The naval aviation program also trains air crews for the Coast Guard, which is technically a part of the Department of Transportation. These include graduates of the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, as well as the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School at Yorktown, Virginia. Other nations also send their naval aviation candidates to take their training in the U.S.

24.

Just a few years ago, service academy graduates automatically received a regular commission upon graduation. However, in an attempt to even the playing field for non-academy graduates, all new officer commissions are now reserve commissions. Once officers have risen to the rank of lieutenant, they can apply for what is called "augmentation" to a regular status.

25.

Most new aircraft have replaced traditional dial and "strip" instruments with computer-driven MultiFunctional Displays (MFDs). These have the advantage of better presenting data to the air crews, and they can be reconfigured in flight. This means that during takcoff, for example, the air crew can pick the instruments most important to them at that time. So-called "gla.s.s c.o.c.kpits" have between five and a dozen such MFDs, and have become quite popular.

26.

In the 1960s when air-to-air kill ratios against North Vietnamese MiG fighters began to fall off, the dedicated efforts of a couple of F-8 Crusader FRS IPs (James "Ruft" Ruliffson and J.R. "Hot Dog" Brown) created the famous Topgun school. More recently, the F-14 FRS at NAS Oceana, Virginia, managed to hang a modified LANTIRN laser targeting pod onto a Tomcat, so that it could deliver laser-guided bombs. This little trick increased the number of aircraft that could deliver precision weapons in every CVW by about 25%, which is not shabby for an ad hoc ad hoc effort! effort!

27.

The atomic combat requirement was outlined in a famous 1947 memorandum prepared by Rear Admiral Dan Gallery. He was a legendary Naval aviation figure (he commanded the escort carrier group that captured the German U-505 in 1944), and his paper would eventually start a virtual war between the Navy and the newly created Air Force. 28 The original carrier USS Enterprise Enterprise (CV-6) was arguably the U.S. Navy's greatest warship, with a combat record second to none. She fought in five of the six great carrier-versus-carrier clashes, surviving serious combat damage many times. The (CV-6) was arguably the U.S. Navy's greatest warship, with a combat record second to none. She fought in five of the six great carrier-versus-carrier clashes, surviving serious combat damage many times. The Enterprise Enterprise was so hated by the j.a.panese that they claimed to have sunk her by name on a number of occasions. was so hated by the j.a.panese that they claimed to have sunk her by name on a number of occasions.

28.

USS Ranger Ranger (CV-4), was the first American carrier built from the keel up. At only about fourteen thousand tons displacement, (CV-4), was the first American carrier built from the keel up. At only about fourteen thousand tons displacement, Ranger Ranger was tiny compared to was tiny compared to Lexington Lexington and and Saratoga, Saratoga, and it showed when she went into service. With less than half of the aircraft capacity of the two larger ships, and it showed when she went into service. With less than half of the aircraft capacity of the two larger ships, Ranger Ranger was simply too small to support a powerful air group, and was never considered a front-line vessel. Despite this, the Navy learned valuable lessons from building was simply too small to support a powerful air group, and was never considered a front-line vessel. Despite this, the Navy learned valuable lessons from building Ranger, Ranger, and it showed in the next cla.s.s of aircraft carriers. and it showed in the next cla.s.s of aircraft carriers.

29.

A new reactor design under consideration for future carriers will never never need refueling. This is a tremendous advantage, since refueling is a complex overhaul that takes three years in a shipyard. need refueling. This is a tremendous advantage, since refueling is a complex overhaul that takes three years in a shipyard.

30.

Secretary Lehman also authorized the reactivation of the four World War II-era Iowa Iowa-cla.s.s (BB-61) battleships armed with antiship and long-range cruise missiles.

31.

Thomas Jefferson also appears on Mount Rushmore, but he was always skeptical about sea power, and in the Navy's eyes he did not merit the naming of a carrier.

32.

Originally, CVN-75 was to have been named the USS United States, United States, after the original supercarrier (CVA-58) broken up on the building ways in 1949. In fact, there exist photos of her keel being laid under that name. However, for political reasons, the Clinton Administration decided to rename her after the original supercarrier (CVA-58) broken up on the building ways in 1949. In fact, there exist photos of her keel being laid under that name. However, for political reasons, the Clinton Administration decided to rename her Harry Harry S. S. Truman. Truman. So for the second time, Harry Truman "sank" the USS So for the second time, Harry Truman "sank" the USS United States United States!

33.

The Virginia Virginia is frequently and incorrectly referred to as the is frequently and incorrectly referred to as the Merrimac, Merrimac, which was previously a steam frigate in the Federal Navy. Incompletely burned and scuttled when the Gosport Naval Yard (near the present-day Norfolk Naval Base) was abandoned in 1861 by Federal forces, it was raised and then used to build the Confederate ironclad. which was previously a steam frigate in the Federal Navy. Incompletely burned and scuttled when the Gosport Naval Yard (near the present-day Norfolk Naval Base) was abandoned in 1861 by Federal forces, it was raised and then used to build the Confederate ironclad.

34.

After years of being a part of Tennaco Corporation, Newport News Shipbuilding separated in 1996 and is now a full-time shipbuilding concern.

35.

