US Carrier Completes Sea Trials After Upgrades

USS George H.W. Bush, the U.S. Navy's tenth Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, is returning to service after ten months of maintenance and modernization works at Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

As per a recent U.S. Navy press statement the carrier successfully completed sea trials off the coast of Virginia at the weekend at the end of a schedule of works which began in January. Upgrades completed during the refit include improvements to the ship’s safety, communications, and combat systems.

This included involved installing the Network Tactical Common Data Link (NTCDL) system, which enables the ship to simultaneously transmit and receive real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data from multiple sources. NTCDL also facilitates the exchange of command and control information over multiple data links, enhancing situational awareness and operational advantage.

“The Bush team and crew supported this availability with capability and commitment,” said Capt. Jip Mosman, Norfolk Naval Shipyard Commanding Officer. “Their teamwork and dedication to returning this critical asset to the fleet will serve as the model for future maintenance and modernization programs in America’s shipyards.”

The USS George H.W. Bush was the tenth and last of the Nimitz-class carriers built for the U.S. Navy. The 330m-long vessel was commissioned in January 2009 and can carry up to 90 fixed wing planes and helicopters. She is powered by two nuclear reactors, meaning she can operate for more than 20 years without refuelling.

She has mostly been deployed in the Atlantic but has also had spells in the Mediterranean, off the Crimean peninsula and in the Persian Gulf.

• You can read more details on the U.S. Navy website