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Photos of damages to USS Harry S. Truman carrier after collision
The interesting images in this post feature Exterior damage of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) viewed from a ship’s rigid-hull inflatable boat and from an MH-60S Knight Hawk helicopter, attached to the ‘Dragonslayers’ of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11 following a collision with the merchant vessel Besiktas-M while operating in the vicinity of Port Said, Egypt, in the Mediterranean Sea.
According to a US Navy news release, The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier arrived at US Naval Support Activity (NSA) Souda Bay, Greece, recently to conduct an Emergent Repair Availability (ERAV) on the ship’s starboard quarter following the mishap.
Damage assessed includes the exterior wall of two storage rooms and a maintenance space. External to the ship, damage assessed includes a line handling space, the fantail, and the platform above one of the storage spaces. Aircraft elevator number three sustained no damage and is fully operational. Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center (FDRMC) will lead the pier side ERAV, including an assessment and follow-on repairs to damages sustained.
“While the ship is fully mission capable and the ship conducted flight operations following the collision, pulling into port for emergent repairs will enable the ship to continue deployment as scheduled,” said Capt. Dave Snowden, Harry S. Truman’s commanding officer.
USS Harry S. Truman carrier damaged areas after collision
An assessment team will conduct a full survey of damaged areas and develop a repair plan to be executed immediately following completion of the assessment. The assessment team includes structural engineers, naval architects, and other personnel from FDRMC and Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY). They will be supported by ship’s force personnel and local industry partners for the repair effort.
“The Forward Deployed Regional Maintenance Center’s ability to mobilize resources within and outside the theater to conduct repairs underscores the warfighting capability of the world’s most powerful Navy,” said Vice Adm. J. T. Anderson, commander U.S. Sixth Fleet.
Deployed US Navy ships routinely undergo planned and emergent maintenance periods such as mid-deployment voyage repairs and ERAVs, allowing forward-deployed ships to sustain maximal operational readiness. The United States’ relationships with Allies and partners provides access to ports around the world, granting the U.S. Navy strategic pier availability and resources critical for operational flexibility.
“The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group (HSTCSG) units remain operational across geographic regions in support of their component commanders,” said Rear Adm. Sean Bailey, commander of HSTCSG. “Our mission has not changed and we remain committed to responding to any challenge in this dynamic and global security environment.”
CVW-1
The carrier strike group includes the flagship USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75); Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, with eight embarked aviation squadrons; staffs from CSG-8, CVW-1, and Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 28; the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, USS Stout (DDG 55), USS The Sullivans (DDG 68), and USS Jason Dunham (DDG 109).
CVW-1 consists of eight squadrons and one detachment: VFA-11 (Strike Fighter Squadron 11) Red Rippers (F/A-18F Super Hornet), VFA-136 (Strike Fighter Squadron 136) KnightHawks (F/A-18E Super Hornet), VFA-143 (Strike Fighter Squadron 143) Pukin Dogs (F/A-18E Super Hornet), VFA-81 (Strike Fighter Squadron 81) Sunliners (F/A-18E Super Hornet), VAW-126 (Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 126) Seahawks (E-2D Hawkeye), VAQ-144 (Electronic Attack Squadron 144) Main Battery (EA-18G Growler), VRC-40 (Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 Det. 2) Rawhides (C-2A Greyhound), HSC-11 (Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 11) Dragon Slayers (MH-60S Seahawk), HSM-72 (Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 72) Proud Warriors (MH-60R Seahawk).
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers
Aircraft carriers continue to be the centerpiece of the forces necessary for operating forward. In times of crisis, the first question leaders ask is: “Where are the carriers?”
Often the presence of an aircraft carrier has deterred potential adversaries from striking against U.S. interests.
The aircraft carrier and its strike group also engage in maritime security operations to interdict threats to merchant shipping and prevent the use of the seas for terrorism and piracy. Aircraft carriers also provide unique capabilities for disaster response and humanitarian assistance. The embarked carrier air wing provides helicopters for direct support and C4I assets to support them and ensure aid is routed quickly and safely.
The Nimitz (and Gerald R. Ford)-class aircraft carriers are the largest warships in the world, each designed for an approximately 50-year service life with just a single mid-life refueling.
Nimitz-class aircraft carriers include: USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70), USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), USS George Washington (CVN 73), USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), USS Harry S Truman (CVN 75), USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77).
Photo credit: U.S. Navy
