The 'Big Stick' visits Portsmouth Much to the delight of the UK aviation enthusiast fraternity, nuclear powered US Navy aircraft carrier, CVN-71 "USS Theodore Roosevelt" docked in Stokes Bay, Portsmouth, on its return journey to the US after a six-month operational tour in the Persian Gulf. I took a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) ride out of Portsmouth for a look.
Portsmouth's association with militarised shipping stems back to 1200 when King John's desire to invade Normandy led to the construction of the first docks, and these were used regularly by the later monarchs King Henry III and King Edward I during the thirteenth century to attack France. Undoubtedly the most significant sailing since then was when Admiral Nelson and his ship HMS Victory, set sail for the final time in 1805 to command the fleet that would defeat the Franco-Spanish at Trafalgar.
Although Portsmouth has seen a decline in its role as a naval base in recent years it still remains a major dockyard and base for the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Commandos, whose headquarters are located there.
The Roosevelt, affectionately known as "The Big Stick" arrived in Stokes Bay during the morning of the 4th of April. She is the fourth Nimitz-class Supercarrier and was ordered on September 30, 1980. She was built by Newport News Shipbuilding and first took to the water on October 27, 1984, before being commissioned on October 25, 1986. Theodore Roosevelt won the first of its Battle "E" awards , given to show that the highest state of battle readiness has been demonstrated, from Commander, Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, on March 20, 1990.
Measuring 332.8m long and powered by two Westinghouse A4W nuclear reactors, the Theodore Roosevelt can carry 90 fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, and is home to 5680 personnel.
TR's first taste of Combat Operations came on January 15, 1991 with the commencement of Operation Desert Storm, when up the point of ceasefire being agreed on February 28 of that year, her assigned Carrier Air Wing, CVW-8 had flown more than 4200 sorties and having dropped in excess of 4.8m pounds of ordnance.
Since that maiden operational cruise, The Big Stick has seen a further nine operational deployments, mainly in support of the ongoing efforts in the Gulf, but also including action in the Bosnian conflict of the early-'90s.
Commanding the vessel during this current cruise is Captain Ladd Wheeler, who assumed command on January 11, 2008. Capt Wheeler has more than 3300 flight hours in 28 types to his name, and has successfully completed 750 carrier arrested landings.
With the demise of the Grumman F-14 Tomcat from USN service in 2006, TR's sole fighter presence is now provided by no less than three different generations of McDonnell Douglas and (later) Boeing F/A-18 Hornets.
Flying the oldest variant, the F/A-18A+ are VFA-87 "Golden Warriors" who, like their fellow Hornet units embarked are land-based at NAS Oceana, VA. Rather unusually in September 2006, the Golden Warriors traded in their F/A-18C models for significantly older F/A-18A+ examples. Prior to the conversion to the Hornet in 1986 the squadron was designated as VA-87 and flew the Vought A-7E Corsair II.
The other Legacy Hornet squadron on board TR is VFA-15 "Valions". Currently under their charge is the F/A-18C model. Like the Golden Warriors they've flown derivatives of the type since 1986, when they too began to convert from the A-7E when designated VA-15. Both VFA-87 and VFA-15 each had ten aircraft with them.
The remaining two Navy Fighter Attack Squadrons assigned to CVW-8 both fly the Super Hornet, with VFA-31 "Tomcatters" flying the single-seat F/A-18E model and VFA-213 "Golden Lions" operating the two-seat F/A-18F variant. As the nickname suggests, VF-31 (as they were then called) were one of the more famous F-14 Tomcat units prior to their transition to the Hornet in 2006. Most notably the squadron markings feature cartoon character, "Felix the Cat". Each Super Hornet squadron had a dozen aircraft at their disposal while embarked.
Operating in the Electronic Warfare role were the Grumman EA-6B Prowlers of VAQ-141, "Shadowhawks", based at NAS Whidbey Island, WA. It transpires they themselves are set to be replaced on their return to the US by yet another variant of the Hornet, the EA-18G Growler. Four examples of the Prowler were embarked with the unit on the type's final cruise on the Roosevelt.
The carrier-based Airborne Early Warning aircraft of the USN is the Grumman E-2C Hawkeye, and CVW-8's assigned unit flying the type is VAW-124 "Bear Aces" from NAS Norfolk, VA. As with the Prowlers there were four Hawkeyes assigned to the carrier, though the CAG-bird had disembarked to RAF Lyneham, along with the two C-2A Greyhound "Carrier Onboard Delivery" (COD) aircraft from VRC-40 "Rawhides", like the Hawkeyes, based at NAS Norfolk.
The final flying squadron making up CVW-8 is HS-3 "Tridents" and their SH-60F and HH-60H Seahawk helicopters. Their land-base is NAS Jacksonville, FL and they had seven aircraft with them onboard.
TR had commenced its long westbound journey back to its homeport of NS Norfolk, VA, on March 19th, having been relieved by CVN-69, USS Dwight D Eisenhower. On its way to Portsmouth it had taken part in an airpower demonstration off the Cornish coast.
This was the first time I'd seen an aircraft carrier up close and the size of it was incredible. It's hard to comprehend just what it must be like to be on-board during an operational phase of a cruise. It remains one of my great aviation ambitions to find out!