After a four year, 2.5 billion dollar pit stop, the USS DWIGHT D EISENHOWER is back at sea.
They did more than change right side tires and add a half-pound of wedge, though.
The overhaul included the reconstruction of the ship’s island, the installation of a new antenna mast and new radar tower, an upgrade and modernization of combat and communication systems, and overhaul of the ship’s hull, mechanical and electrical systems, as well as the refueling of its two nuclear reactors, the Navy said.
That splash of gas will last the EISENHOWER 25 years. It’s the only time she’ll ever be refueled.
UPDATE: A commenter thinks I’m jumping the gun when I say that’s the only time the EISENHOWER will ever be refueled. Upon reflection, I think he’s right. Though this is the only planned refueling for the ship over her projected lifespan, who knows how long she’ll actually end up serving?
If you think that is the last time she’ll be refueled, I think you are jumping the gun. I mean, who thought in the 70s that we would still be flying the same BUFFs in 2040?
I’d never thought about it, but according to a show on the History Channel, the limiting factor on how long a nuclear sub can stay down is FOOD. I believe carriers are frequently resupplied by air, but FOOD is probably the determining factor in frequency of resupply for them as well, I’m guessing. Not sure how long the Ike will be in service, but I’ll put money on it not ever being refueled, not because it couldn’t go another 25 years after that, but because of technical advances in carriers. As I’m sure all here have read, the Navy is actually reducing the number of carriers, even as it builds a new one. One will be used to test how hard it is to sink a carrier. Some 3rd World navy would probably LOVE to have THAT carrier (before it’s destroyed). During the cold war, I always figured we’d lose most of our carriers in MINUTES if the cold war went hot. I’d like to see an attack sub able to carry and launch one or more Cobra gunships, using some of the concepts developed by the Japanese in WWII.
Actually, probably resupply is dictated by optempo for the air wings assigned to the carriers. Use more fuel and munitions = resupply more often. To serve as a realistic helo carrying sub, you would probably need something the size as one of the old russian Typhoon’s. I think a few of the Ohio boats are actually in the process of being converted to spec ops and cruise missile boats.
Our current carriers have enough food on board that they can go several days, if not weeks without resupply. I’d hate for the squids to have to resort to MREs, but they could stock those in an emergency, and go for probably months. Ammo and Fuel stocks are pretty high, but in an operation with a really heavy tempo, somebody told me a carrier can go a week or longer without resupply. I’m going on hearsay, but he was in the navy.
Why not just assign crew the duty of fishing off the edges, or even go so far as to give the carrier an advanced fishing machine 😛 Even if this would actually be feasable, I am sure it would put off some people from joining the Navy, lol.
Remember the comedy about the guy who built a bomb shelter back in the 50s, complete with fish breeding tanks? When a plane crashed into their house, he ordered the family into the underground shelter. His son came out in current times. Maybe carriers should have fish breeding tanks, AND organic gardens. Maybe some fast-breeding bunnies as well. And, if a line were dragged along behind, they could have some fine eating! Red snapper. Ummm. Just joking, but all of this talk of resupply food, fuel, and munitions, not to mention delivering the mail points out just how EASY it is for our enemies to know exactly where a carrier is at all times. Remember the EXOCET missile which took out a British ship in the Falklands war? I’m thinking (supported by some recon at some good blogs) that the next major attack by al Q on the US will be against a military ship. Supposedly they are acquiring cigarette boats and training crews. A carrier with 5K people on board would make the biggest splash (no pun intended). Then again, they could more easily sink a luxury liner. But, they’d get a lot less ‘bragging rights’ for that, and even the lefty moonbats would hate them for that. Like the …doc. says, we’re in a war, so we must be prepared for anything.