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USS Nimitz (CVN 68) aircraft carrier, part of U.S. 5th Fleet carried out aircraft operations with Lt. Jon Sunderland dressed in a Santa suite on Christmas Day.

Here is an interesting photograph from U.S Navy. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Mercil/Released.

Here is another photograph from U.S Navy showing how sailors of USS Nimitz sort through 34,400 pounds of mail delivered on Christmas Eve. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David Mercil/Released.

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Can you guess, what is going on in this U.S. Navy photograph below ?

Are they mopping up a massive oil slick in the coast line ?

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On May 19, U.S.Navy’s HH-60 Seahawk helicopter while conducting training operations with USS Nimitz (CVN 68) crashed into the ocean off the coast of Southern California.

HH-60 Seahawk helicopter and some developments on the crash are:

• The helicopter with five crew members, was from Helicopter Anti-submarine Squadron HS-6.
  • HS-6 is a Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron employing the SH-60 and HH-60 Seahawk rotary wing helicopter. Their primary missions include Anti-Submarine Warfare, Search and Rescue, Combat Search and Rescue, Logistical Operations, and the insertion/extraction of Special Forces Personnel.
  • HS-6 is home ported in San Diego and is part of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 11 assigned to the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group (CSG).
  • The helicopter was operating from USS Nimitz (CVN 68) off the coast of California, when the mishap occurred.
• On May 20, during Search And Rescue (SAR) operations conducted by assets from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, San Diego Harbor Police, Customs and Border Protection and the Mexican Navy, the bodies of three crewmembers were recovered from the crash area.
• On May 21, SAR efforts to locate the remaining two crew members were suspended as aircrew survivability was doubtful.
• The U.S.Navy is now focusing on the feasibility of salvage operations.
• Experienced search and salvage specialists from Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 1 are using Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) with side-scan sonar technology to locate the helicopter in the sea.
• The data collected by the UUVs will be analyzed to help determine follow-on salvage operations.
• The mishap is under investigation.

It may be recalled that the “Indians” of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 6 reached a new milestone on February 8, 2008 by achieving 19 years of flight operations without a class “A” mishap.

Here is a photograph from U.S.Navy.

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We hear a lot about Arctic Ocean becoming ice-free due to global warming in the future.

If Arctic Ocean becomes ice-free, what would be the impact on world shipping routes ?

Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS) brief analyses

• Are the Northern sea routes really shorter than the normally used sea routes ?
• Are the shipping companies interested in using the Northern sea routes ?
• Is the shipping traffic through Panama Canal and Suez Canal going to reduce ?
• Is the Indian Ocean going to be of no importance ?
• Are the Somali pirates going to lose their business ?

To find the answers, download as pdf and read yourself :

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USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), the 10th and final nuclear powered aircraft carrier in the Nimitz class is scheduled to be commissioned on January 10 during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk, Va. The aircraft carrier is named in honor of the 41st President of the United States, George Herbert Walker Bush. It is further interesting to note that the commissioning is to take place without completing sea trials, before President George W. Bush (the eldest son of the former President George H.W.Bush) demits office on January 20.

The $6.3b ship built by Northrop Grumman was originally scheduled for completion in April 2008. The completion was delayed due to labor shortages, late material deliveries. After commissioning, USS George H.W. Bush will be initially home ported in Norfolk, Va., and assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet to prepare for builder’s and acceptance trials. George H.W. Bush incorporates major improvements from her predecessors, including a bulbous bow, redesigned island, composite mast and three-wire arresting gear configuration.

The first Commanding Officer of USS George H.W. Bush is Capt. Kevin O’Flaherty. The carrier will have a crew of more than 5,500 men and women, including embarked air wing personnel.

The ship will support the F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters, the E-2C/D Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning aircraft, the C-2 Greyhound  logistics aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler and the EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft, multi-role SH-60 and MH-60 helicopters, and other future carrier-based aircrafts.

Here are some interesting facts on USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), from Northrop Grumman.

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Fire onboard nuclear powered Nimitz class US Aircraft Carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) on May 22 was successfully contained and extinguished by the ships crew without any serious injuries to the crew. Fire was noticed when the carrier was conducting a routine Replenishment At Sea in the Pacific Ocean with USS Crommelin (FFG 37). USS George Washington is now continuing her voyage as scheduled to San Diego.