The four catapults on every carrier are numbered 1 through 4, from the starboard bow (Catapult 1) to the port angle (Catapult 4).

36.

For example, the tiny "LOX crew" cares for a tank of immensely hazardous liquid oxygen, which is used to refill the breathing air systems of some aircraft. This tank sits on an inclined ramp on the deck edge. A quick-release fitting allows it to be sent into the sea in the event of a fire, to prevent a catastrophic explosion.

37.

Because of the high temperatures generated by the engine afterburners of aircraft like the F-14 Tomcat and F/A-18 Hornet, the JBDs contain a system of cooling channels, through which are pumped seawater. This system keeps the hydraulically erected JBDs from melting under the thermal pounding.

38.

The Navy does not not use radioactive steam to power its catapults. The steam that powers everything on the ship is actually heated in the secondary (non-radioactive) loop of the reactor plant. All of the radioactive components of the reactor plant are contained in either the reactor vessels or the primary cooling loop of the system. use radioactive steam to power its catapults. The steam that powers everything on the ship is actually heated in the secondary (non-radioactive) loop of the reactor plant. All of the radioactive components of the reactor plant are contained in either the reactor vessels or the primary cooling loop of the system.

39.

Some people get lucky. In 1983, during an attempted launch on board the USS John F. Kennedy John F. Kennedy (CV-67), the crew of an A-6E Intruder suffered a "cold shot," and ejected just before the aircraft pitched over the end of the bow into the water. The pilot's ejection seat fired him up, and his parachute let him down gently, unhurt, onto the deck just in front of the JBD of the catapult that had misfired his aircraft! The bombardier/navigator was not quite so lucky. Because his seat fired an instant earlier, he was thrown farther aft and to the side, and his parachute caught the overhanging tail of an EA-6B Prowler before he hit the ocean. The emergency crews searched for over a half hour before they found the crewman hanging over the side aft of the island, bruised from banging heavily against the hull, but alive. (CV-67), the crew of an A-6E Intruder suffered a "cold shot," and ejected just before the aircraft pitched over the end of the bow into the water. The pilot's ejection seat fired him up, and his parachute let him down gently, unhurt, onto the deck just in front of the JBD of the catapult that had misfired his aircraft! The bombardier/navigator was not quite so lucky. Because his seat fired an instant earlier, he was thrown farther aft and to the side, and his parachute caught the overhanging tail of an EA-6B Prowler before he hit the ocean. The emergency crews searched for over a half hour before they found the crewman hanging over the side aft of the island, bruised from banging heavily against the hull, but alive.

40.

The only known "live" service firing of Sea Sparrow occurred in 1992, when the USS Saratoga Saratoga (CV- 60) accidentally launched a pair of the SAMs, one of which struck the Turkish destroyer (CV- 60) accidentally launched a pair of the SAMs, one of which struck the Turkish destroyer Mauvenet. Mauvenet. Five Turkish sailors were killed by the detonation of the warhead, including the ship's captain. Five Turkish sailors were killed by the detonation of the warhead, including the ship's captain.

41.

The name is a particularly rude reference to a habit of man's best friend.

42.

For those of you with a desire to fully understand the workings of nuclear reactors in detail, see my book Submarine: A Guided Tour of a Nuclear Warship Submarine: A Guided Tour of a Nuclear Warship (Berkley Books, 1992). (Berkley Books, 1992). 44 44 The term "Skunk Works" refers to the original Lockheed Advanced Projects Division in Burbank, California, which was headed by the legendary Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich, and was designed to produce "out-of-the-box" ideas that could be rapidly and economically produced. Examples of the Skunk Works concept in action include the F-80 Shooting Star, the U-2 and SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, and the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter. A number of companies, including Newport News Shipbuilding and Boeing Military Aircraft, have set up similar organizations. The term "Skunk Works" refers to the original Lockheed Advanced Projects Division in Burbank, California, which was headed by the legendary Kelly Johnson and Ben Rich, and was designed to produce "out-of-the-box" ideas that could be rapidly and economically produced. Examples of the Skunk Works concept in action include the F-80 Shooting Star, the U-2 and SR-71 reconnaissance aircraft, and the F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighter. A number of companies, including Newport News Shipbuilding and Boeing Military Aircraft, have set up similar organizations. 45 45 "Ski Jumps" were developed by the Royal Navy in the 1970's to improve the takeoff and load-carrying characteristics of V/STOL aircraft like the FRS.1/2 Sea Harrier and AV-8B Harrier II. The addition of a slight incline to the end of a flight deck provides the aircraft an upward "push" at the critical point of takeoff. So effective are ski jumps at giving V/STOL aircraft "something for nothing," that almost every nation with carriers, with the exception of the United States, utilizes them in their carrier designs. "Ski Jumps" were developed by the Royal Navy in the 1970's to improve the takeoff and load-carrying characteristics of V/STOL aircraft like the FRS.1/2 Sea Harrier and AV-8B Harrier II. The addition of a slight incline to the end of a flight deck provides the aircraft an upward "push" at the critical point of takeoff. So effective are ski jumps at giving V/STOL aircraft "something for nothing," that almost every nation with carriers, with the exception of the United States, utilizes them in their carrier designs.

43.