back American carriers

American carriers

QUICK LINKS

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72)



USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) is America's fifth Nimitz class carrier. The ship was named in honor of the nation's sixteenth president and is the second ship of the line to bear the name. The keel was laid on Nov. 3, 1984, at Newport News, VA. Four years later, the ship was christened and began a series of performance trials leading up to commissioning on Nov. 11, 1989, in Norfolk, VA.
After completing shakedown and acceptance trials, Lincoln departed Norfolk in September 1990 to complete an inter-fleet transfer from the Atlantic to Pacific Fleet. To change fleets, the ship completed an "around the horn" transit of South America and participated in multilateral training exercises with the navies and air forces of several South American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Chili and Uruguay. These highly successful operations, involving both air and surface units, were significant for their complexity and unique professional training, which firmly established Lincoln's reputation for excellence.
On May 28, 1991, Lincoln set sail on its maiden Western Pacific (WestPac) deployment, nearly four months ahead of its originally scheduled date in response to Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. While en route to the Indian Ocean, Lincoln was diverted to support evacuation operations in the Philippines. The operation, Operation Fiery Vigil, became the largest peacetime evacuation of active-duty military and family members in history. Lincoln led a 23-ship armada that sea lifted nearly 20,000 evacuees from the naval station at Subic Bay. The ship moved nearly 4,500 people from Subic Bay to Cebu Island, Philippines.
With Operation Fiery Vigil, complete, Lincoln took up station in the Arabian Gulf in support of allied and U.S. troops remaining in the region for Operation Desert Storm. Lincoln's air wing, CVW-11, provided nearly continuous combat air patrol, reconnaissance and support air operations over Kuwait and Iraq. Lincoln remained in the Gulf for more than three months, on alert for contingencies. After returning from WestPac in November 1991, Lincoln spent much of early 1992 in a Selected Restricted Availability (SRA) at Naval Air Station Alameda, Calif.
In the latter part of the year, Lincoln began work-up training operations for a second WestPac. Lincoln spent the better part of a year preparing for the deployment and then departed Alameda on June 15, 1993. After a port visit to Hong Kong, Lincoln returned to the Arabian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch, the UN sanctioned enforcement of a "no-fly" zone over Southern Iraq.
On Oct. 8, Lincoln departed the gulf at flank speed headed for Somalia to assist United Nations humanitarian operations there, as directed by President Clinton. The carrier spent four weeks flying patrols over the city of Mogadishu and surrounding areas, backing UN ground troops during Operation Continue Hope.
Lincoln’s crew celebrated an age old traditional "Crossing the Line" on Nov. 12, just prior to enjoying a four day visit to Perth, Australia. The Marine detachment performed a sunset review onboard Lincoln on Dec. 7, 1993 during a three day port visit, the last ft before returning to Alameda on Dec. 16, 1993. During the transit from Hawaii, family members and friends were able to embark for a Tiger cruise.
After returning from deployment, Lincoln spent several months in SRA, refurbishing the ship and onboard equipment. Work-ups preparing the ship and air wing for the next deployment started in earnest in June 1994 and continued until early 1995. Part of the refurbishment included installing privacy bulkheads prior to integration of women into the crew in the spring of 1995. Lincoln was the first West Coast aircraft carrier to integrate women.
April 11, 1995, Lincoln departed on its third WestPac deployment. The ship made port visits in Hong Kong (May 5 - 9) and Singapore (May 14 - 19), before entering the Arabian Gulf May 26, 1995. The crew made port visits to Jebel-Ali, United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), four times during the first two months in the gulf. In response to renewed Iraqi military posturing, the Lincoln Battle Group was required to remain in the Arabian Gulf to participate in Operation Vigilant Sentinel. With plans to visit Australia dashed, the ship visited Jebel-Ali one more time before departing the Arabian Gulf on Sept. 11, 1995. The Lincoln took on family members and friends in Hawaii for a Tiger Cruise home, arriving in Alameda, Calif. Oct. 10, 1995.
The Lincoln gave the crew a much need rest during a post deployment stand down Oct. 10 - Nov. 6, 1995. Then the Commanding Officer began a "Noah’s Ark" cruise, bringing family members, vehicles and pets aboard ship for the transit to a new homeport, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton, Wash, arriving Nov. 18, 1995.
During an Extended Drydock Selected Restricted Availability (EDSRA), the Lincoln crew, shipyard workers and contractors conducted need repairs to various systems throughout the ship. Lincoln entered dry-dock Jan. 8, 1996 to begin its first major overhaul since commissioning. Four Lincoln Sailors saved a local civilian from drowning in a nearby lake. In July, the flight deck non-skid is renewed and 536,010 gallons of JP-5 is on-loaded in preparation for leaving dry-dock.
On Aug. 8, Lincoln moved out of dry-dock to Pier Bravo, PSNS, eight days ahead of schedule. The ship completed $200 million in repairs, modifications, systems upgrades and general improvements before conducting Sea Trials to test the integrity of the work Nov. 30 - Dec. 6, 1996, four weeks ahead of schedule.
More than 2,000 guests accompanied the ship to its new homeport, Naval Station Everett, Wash., Jan. 8, 1997. The Command Career Counselors received "The Golden Anchor" for career counseling excellence in 1996 during the transit.
The ship conducted carrier qualifications (CQ) and conducted general shipboard training, in a preparation for workups for a deployment in 1998.
During spring operations, many distinguished visitors from the Chinese Navy embarked the ship, including the Chief of Chinese Naval Operations.
A Lincoln Tiger cruise was held Aug. 4. More than 3,000 guests were treated to a short cruise in the Puget Sound, including carrier flight operations demonstration, steel beach picnic in the hangar bay, self-guided tours of the ship and an opportunity to experience the anticipated thrill of hearing "Moored, shift colors." On Aug. 5, Abraham Lincoln participated in the Seattle Sea Fair celebration by taking a day cruise into Elliott Bay while hosting area dignitaries and other high ranking officials.
On Sept. 11, 1997, Lincoln pulled into San Francisco bay for the first time in almost two years to conduct an air power demonstration as part of the Fleet Week celebration there. The Blue Angels performed a show over the Bay within view of the city and the crew of the ship. After several hours, the ship departed at flank speed heading for homeport after several weeks of CQ and training. During its longest underway period (40 days) since WestPac ‘95, Lincoln conducted almost continuous flight operations, loaded 4,000,000 lbs. of material and ammunition, successfully completed nearly every phase of "Ready Carrier" qualifications and gave 100's of distinguished visitors, including 40 Admirals and Generals, an opportunity to see what their hard earned tax dollars are being spent on.
After another underway period, Lincoln returned to Everett Dec. 20, 1997 just in time for the holidays.
 
