USS Enterprise (CVN-80) facts for kids
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Artist's impression of the future CVN-80
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | Enterprise |
| Namesake | USS Enterprise (CVN-65) |
| Awarded |
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| Builder | Huntington Ingalls Industries |
| Laid down |
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| Launched | November 2025 (planned) |
| Sponsored by | Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles |
| Commissioned | 2029 (planned) |
| Identification | CVN-80 |
| Status | Under construction |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier |
| Displacement | About 100,000 long tons (100,000 tonnes) (full load) |
| Length | 1,106 ft (337 m) |
| Beam | 134 ft (41 m) |
| Draft | 39 ft (12 m) |
| Installed power | Two A1B nuclear reactors |
| Propulsion | Four shafts |
| Speed | In excess of 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
| Range | Unlimited distance; 20–25 years |
| Complement | 4,660 |
| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | More than 80, approx. up to 90 combat aircraft |
| Aviation facilities | 1,092 ft × 256 ft (333 m × 78 m) flight deck |
The USS Enterprise (CVN-80) is a huge aircraft carrier being built for the United States Navy. It is the third ship in its class, called the Gerald R. Ford-class aircraft carrier class. This Enterprise will be the ninth U.S. Navy ship and the third aircraft carrier to have this famous name. Its construction started in August 2017. The ship is expected to be ready for use by 2029.
Naming the Enterprise
On December 1, 2012, the Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, announced that the new carrier, CVN-80, would be named Enterprise. This name has a long and proud history in the U.S. Navy. It is the ninth ship and the third aircraft carrier to carry this name.
Unlike many modern aircraft carriers, this Enterprise is not named after a person. The last American supercarrier not named after a person was the USS America (CV-66), which was put into service in 1966.
In December 2016, two amazing Olympic gold medalists, Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles, were chosen to be the ship's sponsors. Ship sponsors are special people who support the ship and its crew.
Aircraft Hangar Space
The CVN-80 has a much better hangar space than the previous carrier, CVN-79. A hangar is like a giant garage inside the ship where aircraft are stored and maintained.
The internal hangar on the Enterprise can hold up to 50 medium-sized aircraft. These include planes like the F-35C fighter jets. It can also store up to 20 medium-sized helicopters, such as the Sikorsky MH-60R/S. Plus, there is room for several larger planes used for refueling and radar checks.
Building the Enterprise
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The Enterprise (CVN-80) is being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries. This company's Newport News Shipbuilding yard is located in Newport News, Virginia. This new Enterprise is special because it is the first aircraft carrier designed and built entirely using digital computer models.
The very first piece of steel for the ship was cut on August 21, 2017. This event marked the official start of making the ship's parts. The ship's sponsors, Katie Ledecky and Simone Biles, were there for this important ceremony.
Some of the steel used to build the new CVN-80 comes from the old USS Enterprise (CVN-65). This means parts of the old, famous ship are being recycled into the new one. By August 2022, about 20,000 pounds of steel from CVN-65 had been reused. Another 15,000 pounds were still being prepared, making a total of 35,000 pounds. The new Enterprise will also have four portholes (round windows) from the USS Enterprise (CV-6). That ship was a famous aircraft carrier from World War II.
The new Enterprise will take the place of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower. The ship's keel, which is the main bottom structure, was laid on April 5, 2022. This happened three weeks earlier than planned. The shipbuilder held an official keel-laying ceremony on August 27, 2022. The Enterprise is planned to be launched in November 2025. Its delivery to the Navy is expected in September 2029. This date was moved back because suppliers had trouble recovering from production problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
See also
In Spanish: USS Enterprise (CVN-80) para niños
- List of aircraft carriers of the United States Navy
- List of ships of the United States Navy named Enterprise
