CVN77 USS George HW Bush Aircraft Carrier

The CVN77 USS George HW Bush Aircraft Carrier - a multi million dollar aircraft carrier war machine was launched today and named after the former US President George HW Bush who was a naval aviator during World War II. George H. W. Bush is to be the final Nimitz class aircraft carrier constructed; the next carrier built will be Gerald R. Ford, the first of a new class.

USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) is the tenth and last Nimitz class supercarrier of the United States Navy. The CVN77 USS George H. W. Bush is to be the final Nimitz class aircraft carrier constructed; the next carrier built will be Gerald R. Ford, the first of a new class.

The CVN77 USS George HW Bush Aircraft Carrier is the second United States aircraft carrier to be named after a naval aviator. Other naval vessels named for aviators include frigates. George H.W. Bush is also the second aircraft carrier, following Ronald Reagan, to be named after a living former President. While still a Nimitz class ship, George H. W. Bush differs significantly from her predecessors, even more so than the differences between CVN 68–70 and CVN 71–76.

Construction began in 2001 by the Northrop Grumman Newport News shipyard, at a cost of $6.2 billion. The aircraft carrier was christened on 7 October 2006, and delivery was set for late 2008. She left Northrup Grumman Ship Building for the first time on 23 December 2008 and was commissioned January 10, 2009 at Norfolk Naval Station.