General characteristics
Total cost $3.5 billion
Planned life 50 years
Keel laid Nov. 3, 1984
Christened Feb. 13, 1988
Commissioned Nov. 11, 1989
Length 1,092 ft 332.8 m
Height 206 ft 6 in 62.9 m
Width of flight deck 257 ft 5.5 in 78.5 m
Area of flight deck 4.5 acres 18,210 sq. m
Displacement Approximately 95,000 tons (with full combat load)
Power plant Two A4W Pressurized Water Reactors
Steam turbine engines Four, General Electric
Thrust 27,620 HP 205,950 kW
Speed More than 30 knots 55.6 km/h
Propellers Four
Weight of propeller 24,250 lb 11,000 kg
Diameter of propeller 21 ft 6.4 m
Rudders Two
Weight of rudder 100,310 lb 45.5 t
Dimensions of rudder 29 x 22 ft 8.84 x 6.7 m
Anchors Two
Weight of anchor 66,140 lb 30,000 kg
Length of anchor chain 1,082 ft 330 m
Weight of chain link 365 lb 165.6 kg
Weight of chain 308,000 lb 139,700 kg
Aircraft elevators Four
Area of elevator 3,880 sq. ft 360.5 sq. m
Number of catapults Four
Aircrafts 80+ tactical aircraft, combat and support
Airwing F/A-18 Hornet
F-14 Tomcat
EA-6B Prowler
S-3B Viking
C-2A Greyhound
E-2C Hawkeye
SH-60F Seahawk
HH-60H Helicopter
Armament Three Sea Sparrow missiles launchers (eight missiles each), four Phalanx CIWS mounts.
Miscellaneous
Crew (incl. airwing) More than 5,500
Number of spaces and compartments More than 3,200
Distillation plant capacity 400,000 gallons (15,142 lt.)
Length of cable and wiring More than 900 miles (1,448 km)
Number of light fixtures More than 30,000
Number of shipboard telephones More than 1,900
Number of meals served each day More than 20,000
Loaves of bread baked each day 800 
Milk consumed each day 660 gallons (2,500 lt.)
Hamburger meat consumed each day 540 lb (245 kg) 
Number of eggs consumed each day 180 dozen (2,160 pc) 
Fresh vegetables consumed each day 800 lb (363 kg) 
Dirty laundry washed each day 5,550 lb (2,518 kg)
Haircuts given each day 250


Jirka Wagner

 

Copyright © All Rights Reserved