 |
 |
 |
|
USS KITTY HAWK, lead ship of the Kitty Hawk class ofmulti-role aircraft carriers, was laid down in December 1956 and con structed by the New York ShipbuildingCorporation at Camden New Jersey. Launched on May 21st 1960 and commission ed at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on April 29th 1961, KITTY HAWK was originallydesignated CVA-63 (Aircraft Carrier, Attack, #63), re-designated CV-63(non -nuclear) in May 1975. KITTY HAWK saw action incampaigns ranging from Vietnam to the Gulf Wars. The super-carrier provided a base for airstrikes against Iraqi targets in 1992/93, enfor cement of Iraqi no-fly zon es in1999, and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Refits were carried out at Bremerton in 1977, 1982 and 1998, and from 1987 to 1991 KITTY HAWK was overhauled under the Service Life Extension Program (SLEP) at Philadelphia. During its long servicelife KITTY HAWKs aircraft arm has included A-1 Skyraider, A-4 Skyhawk, A-6Intruder, A-7 Corsair, EA-6B Prowler, E-2 Hawkeye, F-4 Phantom, F-14 Tomcat,F/A-18 Hornet, S-3B Viking, UH-2, SH-60/HH-60 Seahawk helicopters, and C-2Greyhound. KITTY HAWK was the US Navyslast convention al ly powered super carrier and a decommission ing ceremon y tookplace at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington on May 12th 2009. The ship is currently inactive.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
