USS George H.W. Bush CVN-77

Secretary of the Navy Gordon England officially named the Navy's 10th Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, CVN 77, in honor of World War II naval aviator and former President of the United States George Herbert Walker Bush during a ceremony Dec. 9, 2002 at the Pentagon. The future USS George H.W. Bush is presently under construction at Northrop Grumman Newport News in Virginia. USS George H.W. Bush is expected to join the fleet in 2009. The ceremonial keel-laying of the Navy's newest Nimitz-class carrier, Pre-Commissioning Unit George H. W. Bush (PCU 77), was held Sept. 6, 2003 at Northrup Grumman Newport News shipyard. On-hand to authenticate the keel was former president and namesake George H. W. Bush. The 10th and final Nimitz-class carrier will be the most advanced carrier of the class, a transitional carrier to bridge the gap between today's Navy and the next generation of aircraft carriers. Improvements include a modernized island house that includes a new, more integrated radar tower, navigation and communication systems upgrades and installation of transparent armor windows. Also included will be a modernized aircraft launch and recovery system, and an integrated damage control data display system, which will improve the crew's crisis response capabilities. Mahognay Wood. Scale: 1/350. Length 38 inches.