American aircraft carrier "Harry Truman": description, characteristics and interesting facts

The construction of huge aircraft carriers by manymilitary experts are rather skeptical. This is primarily related to the high costs of creating such ships. In their opinion, for such money (the amount can reach several billion US dollars), it is possible to design a dozen light aircraft carriers capable of taking on board aircraft characterized by the possibility of vertical take-off. Do not forget that the loss in the sea battle of a major ship will be very significant.

Be that as it may, a large aircraft carrier has a number ofadvantages. These include the ability to radar control and successfully confront several light ships at once, the detection of enemy objects at considerable distances, and others. One such ship, considered to be the real pride of the US Navy, is "Harry Truman" - the aircraft carrier, the characteristics and a detailed description of which is presented in this article later.

History of appearance

Construction of the ship started in 1993. The work was carried out in the state of Virginia by the company Newport News Shipbuilding. USS Aircraft Carrier Harry Truman became the eighth ship in the class of Nimitz. It should be noted that it includes the largest military ships on the planet, whose main purpose is to work in shock groups and defeat large surface targets. In addition, they are able to provide air defense and are involved in performing all sorts of air operations. Initially, the aircraft carrier was called USS United States. However, after the ship was launched on September 7, 1996, the government decided to rename it in honor of the 33rd president of the US - Harry Truman. The ceremonial introduction of the vessel into the State Navy, which was visited by President Bill Clinton, took place on July 25, 1998.

Official information on how much the US Treasury paid nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Harry Truman, are not disclosed. At the same time, according to rough estimates of experts, the final cost of its creation was about 4.5 billion dollars.

Attribution

The place of permanent disposition of the ship isa naval base located in the port city of Norfolk. The callsign of the vessel in translation from English means "lonely warrior". His first official campaign began on November 28, 2000. Then aircraft carrier Harry Truman was sent to carry out operations in the Persian Gulf.

general description

The basic supporting structures of the ship and itsThe flight deck is made of armored steel, while its body consists of steel welded sheets. According to the developers, the lifetime of the vessel is fifty years, and the operating time of nuclear fuel is twenty years. On the ship there are about four thousand rooms of different purposes. The size of the displacement the US aircraft carrier Harry Truman, is 97 thousand tons. The maximum length of the vessel reaches a mark of 332.8 meters, and the width - 76.8 meters. The size of the precipitate is 11.3 meters.

Among other things, designers have equippedThe ship is equipped with the most modern powerful radar systems and control system. These include satellite communication stations, reconnaissance and control of anti-aircraft missile systems, systems for interaction with digital communication lines, navigation "TAKAN", which allows you to manage aviation equipment and transmit information to it at a distance of up to 150 miles and much more.

Aviation Group

As for the ship's aviation group,the composition includes not only airplanes, but also helicopters. In general, the ship is theoretically designed for 90 units of aircraft. In fact, it does not make sense to carry out its full load, since this can lead to great difficulties associated with the movement of aircraft and their preparation for departure. Thus, as a rule, on board there are constantly about 60 aircraft. There is also a link, the main purpose of which are rescue and search operations in the event that one of the aircraft will be shot down, and the pilot will have time to catapult.

Main technical characteristics

American aircraft carrier "Harry Truman" is driven by two atomicreactors, and also four diesel engines developing 10 720 horsepowers. The total power of the power units of the ship reaches 260 thousand "horses". Cruising speed of the vessel is 30 knots, in other words - about 56 km / h. There are no restrictions associated with the range. Moreover, the autonomous navigation of a ship can last up to twenty years.

Staff

The main crew consists of 3200 people. In addition to them, there are 2480 employees on the ship who are engaged in servicing the aircraft wing. Despite the simultaneous presence on board of such a large number of servicemen, it can not be said that aircraft carrier Harry Truman is overcrowded, because the ship provides several zones for recreation, a kind of bar, a gym and many other places where staff can spend their free time.

The most important actions

This ship, like all other major aircraft carriersUSA, is under constant control of the Ministry of Defense of the country. Moreover, even the most insignificant movements of the ship are necessarily documented. For its relatively short term of exploitation, aircraft carrier Harry Truman took part in campaigns in the most diverse corners of the planet.

As noted above, in November 2000the ship's debut deployment took place. Then the ship left the port of registration and headed to the Persian Gulf. In that conflict, he became one of the main striking forces of his state, which adhered to the tactics of a contactless war. "Harry Truman" became the real nucleus of the attacking group, which involved stormtroopers, fighters, submarines, and cruisers with the Tomahawk missile. It should be noted that most military experts very highly appreciated the actions of the aircraft carrier after the end of the military operation. Overcoming more than 44 thousand nautical miles in six months, the vessel returned to Norfolk.

The second test of the aircraft carrier began in December 2002. After deployment in the Mediterranean, he returned to the place of permanent deployment six months later.

From October 2004 to April 2005,The third deployment of "Harry Truman" was conducted. Five years later, the ship again went to the Persian Gulf, from where it returned in late December 2010.

Starting from July 2013 and for seven months, the aircraft carrier patrolled the waters of the Middle East, after which he successfully returned to the base.

The last voyage

According to representatives of the US Defense Ministry, the main goal pursued aircraft carrier "Harry Truman" in the Mediterranean Sea In the summer of 2016, it is participation in a military operationagainst the "Islamic state" (a group that is banned in Russia). Many domestic experts suggest that the United States also tried to show the whole world its combat capabilities. On June 3, planes that had boarded this ship attacked the positions of the terrorist organization on the territory of Iraq and Syria. It should be noted that after the campaign in Iraq in 2003, these were the first strikes by American troops using an aircraft carrier.

Interesting Facts

There is information that the company Newport NewsShipbuilding received an order for a large-scale modernization of the ship. It is assumed that all work will be completed at the end of this year. According to unofficial data, the US government has allocated about 52 million dollars to upgrade the vessel. Which units and units are subject to modernization, as of today, it is not known.

In the year 2003 aircraft carrier Harry Truman took part in the filming of the film "Tears of the Sun", where the main character embodied on the screen, Bruce Willis.

In 1995, the ship appeared in the eighth series of the animated series Neon Genesis Evangelion. True, it should be noted that his name was changed to Over the Rainbow.