced to remain on the pier till morning alongside thecruiserUSS Monterey. The ship made four subsequent port stops inJebel Ali, UAE, including one during the Christmas holiday. CVW-8 and CVN-71 supported Operation Enduring Freedom and flew more than 3,100 sorties and dropped more than 59,500 pounds of ordnance while providingclose air support forISAF-forces in Afghanistan.[citation needed]
On 21 March 2009,Theodore Roosevelt was relieved byDwight D. Eisenhower.[28] The carrier arrived at Norfolk on 18 April.[29] On 26 August 2009 defense contractorNorthrop Grumman was awarded a 2.4 billion dollar contract forRefueling and Complex Overhaul (RCOH) ofTheodore Roosevelt at its Newport News shipyard.[30]
On 29 August 2013,Theodore Roosevelt returned to Norfolk Naval Station, Virginia, completing its post-overhaul sea trials that concluded its four-year mid-life RCOH.[31] On 14 September 2013,Theodore Roosevelt successfully completed flight deck certification which entailed completing a total of 160 carrier landings during daytime and night-time operations. Other certification drills included rigging the emergency barricade, flight deck firefighting evolutions, and crash and salvage operations.[32] On 17 September 2013,Theodore Roosevelt completed her firstunderway replenishment in over four years.[33]
Flight testing for theX-47B continued on boardTheodore Roosevelt on 10 November 2013. During this phase, the X-47B's digitized carrier-controlled environment was tested which involved the interface between the unmanned aircraft and carrier personnel during launching, flight operations and recovery. The digital environment offered increased flexibility and enhanced safety for carrier operations.[34]
On 15 January 2014, the Navy announced thatTheodore Roosevelt's homeport would move to San Diego, replacingUSS Ronald Reagan when she relocated to Japan sometime in 2015 as part of the US Navy's preparation for the planned refueling ofUSS George Washington.[35]
On 4 March 2015, during a training exercise offFlorida,Theodore Roosevelt was mock-sunk by theFrench Navy submarineSaphir.[36]
On 11 March 2015,Theodore Roosevelt andCarrier Strike Group 12 departed Naval Station Norfolk for an around the world tour with deployments to theU.S. 5th,6th and7th Fleets as part the first deployment ofNaval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) Carrier Strike Group, before arriving in their new homeport of San Diego, California.[37][38]
On 20 April 2015,Theodore Roosevelt, along with the cruiserUSS Normandy, was deployed off the coast of Yemen to intercept suspected Iranian weapons shipments intended forHouthi rebels, who are engaged in a civil war with Yemeni government forces.[39]
In early November 2015,Theodore Roosevelt along with the guided-missile destroyerUSS Lassen, sailed to theSouth China Sea to assert freedom of navigation in the area claimed by China.[40]
Theodore Roosevelt pulled into her new home port at San Diego on 23 November 2015, completing a deployment during which she circumnavigated the globe. The carrier launched 1,800 sorties againstIslamic State militants in Iraq and Syria as part ofOperation Inherent Resolve, totaling 10,618 flight hours and over one million pounds of ordnance employed through 1,085 guided munitions. Carrier Strike Group 12 traveled nearly 27,000 nmi (31,000 mi; 50,000 km) during the deployment, which also marked aviation milestones including the first operational use of theE-2D Advanced Hawkeye and the last active-duty operational deployment of theHH-60H Rescue Hawk andSH-60F Seahawk helicopters.[41]
On 6 October 2017,Theodore Roosevelt departed San Diego for her deployment to the United States Seventh Fleet and United States Fifth Fleet area of operations, accompanied withCarrier Strike Group 9 andCarrier Air Wing Seventeen.[42] On November 8, 2017,Theodore Roosevelt and her group started a 4-day exercise with two othercarrier strike groups, led by carriersRonald Reagan andNimitz, in theSea of Japan.[43]
In May 2019,Theodore Roosevelt participated inExercise Northern Edge 2019, marking the first time in a decade a carrier took part in the exercise. Also in 2019,Carrier Air Wing Eleven was transferred to the ship.[44]
On 5 March 2020,Theodore Roosevelt, along with the cruiserUSS Bunker Hill, arrived atDa Nang, Vietnam, for a five-day port visit commemorating the 25th anniversary ofUnited States–Vietnam relations.[45]
On 24 March 2020, during theCOVID-19 pandemic, three sailors aboard the deployed vessel tested positive forCOVID-19, a coronavirus disease identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness.[46] Within a few days, that number climbed to dozens.Theodore Roosevelt was reported to be the first ship in the U.S. Navy to have a COVID-19 outbreak while at sea;Theodore Rooseveltdocked at Guam on 27 March 2020.[47][48]
By 31 March, the number of infected sailors was over 100, and the captain,Brett Crozier, pleaded for help from the Navy, sending an e-mail to ten Pacific Fleet admirals and captains, including his superior, the commander of Carrier Strike Group-9, and the commander of the Pacific Fleet, requesting that his ship be evacuated.[52] The US Navy ordered the aircraft carrier evacuated with a skeleton crew of 400 to remain aboard the vessel to maintain the nuclear reactor, the fire-fighting equipment, and the ship's galley.[47]