• fire was detected in the morning near aft air conditioning and refrigeration space and auxiliary boiler room
• fire spread to more places through electrical cable way
• ships crew as a team heroically extinguished the fire after several hours of fire fighting
• 23 crew members were treated for heat stress and one crew was treated for first degree burns
• no damage to propulsion plant and reactor is reported

Here are some photographs of fire fighting.

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Further to the telecast of USS Nimitz documentary series by PBS last month, it is now the turn of Channel Five to telecast Warship Documentary series of light aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious of the Royal Navy.The 26 year old ship is also known as ‘Lusty’ to her 1000 strong crew. The documentary series will be telecast in six episodes on every Monday at 2100 hours starting from May 19. The series was filmed by Channel Five during her four month deployment that commenced in January 2008.

Episode 1: On May 19 at 9pm

This episode briefs about Illustrious’ history, her sailing from Portsmouth in January and embarkation of Royal Navy Harrier Jump Jets in the Indian Ocean, who are coming onboard for training before flying off to the war in Afghanistan.

Episode 2: On May 26 at 9pm

Lusty’s crew demonstrate their battle readiness and their way to Malta.

Episode 3: On June 02 at 9pm

HMS Illustrious’ deployment in sun soaked Middle East, navigation through the narrow Suez Canal and the ship’s preparedness to counter any potential terrorist attack.

Episode 4: On June 09 at 9pm

Visit of Commander-in-Chief Admiral Mike Stanhope, the arrival of Harrier jump jets and a helo transfer to visit a Spanish frigate.

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PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) is set to unveil the massive nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz. The airing will be in two hour blocks beginning April 27 through May 1, 2008. The 10-hour series CARRIER was filmed aboard the USS Nimitz during the aircraft carrier’s six-month deployment to the Gulf in support of the Iraq War. The project itself took over three years to complete as 17 filmmakers shot 1,600 hours of film as the ship departed Coronado, California on May 7, 2005 and docked at various ports of call like Pearl Harbor, Hong Kong, Guam, Kuala Lumpur, Bahrain and Perth, Australia before returning to Coronado November 8, 2005.

The interesting features of CARRIER are:

• The CARRIER, a 10-part series filmed aboard the USS Nimitz, comprises a core group of film participants, from the admiral of the strike group to the fighter pilots to the youngest sailors, as they navigate personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror.
• The CARRIER includes behind-the-scenes footage and additional commentary to set the stage for a dramatic voyage for the sailors and officers aboard.
• The 10 part series are:
  • Episode 1: “All Hands” : Setting sail for Hawaii and beyond, 5,000 sailors and Marines bid farewell and ponder life on board.
  • Episode 2: “Controlled Chaos”: Tight fraternies form when one lives on the roof of a nuclear reactor.
  • Episode 3: “Super Secrets”: Aboard a carrier, some topics are hush-hush.
  • Episode 4: “Squared Away”: Ports of call allow sailors to blow off steam, but not all the pressure vents.
  • Episode 5: “Show of Force”: Conditions are extreme in the Gulf.
  • Episode 6: “Groundhog Day”: Frustration surfaces when one day becomes indistinguishable from the next.
  • Episode 7: “Rites of Passage”: After an ancient maritime ritual, a storm arises, raising the stakes on the carrier landings.
  • Episode 8: “True Believers”: Exploring the many expressions of faith.
  • Episode 9: “Get Home-itis”: Deployment places a heavy burden on relationships back home.
  • Episode 10: “Full Circle”: The final transit from Hawaii to California allows for a look back and tearful, joyful reunions.
• CARRIER premieres Sunday, April 27 through Thursday, May 1, 2008, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings).
• When to watch the series ? Click here to find out.

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WaveFinder is a Swiss designed, active, intelligent, autonomous Man-Over-Board (MOB) safety and search system. This is an essential system for the safety of ships crew which complements the existing products such as lifejackets, flashing lights etc.

On activation, WaveFinder is capable of

• providing automatic alerts to the ships crew that a person has fallen overboard
• providing continuous updated information on the position of MOB
• providing relative distance of the MOB
• guiding the ship to the exact location of the MOB even in the rough seas

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