The Hornet's nest

The mighty US Navy nuclear powered aircraft carrier,

CVN-77 - USS Goerge H. W. Bush moored in Stokes Bay,

The Solent, back in May 2011.

 

Back then her embarked Air Wing consisted of:

 

Attack Squadron VFA-31 'Tomcatters' with 12 x FA-18E Hornets,

Attack Squadron 'Black Lions' VFA-213 with 12 x FA-18F Hornets,

Attack Squadron 'Golden Warriors' VFA-15 with 10 x FA-18C Hornets,

Attack Squadron 'Valions' VFA-15 with 10 x FA-18C(N) Hornets,

Electronic Warfare Squadron VAQ-141 'Shadow Hawks' with

5 x EF-18G Growlers,

Early Warning Squadron VAW-124 'Bear Aces' with

4 x E-2C Hawkeyes,

Anti-Submarine Squadron HSM-70 'Spartans' with

5 x MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopters and

finally HC-9 'Tridents', also with 6 x MH-60S Sea Hawks for plane-guard and general Heli-ops.

 

During our watery excursion around her, of the above, 6 x Hornets, 1 x Growler, 1 x Hawkeye and 3 x Sea Hawks were below in the hangar deck.

 

Here she is undergoing replenishment by vessels operating from the nearby Royal Navy Dockyard, Portsmouth before heading back into the Atlantic for the remainder of her 'Cruise'.

 

Best viewed on black by pressing 'L'

 

HDR Tonemapping

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Done