USS John F. Kennedy final journey
The ex- USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) recently began its final journey as it departed from the US Navy’s Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility in Philadelphia, PA for transit to Brownsville, Texas where it will be dismantled, according to a US Navy press release.
Commissioned on Sept. 7, 1968, CV 67 was the first Navy ship to be named John F. Kennedy. The ship conducted multiple tours in the Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Ligurian, Aegean and Adriatic seas, during a period of escalating tension in the Middle East and North Africa, often while under the surveillance of Soviet ships.
In the wake of the September 2001 terrorist attacks, the John F. Kennedy and her battle group established air security along the mid-Atlantic seaboard, “to help calm a fearful and shocked nation,” in support of Operation Noble Eagle. In February 2002, the ship deployed in support of Operations Anaconda and Enduring Freedom, followed by support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in July of 2004. The ship was decommissioned in 2007 after 39 years of service.
“Ex-John F. Kennedy will always be remembered as a symbol of enduring freedom and a beacon of hope and peace during difficult times in our nation,” said Rear Adm. Bill Greene, Director, Surface Ship Maintenance, Modernization and Sustainment. “The countless members of the ship’s crew and all who sustained it during its lifecycle should be proud of the exceptional work that kept the ship sailing and supporting our fleet for many years. Fair Winds and Following Seas.”
CVN 79
CVN 79, the second aircraft carrier in the Ford Class, is also the second aircraft carrier to honor President John F. Kennedy for a lifetime of service to the nation. John F. Kennedy wore our US’ uniform as a Navy Lieutenant during World War II before serving as the 35th President of the United States from January 1961 to November 1963.
At 1,092 feet in length and 100,000 tons, CVN 79 incorporates more than 23 new technologies, comprising dramatic advances in propulsion, power generation, ordnance handling, and aircraft launch systems. These innovations will support a 33% higher sortie generation rate at significant cost savings when compared to Nimitz-class carriers. The Gerald R. Ford class also offers a considerable reduction—approximately $4 billion per ship—in life cycle operations and support costs compared to the earlier Nimitz class.
The new technology and warfighting capabilities that John F. Kennedy brings to the fleet will transform naval warfare, supporting a more capable and lethal forward-deployed US naval presence. In an emerging era of great power competition, CVN 79 will serve as the most agile and lethal combat platform globally, with improved systems that enhance interoperability among other platforms in the carrier strike group and with the naval forces of regional allies and partners.
US Navy aircraft carriers
Aircraft carriers continue to be the centerpiece of the forces necessary for operating forward. In times of crisis, the first question leaders ask is: “Where are the carriers?”
Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against US interests. Aircraft carriers support and operate aircraft that engage in attacks on airborne, afloat and ashore targets that threaten free use of the sea and engage in sustained power projection operations in support of US and coalition forces.
The aircraft carrier and its strike group also engage in maritime security operations to interdict threats to merchant shipping and prevent the use of the seas for terrorism and piracy. Aircraft carriers also provide unique capabilities for disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The embarked carrier air wing provides helicopters for direct support and C4I assets to support them and ensure aid is routed quickly and safely.
Photo by NBC Philadelphia, Unknown and Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Adam Ferrero / U.S. Navy