On 2 April, actingNavy SecretaryThomas Modly relieved Crozier of his command for sending the request for assistance over non-secure email to what he characterized as "broad array of people" rather than up the chain of command, adding that Crozier "allowed the complexity of the challenge of the COVID breakout on the ship to overwhelm his ability to act professionally".[53] Crozier was to remain in the Navy and retain his rank.[53] Several members of theHouse Armed Services Committee criticized the decision, stating that "the dismissal of Captain Crozier at this critical moment, as the sailors aboard the U.S.S.Theodore Roosevelt are confronted with the COVID-19 pandemic, is a reckless, political move that reeks of undue command influence."[53] Captain Carlos A. Sardiello assumed temporary command ofTheodore Roosevelt; his second stint serving as the ship's captain.[54] Modly traveled to Guam and gave a ship-wide speech, whichThe New York Times described as a "tirade",[55] during which he was heckled by some of the sailors.[56] After demands from Congress that he be fired, Modly resigned on April 7.[57]
As of Easter Sunday, 12 April, 585 crew members had tested positive.[58] The Navy and theCenters for Disease Control (CDC) are using the infection, death, and recovery data fromTheodore Roosevelt to study the pandemic.[59] On 13 April, the hospitalized sailor, achief petty officer, died.[63] As of 20 April, 4,069 sailors had been moved off the ship,[64] 94% of the crew had beentested for the virus, yielding 678 positive and 3,904 negative results.[64] As of 17 April, seven crew members were in the hospital including one in intensive care.[65] About 60% of the people who tested positivedid not have symptoms.[66] As of 16 April, most of the ship had been cleaned.[67] Sailors kept testing positive for the virus even after 14 days of isolation; some who tested positive had previously tested negative.[64] The Navy temporarily suspended post-quarantine testing and extended the sailors' isolation, delaying plans to begin moves of the crew back to the carrier.[64] Some sailors volunteered forantibody testing.[68] Initial testing was completed by 27 April 2020, at which point, 969 crew members had tested positive, and 14 of those 969 had recovered.[69] By 29 April, sailors that were previously quarantined in Guam began moving back to the ship.[70]Theodore Roosevelt returned to sea on 21 May for the first time after being sidelined for two months due to COVID-19.[71]
On 19 June 2020, the widely expected reinstatement of Captain Crozier was canceled and the promotion of theTheodore Roosevelt strike group commander was put on hold.[72] On 23 JuneUSS Nimitz andTheodore Roosevelt completed a two-carrier operation in the Philippine Sea.[73]Theodore Roosevelt was returning to home port when another chief petty officer suffered a medical emergency, of which the nature was not disclosed, and died 2 July 2020.[62]
In a 10 November 2020 scientific brief, the CDC highlighted this case among several others to detail the community benefit of masking, as theuse of face coverings on-board was demonstrated to be associated with a 70% reduced risk of infection.[74] Final analysis of the outbreak in December 2020, found 1271 crew members tested positive for SARS-Cov-2 and an additional 60 had suspected COVID-19 but did not test positive; 76.9% of those who tested positive were asymptomatic at testing. 55% developed symptoms.[75]
In July 2021 she was moved from San Diego, her usual homeport, toBremerton, Washington, where she was retrofitted to accommodate theF-35multirole combat aircraft. A Navy spokesman said she was to be at theBremerton shipyard for 16 to 18 months. Approximately 3,000 sailors and their families moved to Bremerton with the ship.[76]Theodore Roosevelt left Bremerton for sea trials in March 2023 and eventually returned to her previous homeport of San Diego.[77]
Theodore Roosevelt deployed in January 2024 fromNaval Air Station North Island in San Diego.[78] On 19 March 2024, aF/A-18F Super Hornet fromCarrier Air Wing 11 made the 250,000th successful arrested landing on her deck.[79] In late-June 2024, she was ordered to the Middle East to relieveUSS Dwight D. Eisenhower and to continue the U.S. presence in the region arriving there in July.[80] In mid-July, US Navy'sCarrier Strike Group 9 centered onTheodore Roosevelt along with Carrier Air Wing 11 andUSS Daniel Inouye conducted an exercise with theIndian Navy'sINS Aditya andINS Visakhapatnam in the Indian Ocean.[81][82][83] She operated in conjunction withAbraham Lincoln from August until September before returning home on 14 October 2024 after 278 days on deployment.[84]
As of early 2026, she was preparing for another deployment.[85]
nimitz class displacement.
The findings are of enormous interest because the proportion of people who are asymptomatic is just simply not known
they were both slow in getting the sailors off of the ship and into safer environments after the carrier arrived in Guam for a scheduled port of call
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